Macchi M.7

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The Macchi M.7 was an Italian single-seat fighter flying boat designed by Alesandro Tonini and built by Macchi. A modified version the M.7bis won the Schneider Trophy in 1921.

Development

The M.7 was similar to the earlier M.5 but had a modified hull and was powered by a Isotta-Fraschini V.6 engine. Due to the end of the First World War only 17 aircraft were delivered to the Italian Navy. In 1919 two each were sold to Argentina and Sweden and in 1921 Brazil bough three.

In 1920 Tonini designed the M.7bis a racing version for the Schneider Trophy, it had a lighter structure and reduced-span wings. Five M.7s entered the 1921 competion at Venice which was won by Giovanni di Briganti flying the M.7bis. At the 1922 competion at Naples the M.7bis came fourth.

In 1923 a revised variant the M.7ter appeared, it had redesigned hull, revised wing configuration and new tail unit. Three different versions of the M.7ter were built including the M.7ter AR which had folding wings to allow them to operate from the seaplane-carrier "Miraglia". In 1924 six Italian naval squadrons had equipped with the M.7ter and over 100 were built. The aircraft was also used as late as 1940 by civilian flying schools.

Operators

;ARG;BRA;ITA;SWE

pecifications (M.7ter)

aerospecs
ref= [Orbis 1985, page 2393]
met or eng?= met

crew=1
capacity=
length m=8.09
length ft=26
length in=6½
span m=9.95
span ft=32
span in=7¾
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=2.97
height ft=9
height in=9
wing area sqm=23.50
wing area sqft=252.96
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=805
empty weight lb=1775
gross weight kg=1098
gross weight lb=2421
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Isotta-Fraschni V.6 inline piston engine
eng1 kw= 194
eng1 hp= 260
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
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max speed kmh=200
max speed mph=124
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=
range miles=
endurance h= 3
endurance min= 0
ceiling m=7000
ceiling ft=22,965
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

armament1=2 x 0.303in Vickers machine-gun (fixed forward firing in bow)
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

ee also

aircontent
see also=
*Schneider Trophy
related=
similar aircraft=
sequence=
lists=
*List of seaplanes and flying boats
*List of military aircraft of Sweden

References

*
*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages=