Macchi M.39
Aeronautica Macchi · Italy · first flew 1926 · light aircraft
The Macchi M.39 was an Italian single-seat racing seaplane built to win the 1926 Schneider Trophy.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fins above and below the rear fuselage with an unbalanced rudder |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Low, cable-braced monoplane wing
- Twin floats
- Fins above and below the rear fuselage with an unbalanced rudder
It is a single-seat twin-float seaplane with an open cockpit above the wing trailing edge and a streamlined fuselage. Two-thirds of the wing's upper surface works as a surface radiator, and the tail has one fin above and one below the fuselage.
Specifications
- The Macchi M.39 has a length of 7.77 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.26 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 439 km/h (273 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed by Mario Castoldi and built at Varese, and was his first low-wing monoplane for Macchi. The first aircraft, the trainer MM.72, made the type's maiden flight on 6 July 1926.
Variants
Two versions were produced, a trainer and a racer.
Where you'll see it
Three M.39s took part in the Schneider Trophy contest at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 13 November 1926. Mario de Bernardi won at an average of 396.698 km/h, a new seaplane speed record, with another M.39 third.
Related aircraft
- Macchi M.33
- Macchi MC.72
- Macchi M.16
- Macchi M.20
- Aero A.22
- Albessard Triavion
- American Eagle A-101
- ANEC IV Missel Thrush
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.