Aermacchi MB-339A
Aermacchi · Italy · first flew 1976 · fighter
The Aermacchi MB-339A is an Italian single-engine jet trainer and light attack aircraft that has served as the standard advanced trainer of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana since the late 1970s. It is best known internationally as the mount of the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.97 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tandem two-seat Italian jet trainer with straight-tapered wing
- Single Viper turbojet fed by bifurcated nose intakes
- Flown by Italian Frecce Tricolori display team
Distinguished by its tandem seating under a long canopy, bifurcated intakes flanking the nose, straight-tapered low wing, and single Viper exhaust; broadly similar to the MB-326 but with a longer nose and revised cockpit.
Specifications
- The Aermacchi MB-339A has a length of 10.97 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.86 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 817 km/h (508 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed as a successor to the MB-326, the MB-339 first flew in August 1976 and entered Italian service in 1979. The Rolls-Royce Viper turbojet gives it adequate performance for advanced jet training while remaining economical to operate. It saw combat use in Argentine service during the 1982 Falklands War, where MB-339As operated from Stanley airfield against British forces.
Variants
The MB-339A is the baseline trainer; the MB-339C is an upgraded export version with more power and modern avionics; the MB-339PAN is the Frecce Tricolori variant.
Where you'll see it
Operated by Italy, Argentina, Eritrea, Ghana, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, and the UAE; the Argentine MB-339As saw combat in the 1982 Falklands conflict.
Related aircraft
- MB-339
- Aermacchi MB-339K Veltro II
- MB-339PAN
- Aermacchi AM.3C
- HAL Ajeet
- Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3
- MiG-23ML
- Sukhoi Su-17M3
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