Macchi M.26
Macchi · Italy · first flew 1924 · fighter
The Macchi M.26 was an Italian flying boat fighter prototype of 1924 designed and manufactured by Macchi.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.15 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-bay flying boat biplane with equal-span unstaggered wings
- Hispano-Suiza V8 pusher engine on struts above the hull
- Two fixed forward-firing Vickers machine guns
A clean biplane flying boat with a 296 hp Hispano-Suiza V8 driving a pusher propeller, mounted on struts above the hull and below the upper wing.
Specifications
- The Macchi M.26 has a length of 8.15 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.2 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 244 km/h (152 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
In 1924 the Regia Marina issued a requirement to replace its Macchi M.7ter, and Mario Castoldi designed the M.26 to compete with the SIAI S.58. It was a wooden, single-seat, single-bay biplane with equal-span, unstaggered wings and plywood and fabric skinning.
Variants
A few years later Macchi based the design of its M.41 fighter on that of the M.26.
Where you'll see it
Two prototypes were built and the M.26 flew in 1924 with good performance, but the Regia Marina chose to re-engine the M.7ter instead and Macchi received no production orders.
Related aircraft
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