Ansaldo A.1 Balilla
Ansaldo · Italy · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Ansaldo A.1 Balilla (meaning 'young patriot') was Italy's first domestically designed fighter aircraft to enter quantity production during World War I. Powered by a 220 hp SPA 6A engine, it was fast but difficult to handle and was not popular with Italian pilots.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.84 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- WWI Italian single-seat biplane fighter
- Round nose cowling over SPA 6A inline engine
- Equal-span unstaggered biplane wings with I-struts
A compact equal-span biplane with a rounded nose spinner, I-struts between wings, and a neatly cowled inline engine. Slightly smaller and cleaner-looking than the SPAD VII, with which it is sometimes compared.
Specifications
- The Ansaldo A.1 Balilla has a length of 6.84 m (22 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.68 m (25 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 220 km/h (137 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the Ansaldo SVA reconnaissance series by stripping back the airframe for pure fighter use, the A.1 first flew in 1917 and entered service in early 1918. Despite its speed, Italian Corpo Aeronautico Militare pilots found it difficult to maneuver and preferred the Hanriot HD.1. Poland received a batch after the war and used them effectively against Soviet forces in 1920.
Variants
The A.1 was produced in a single primary variant; a two-seat trainer conversion was also built in small numbers.
Where you'll see it
Served with Italy during WWI and with Poland post-war; Polish Balillas saw combat in the Polish-Soviet War of 1920.
Related aircraft
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