Nardi FN.305

Nardi FN.305
Role	Fighter trainer and liaison monoplane
Manufacturer	Fratelli Nardi
First flight	1935
Primary users	Italian Air Force Romanian Air Force
Produced	1937-1943
Variants	Nardi FN.315 Nardi FN.316

The Nardi FN.305 was an Italian fighter trainer and liaison monoplane developed by the Fratelli Nardi company.

Development

The FN.305 was designed as trainer and liaison aircraft and the prototype first flew on 19 January 1935. The FN.305 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane of mixed construction. It had tailskid landing gear, with the main gear retracting inwards. It was powered by a nose-mounted 200hp (149kW) Fiat A.70S inline piston engine. The prototype was a tandem two-seater with an enclosed cockpit. It was intended to produce both single-seat and two-seat variants and the next prototype was a single-seat fighter trainer followed by a two-seat basic trainer prototype which both had open cockpits. Two long-range FN.305D variants were then produced powered by a 200hp (149kW) Walter Bora radial engine. The first FN.305D was a two-seater which was used on a record breaking flight between Rome and Addis Ababa in March 1939 gaining a class record for covering the 4463.8km (2,773,68 miles) at an average speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). The second FN.305D was a single-seat bought by Yugoslavia for an aborted attempt at a non-stop North Atlantic flight.

The prototype was re-engined with a Alfa Romeo 115 engine as the FN.305A which then entered production by Piaggio as the Nardi works were not large enough. The Italian Air Force had ordered 258 aircraft most of them two-seat FN.305A fighter trainers and liaison aircraft, a few of the aircraft were completed as single-seat open-cockpit FN.305Cs and enclosed-cockpit FN.305Ds. Following the Italian order in 1938 nine aircraft were sold to Chile and 31 to Romania. Romania then built 124 aircraft under licence by IAR. The largest export order came from France but only 41 had been delivered when Italy declared war on France in June 1940. The final export customer was Hungary who ordered 50.

An improved version was developed as the Nardi FN.315.

Variants

FN.305

Prototype

FN.305A

Two-seater and main production variant.

FN.305B

Single-seat open cockpit variant.

FN.305C

Single-seat enclosed cockpit variant

FN.305D

Long range variant with a 200hp (149kW) Walter Bora radial engine, two built, one single-seater and one two-seater.

Operators

 France

• French Air Force

 Hungary

• Royal Hungarian Air Force

 Italy

• Regia Aeronautica

 Romania

• Royal Romanian Air Force

 Chile

• Chilean Air Force

Specifications (FN.305A)

Data from The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. pp. 2594. 

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 6.98 m (22 ft 10¾ in)
• Wingspan: 8.47 m (27 ft 9½ in)
• Height: 2.10 m (6 ft 10¾ in)
• Wing area: 12 m² (129.17 ft²)
• Empty weight: 704 kg (1552 lb)
• Gross weight: 984 kg (2169 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Alfa Romeo 115 inline piston engine, 138 kW (185 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 300 km/h (186 mph)
• Range: 620 km (385 miles)
• Service ceiling: 6000 m (19,685 ft)

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. pp. 2593–4.