Breda Ba.201
Breda · Italy · first flew 1939 · fighter
The Breda Ba.201 was an Italian single-engine dive bomber prototype developed in the late 1930s to provide the Regia Aeronautica with a dedicated Stuka-like capability. It featured an inverted gull wing to provide propeller clearance with a fixed undercarriage.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.09 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- Italian WWII-era single-engine dive bomber prototype
- Inverted gull wing for propeller clearance
- Fixed spatted undercarriage on early prototype
An inverted gull-wing low-wing monoplane with a large radial engine and fixed undercarriage; the bent wing and single-engine configuration recall the Ju 87 Stuka it was intended to rival.
Specifications
- The Breda Ba.201 has a length of 11.09 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 460 km/h (286 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed to meet an Italian requirement for a dive bomber, the Ba.201 first flew in 1939. Although its performance was considered acceptable, it was not ordered into production, partly because Italy received examples of the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka under the Axis agreement, making a domestic equivalent less urgent.
Variants
Only the prototype was built; no series production followed.
Where you'll see it
The Ba.201 never entered Regia Aeronautica service.
Related aircraft
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