Macchi C.205 Veltro
Macchi · Italy · first flew 1942 · fighter
The Macchi C.205 Veltro (Greyhound) was the finest Italian piston fighter of the Second World War, capable of matching the Spitfire Mk V and Bf 109G in performance. It combined the proven C.202 airframe with the more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.85 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Slender inline-engine Italian fighter
- Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine with chin radiator
- Low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage and enclosed cockpit
A sleek low-wing monoplane with a liquid-cooled inline engine, a deep chin radiator bath under the nose, and elliptically tapered wings; closely resembles the C.202 but with a slightly longer nose for the larger engine.
Specifications
- The Macchi C.205 Veltro has a length of 8.85 m (29 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.58 m (35 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 640 km/h (398 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in April 1942, the Veltro reached operational units in early 1943 and proved highly effective in North African and Mediterranean air combat. Production was hampered by Italy's industrial difficulties and only around 262 were completed before the armistice. Post-armistice, both the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force and the ANR flew the type against each other.
Variants
The C.205N Orione was an enlarged development with a different wing; the C.205S was a floatplane project that did not proceed. The C.202 and C.205 share a near-identical airframe.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Regia Aeronautica, Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, and the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana from 1943 to the war's end.
Related aircraft
- Macchi C.202 Folgore
- Macchi C.200 Saetta
- Macchi M.6
- Aichi E16A Zuiun
- Bell P-59 Airacomet
- Bell P-63 Kingcobra
- Bereznyak-Isayev BI-1
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