Macchi MC.72
Aeronautica Macchi · Italy · first flew 1931 · light aircraft
The Macchi MC.72 was an Italian racing seaplane built to compete in the Schneider Trophy and subsequently set a world absolute airspeed record of 709.21 km/h in 1934 that stood for piston-engined seaplanes for decades. It remains one of the most aerodynamically refined aircraft ever built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.32 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin tandem Fiat AS.6 engines driving contra-rotating propellers — four blades per hub
- Twin float seaplane with polished natural metal finish
- Extremely clean racing airframe with radiators embedded in wing and float surfaces
The four-bladed contra-rotating propeller at the nose and the twin floats are definitive. The wing surface radiators give the wings a distinctive metallic sheen. The fuselage is exceptionally slender.
Specifications
- The Macchi MC.72 has a length of 8.32 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.48 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 710 km/h (441 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed by Mario Castoldi, the MC.72 was developed too late for the 1931 Schneider race (which Britain won unopposed) but was refined over subsequent years. Francesco Agello flew it to the 1934 world speed record, a figure that was never broken by a piston-engined seaplane. Its Fiat AS.6 powerplant — two engines in tandem driving contra-rotating propellers — was an extraordinary feat of Italian engineering.
Variants
Several airframes were built and progressively refined; no operational variants existed. The MC.72 was purely a record-breaker.
Where you'll see it
The MC.72 never entered operational military service. Its significance was entirely prestige-based, demonstrating Italian aeronautical excellence. Several examples survive in Italian museums.
Related aircraft
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