Macchi M.33
Aeronautica Macchi · Italy · first flew 1925 · light aircraft
The Macchi M.33 was an Italian racing flying boat that competed in the 1925 Schneider Trophy race.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Curtiss D-12 in a streamlined nacelle on struts above the fuselage with a tractor propeller |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat wooden shoulder-wing flying boat
- Stabilising floats carried on each side of the thick cantilever wing
- Curtiss D-12 in a streamlined nacelle on struts above the fuselage with a tractor propeller
A clean monoplane flying boat with a thick wing, small floats, and the engine mounted above the hull.
Specifications
- The Macchi M.33 has a length of 8.55 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.74 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 350 km/h (217 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Italy lacked competitive racing engines in 1925, so the M.33 used a worn 1923 Curtiss D-12 engine. The type was of clean aerodynamic design for its time. Two were built.
Variants
It had a flat-plate radiator, which was obsolescent by 1925. Pilots reported wing flutter.
Where you'll see it
Italy entered two in the race at Baltimore. One was scratched with ignition problems and Giovanni de Briganti finished third at an average of 271 km/h, well behind the winning Curtiss R3C and the second-placed Gloster IIIA. It was the last flying boat to compete in the Schneider Trophy races.
Related aircraft
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