Macchi M.3

__NOTOC__ Infobox Aircraft
name=Macchi M.3


caption=
type=Biplane flying boat
manufacturer=Macchi
designer=
first flight=1916
introduced=
retired=1924
status=
primary user=Italian Navy
more users=
produced=
number built=200
developed from=Macchi L.2
variants with their own articles=The Macchi L.3 or later Macchi M.3 was an Italian biplane flying boats developed from the earlier Macchi L.2.

Development

The company had learnt about flying boat design from copying an Austrian flying boat to produce the Macchi L.1 and improving it to produce the Macchi L.2. The result was the L.3, which was renamed the M.3 in 1917 to recognise the change in design from Lohner influenced to a Macchi design. Only the unequal-span biplane wings were inherited from the L.2 a new and refined hull and strut-mounted tailplane were designed. Powered by a single Isotta-Fraschini engine strut mounted between the two wings and driving a pusher propeller. It was armed with a single machine-gun on a trainable mounting and could also carry four light bombs. In 1916 one aircraft gained the world altitude record for a seaplane when it climbed to 5400m (17,717ft) in 41 minutes.

Operational history

Over 200 M.3s were built and delivered to the Italian Navy and were used on a variety of missions which including bombing, reconnaissance, patrol and escort. For a short period in 1917 it was also used as a fighter. Several aircraft were used in commando-style operations behind Austrian-lines. The aircraft were highly regarded by the Italian Navy and they were used on bombing raids and pioneered the Italian use of aerial photography. After the war the type was used by training units until 1924.

A number of second-hand aircraft were used by the Swiss company Ad Astra Aero to carry out charters and joy rides on the Swiss lakes, the two passengers were seated side-by-side behind a large windscreen with the pilot in a raised open cockpit further aft.

Operators

;flag|Italy|1861-state
*Italian Navy;SUI
*Ad Astra Aero

pecifications (M.3)

aerospecs
ref=cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages= 2392
met or eng?= met
crew=2
capacity=
length m=
length ft=
length in=
span m=15.95
span ft=52
span in=4
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=
height ft=
height in=
wing area sqm=
wing area sqft=
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=
empty weight lb=
gross weight kg=1350
gross weight lb=2976
lift kg=
lift lb=
eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Isotta-Fraschini V.4B
eng1 kw= 119
eng1 hp= 160
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
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eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=
max speed kmh=144
max speed mph=90
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=385
range miles=239
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=
ceiling ft=
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=
armament1=1 x Fiat machine-gun or a light canon
armament2=4 x light bombs
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

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

References

*
*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=|pages= 2392