IMAM Ro.51

infobox Aircraft
name = Ro.51
type = Fighter
manufacturer = IMAM


caption =
designer =
first flight = 1937
introduced =
retired =
number built = 2
status =Prototype
unit cost =
variants with their own articles =
primary user =
more users =

The IMAM Ro.51 was an Italian fighter aircraft that first flew in 1937. It was designed for the 1936 new fighter contest for the Regia Aeronautica, with practically all the Italian aircraft builders involved.

Design

The aircraft, designed by the engineer Galasso, was a single-seat, monoplane fighter, of mixed construction (the wings were made of wood), and initially with a fixed undercarriage.

The engine was standard for this generation of fighters, a 840 hp Fiat A.74 RC 38 radial powering a three-blade propeller.

The fixed undercarriage, meant that the maximum speed was only 467 km/h. It was armed with two Breda-SAFAT 12.7 mm machine guns.

Development

On June 1938 the first prototype, initially fitted with a very small tail, was tested and found inferior to the Macchi C.200 and Fiat G.50. It was overall a poor aircraft. The trials to re-engineer the wing came too late and no orders were made.

The second prototype Ro.51/1, was converted into a fighter floatplane. Like the Ro.44 it had a large central float and two smaller ones under the wings. The maximum speed dropped to 430 km/h, but endurance was increased to 1,200 km.

Unfortunately during a trial one of the wings suddenly sank in the water. The rest of the aircraft swiftly followed, and the loss of this prototype meant the end of the program.

Although performance was apparently fairly good, the project was overall a failure, especially in the early aspects, even if it was not too different from the Fokker D.XXI. But with so many other superior machines also involved, waiting for the problems the Ro.51 had to be fixed was not an option.

pecifications (Ro.51 first prototype)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref= The Complete Book of Fighters cite book |last= Green|first= W |coauthors=Swanborough, G |title= The Complete Book of Fighters |edition= |year= 1994|location=New York|publisher= Smithmark |pages=p.308-309|isbn= 0-8317-3939-8]

crew=1
capacity=
length main= 7.46 m
length alt= 24 ft 5¾ in
span main= 9.78 m
span alt= 32 ft 1 in
height main= 2.71 m
height alt= 8 ft 10⅞ in
area main= 16.4 m² cite web |url= http://airwiki.org/enc/fww2/ro51.html|title= IMAM Ro.51|language= Russian|accessdate=2007-09-23 |format= |work= ]
area alt= 176 ft²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 1,663 kg
empty weight alt= 3,666 lb
loaded weight main= 2,092 kg
loaded weight alt= 4,612 lb
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=
max takeoff weight alt=
more general=
engine (prop)=Fiat A.74 R.C.38
type of prop= 14-cylinder radial engine
number of props=1
power main= 618 kW
power alt= 828 hp
power original=

max speed main= 489 km/h at 4,500 m
max speed alt= 264 knots, 304 mph
cruise speed main= 444 km/h
cruise speed alt= 240 knots, 276 mph
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
range main= 1,200 km
range alt= 648 nm, 745 mi
ceiling main= 8,200 m
ceiling alt= 26,900 ft
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
* Climb to 6,000 m (19,700 ft): 7 minutes
armament=
* 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=

similar aircraft=
* Fokker D.XXI
sequence=

lists=
* List of aircraft of Italy, World War II
* List of fighter aircraft
see also=

References

* Lembo, Daniele "Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali IMAM", Aerei nella Storia magazine n.34 Nov-Dec 2003, Delta editions, Parma. it icon
* [http://www.italiankits.it/doratiro51.html Ro.51 in italiankits.it] it icon
* [http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/ro51.html Ro.51 site on airwar.ru] ru icon
* [http://ww2drawings.jexiste.fr/Files/2-Airplanes/Axis/2-Italy/01-Fighters/IMAM-RO51/IMAM-RO51.htm Drawings]