1/32 Macchi MC.200 Saetta

The Macchi MC.200, designed by the renowned engineer Mario Castoldi, represented a significant evolution in Italian fighter aircraft production. Compared to the Fiat CR.32 and Fiat CR.42 biplanes, which still formed the backbone of Italian fighter units at the beginning of World War II, the Macchi MC.200, along with its contemporary Fiat G.50, stood out for its monoplane configuration and all-metal construction. Powered by a 14-cylinder, twin-row Fiat A.74 RC.38 radial engine delivering 840 hp, the Macchi MC.200 could reach speeds of up to 500 km/h. However, when compared to its Allied counterparts, the MC.200 proved to be underpowered and, above all, lightly armed. Its armament consisted of only two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns mounted above the engine’s distinctive bulged cowling. In later versions, two additional 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns were installed in the wings. The aircraft was employed by the Regia Aeronautica on major World War II fronts, including North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Balkans, and the Eastern Front in Russia.