Ambrosini SAI.403

Infobox Aircraft
name=SAI.403 Dardo


caption=
type=Light fighter
manufacturer=Ambrosini
designer=
first flight=1943
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=1
developed from = Ambrosini SAI.207
variants with their own articles=

The Ambrosini SAI.403 Dardo was a light fighter aircraft built in Italy during World War II.

Design and development

SAI.403 Dardo was a considerably refined version of the SAI.207, designed during the delays in that type's development. The improvements induced the Ministero dell' Aeronautica in 1943 to cancel its order for 2,000 of the SAI.207 so as to order 3,000 of the SAI.403 instead (800 from Ambrosini, 1,000 from Caproni, and 1,200 from Savoia-Marchetti). Apart from the fighter's superlative performance, its all-wood construction was attractive at a time when Italy was facing a shortage of strategic materials. However, by the time of the Armistice, the first of these was yet to leave the factory.

Operational history

The single prototype ("MM.518") was seized by the Germans and evaluated by the Luftwaffe at Vergiate. Japanese pilots then stationed in Germany were also given a chance to fly the aircraft, with the result that it was ordered into production by both Heinkel and Mitsubishi. None of these flew before the end of the war either.

Versions (planned)

;SAI.403A:Point-defense fighter (gross weight 2,478 kg/5,460 lb) armed with 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns.;SAI.403B:Standard fighter (gross weight 2,643 kg/5,830 lb) armed with 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns and 2 × 15 mm MG 151/15 cannons or 2 × 20 mm MG 151/20 guns.;SAI.403C:Long-range fighter with 2 × 20 mm cannons and an extra 300 L (66 imp gal, 71 us gal) for a total range of 2,320 km (1,450 miles).

Operators

;flag|Germany|Nazi
*Luftwaffe (captured);flag|Italy|1861
*Regia Aeronautica

pecifications (prototype)

aerospecs
met or eng?= met

crew=one pilot
capacity=
length m=8.20
length ft=26
length in=11
span m=9.00
span ft=32
span in=2
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
height m=2.9
height ft=9
height in=6
wing area sqm=14.5
wing area sqft=156
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=1,985
empty weight lb=4,376
gross weight kg=2,643
gross weight lb=5,830

eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Isotta-Fraschini Delta inverted V
eng1 kw= 560
eng1 hp= 750
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=
eng2 lbf-ab=

max speed kmh=648
max speed mph=400
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=936
range miles=584
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=10,000
ceiling ft=32,800
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=15.9
climb rate ftmin=3,120
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

armament1=2× 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
armament2=2× 15 mm MG 151/15 cannons or 2× 20 mm MG 151/20 guns

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Cattaneo, Gianni. "SAI-Ambrosini 207 e derivati" (bilingual Italian/English). Roma, Italy: La Bancarella Aeronautica, 2005.
* Taylor, Michael J. H. "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions , 1989.

External links

ee also

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