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Largely as the result of the enthusiasm and dedication of Colonel Amedeo Mecozzi, the Italian air force devoted
considerable effort during the early and mid-1930’s to the development of its assault air arm. Several requirements
for such aircraft were issued and Breda submitted a design from Antonio Parano and Giuseppe Panzeri of a combat aircraft
capable of being a fighter, light bomber or reconnaissance aircraft. The new airplane was designed as a cantilever
low-wing all-metal monoplane with a wire braced tail unit. The pilot’s cockpit was placed well forward on the upper
fuselage to provide excellent forward and downward fields of vision, in line with the leading edges of the wing roots.
Yet the Ba.64 was at best a traditional type reflecting the gradual emergence of the advanced monoplane to succeed the
traditional biplane, as shown by the prototype’s being fitted with a fixed tailwheel landing gear.
The prototype first flew in 1934 with a 700 hp Alfa Romeo Pegasus radial engine. The second prototype soon followed
completed to single-seat fighter configuration but with semi-retractable main landing gear units and an armament of
four 7.7mm machine guns in the wings. The semi retractable landing gear meant that in their rearward retracted position,
they yielded a significant reduction in drag while the lower half of the wheels meant the airplane would suffer
relatively little damage in the event of a wheels up landing.
Flight trials revealed an indifferent performance despite the use of a variable pitch three bladed propeller. It was
decided to place a limited production order that combined the two-seat accommodation of the first prototype with the
semi-retractable landing gear of the second. Production of 42 aircraft was completed in 1936 and these aircraft served
with the 5th and 50th Stormos up to 1939 when the 27 operational Ba 64s were withdrawn from front-line service. The
remaining aircraft were used in various secondary roles until the last 4 were scrapped in 4/43.
Specifications
| Powerplant |
One 650 hp Alfa Romeo 125 RC.35 radial engine or one 610 hp Piaggio Stella IX radial engine.radial engine or one 610 hp |
| Horsepower |
610 or 650 |
| Typical Range |
559 Miles |
| Max Range |
932 miles |
| Crew |
(2) Pilot and Observer/Gunner |
| Cruising Speed |
174 mph |
| Max Speed |
217 mph at 13,125 ft. |
| Service Ceiling |
22,965 ft |
| Armament |
Two 12.7mm fixed forward firing machine guns and two 7.7mm fixed forward firing machine guns in the wings, one 7.7mm trainable machine gun in the rear cockpit and up to 1,199 lbs of disposable stores |
Article by JDG, Photo and Specifications courtesy JDG and Alberto Rosselli
Sources:
Wings: London Blitz to Pearl Harbor
Elke Weale, Combat Aircraft of World War II, Bracken Books, 1985.
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