SAI.207
Società Aeronautica Italiana (SAI) · Italy · first flew 1941 · fighter
The SAI.207 was an Italian single-seat piston fighter prototype of World War II, developed by Umberto Neri and remarkable for achieving very high speed from an air-cooled radial engine.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Smooth oval-section fuselage with a prominent radial engine cowling |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sleek Italian radial-engine fighter with retractable undercarriage
- Smooth oval-section fuselage with a prominent radial engine cowling
- Low tapered wing with rounded wingtips
A compact, clean low-wing monoplane with a well-faired engine installation. The fuselage is notably slim and oval in section. The tapered wing has gentle curvature on the leading edge and a straight trailing edge. Retractable main undercarriage with small fairings. Overall impression is of a refined, high-speed design.
Specifications
- The SAI.207 has a length of 7.57 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 628 km/h (390 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed at SAI Ambrosini in the early war years, the SAI.207 was built around a high-powered Isotta-Fraschini Delta RC.40 inverted V-12 engine in some sources, though other accounts describe it as a radial installation. The prototype demonstrated impressive speed but did not advance to production, as Italian industrial capacity was prioritised elsewhere and the programme faced political headwinds within the Regia Aeronautica.
Variants
The SAI.207 led to the improved SAI.403 Dardo, which was developed further but also never reached squadron service.
Where you'll see it
No production aircraft were completed; the type existed only as a prototype evaluated by the Regia Aeronautica.
Related aircraft
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