SAI Ambrosini SAI.403 Dardo

SAI Ambrosini · Italy · first flew 1943 · fighter

The SAI.403 Dardo (Dart) was a refined, all-wood Italian lightweight fighter developed from the earlier SAI.207, prized for its performance at a time when Italy faced severe metal shortages.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	Small, elegant all-wood low-wing fighter with a slim, tapered fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Small, elegant all-wood low-wing fighter with a slim, tapered fuselage
Inverted V12 engine with a tight, pointed cowl
Framed canopy set well aft on a streamlined fuselage

Its all-wood construction, tight cowling around the inverted V12 and diminutive, elegant proportions distinguish it from Italy's metal-built wartime fighters.

Specifications

The SAI Ambrosini SAI.403 Dardo has a length of 8.2 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.8 m (32 ft).
Its maximum speed is 648 km/h (403 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Powered by a 750hp Isotta-Fraschini Delta inverted V12, its improved performance over the SAI.207 persuaded the Italian air ministry to cancel a 2,000-aircraft SAI.207 order in 1943 in favour of 3,000 SAI.403s, to be built by Ambrosini, Caproni and Savoia-Marchetti.

Variants

Standard and long-range versions were planned, the latter with extra fuel and cannon armament, but the armistice in September 1943 halted production before any left the factory.

Where you'll see it

The sole prototype was seized by the occupying Germans, evaluated at Vergiate, and even flown by visiting Japanese pilots — interest that briefly led to production orders from both Heinkel and Mitsubishi before the war ended.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.