Macchi M.15

Macchi · Italy · first flew 1918 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Macchi M.15 was an Italian reconnaissance aircraft, bomber and trainer, designed by Alessandro Tonini and Piero Bergonzi and built by Macchi.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — WingsMid-mounted, straight
E — Engines1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage8.57 m fuselage
T — TailConventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

The V-shaped interplane struts and unequal wingspan identify it. The aircraft has fixed landing gear.

Specifications

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The M.15 first flew in 1918 as a two-seat biplane. Its 320 hp Fiat A.12 engine drove a two-bladed tractor propeller and gave a top speed of 185 km/h.

Variants

The M.15 Bis per trasporto passeggeri was a civilian version with a closed cabin, and another M.15 Bis was a reconnaissance version. The original M.15 had a very inclined fin and an ovoid-shaped radiator.

Where you'll see it

No more than 20 were built. By December 1919 three were in service with the Regio Esercito, and in 1922 the M.15 equipped the 115th Squadron at Bologna. In May 1924 an M.15 Bis was used for parachute launches at Montecelio.

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