Air ratings format

Attack strength - Type - Defense strength

Tactical-Strategic bombing strength - Special code(s) - Range

TYPES

F - Fighter
B - Bomber
D - Dive bomber
A - Attack
T - Transport
G - Glider

Type Prefixes

N Night
H Heavy*
J Jet
R Rocket

Codes

L Low altitude
C Carrier capable
F Floatplane / Flying boat
S Anti-Shipping
M Anti-Shipping Missiles
V Anti-Shipping torpedoes
I Dedicated Interceptor
T Anti-tank capable
X Fragile
Z V-1 Carrier
B Special Precision Bombing

* For play purposes, "Heavy" is not a prefix, but denotes separate types.

Aircraft - Rating - Notes

AL 12P OGT-1 O/TAn Italian glider; could carry 10 troops or 3960 Ibs. of cargo. Unknown how many were produced -- it would be worth finding out if the Italians had enough to warrant any units at Europa scale.

A.R. Not Rated An Italian radiocontrolled flying bomb; a unit's worth would rate 2-9 tacstrat bombing strengths. (A.R. stood for Assalto Radioguidato.)

Ba 65 2B2 2-2 L 6 Breda 65.

Ba 65bis 2B2 2-2 L 12 Breda 65bis.

Ba 88 2A2 2-1/16 Breda 88 Lince (Lynx). Inadequate performance; serviceability problems.

Ba 88M 3D2 3-1/16 Breda 88M Lince (M for Modificato). Breda 88s converted for dive bombing. Very few

Breda 201 Not Rated One prototype Breda 201 dive bomber was built -- of similar appearance but no relation to the Ju 87. Its only claim to fame is that many mistakenly thought that "Breda 201" was the designation for Italian license-built Ju 87s. In fact, the Italians did not build any Ju 87s -- all flown by the Italian Air Force were imported from Germany. The Breda 201 misidentification appears in various sources, and the original Marita Merkur (I believe) also perpetuated this error.

BR.20 3NB4 2-4/22? BR.20 Cicogna (Stork). BR stood for Bombardamento Rosatelli (Rosatelli Bomber), designed by Celestino Rosatelli and made by Fiat.

BR.20M 3NB4 2-5/24BR.20M Cicogna (M for Modif cato).

BR.20bis 4NB4 2-5/24?BR.20bis Cicogna. Few. Ca 101 1NB2 1-2/11 Bombing strengths a guess. Also used as a transport.

Ca 102 2NB2 1-2/11? Bombing strengths guess. Also used as a transport.

Ca 133 2B2 1-2/20 Also used as a transport

Ca 135 TS 2B2 2-5/18 Ca 135 TS (TS: Tip, Spagna, Spanish Type). Originally intended to be produce by the main Caproni concern (Societa Italiana Caproni, the manufacturer of the other Ca 100-series aircraft), it was taken over by the Caproni Bergamasca subsidiary (Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca, the manufacturer of the Ca 300 series aircraft). Although called Tipo Spagna, this bombe was not used in the Spanish Civil War. It was also known a Ca 135 Asso, after its Asso engines. There was also the C 135 Tipo Peru (Peruvian type, 2B2 2-5/?), sporting different Asso engines and minor modifications; these aircraft wer used in 1941 during the short conflict between Peru and Ecuador.

Ca 135 2B3 2-5/22 Ca 135/P.XI. The Ca 135 reengined with Piaggio P.XI engines. The Italian Air Force preferred three-engine bombers, so the two-engine Ca 135/P.XI became an export aircraft, with a number of them going to Hungary. There were also a few Ca 135 Alfa aircraft (not rated), equipped with Fiat A.80 R.C. 41 engines, but the engines proved insufficient and the Alfas were relegated to training duties. The radial-engined Ca 135s (P.XI and Alfa) were also collectively known as the Ca 135bis.

Ca 148 OT2 0/? Very few.

Ca 183bis 8HF9 1/18 Pl red high-altitude fighter: "The Ca 183bis high-altitude interceptor fighter, to be powered by a German Daimler Benz DB 605 in-line engine of 1250 h.p. and a 700 h.p. FIAT A.30 radial engine within the fuselage driving a Campini compressor, was under construction in 1943 but never completed. The compressor was expected to furnish a boost of 60 m.p.h. over the speed attainable with the piston engine... Estimated maximum speed and range were 460 m.p.h. and 1242 miles respectively. The very heavy armament was to have comprised five 20-mm. cannon, four in the wings outboard of the airscrew disc, and one firing through the hub of the two three-bladed contrarotating airscrews. Fully loaded design weight was 16,538 lb." (Italian Civil and Military Aircraff 1930-1945, Jonathan Thompson.) If Italy had stayed in the war on the Axis side, the ever-increasing Allied bombing campaign may have led Italy to produce this fighter.

(The Ca 183 was not the F.6, as some Second Front playtesters speculated. The Ca 183 came from Societa Italiana Caproni, while the F.6 was a different design, from the Caproni subsidiary, Caproni Vi~ola S.A. Its precursor, the F.5, was designed in competition to the G.50, MC.200, Ro 51, and Re 2000. It was not ordered in quantity, although 14 pre- production aircraft served with the Italian air force. The F.6 was created when an existing F.5 was fiKed with a 1475 h.p. DB 605A engine. Subsequent prototypes were all metal, being designated F.6M (M for Metallico). The F.6M production model was to have the Italian license version of the DB 605A and would have had four 12.7mm MGs; 353 mph max, and 590 miles range. The F.6M never got beyond prototype stage, and it seems to me unlikely the Italians would have ordered it given their excellent G.55, MC.205, and Re 2005 aircraft already in production.

The F.6M was also proposed to receive the 1150 h.p. Zeta R.C.35 engine, but development problems delayed this until mid 1943, when the 1250 h.p. Zeta R.C.25/60 was fitted for the aircraft, now designated the F.6MZ The prototype passed flight trials, but the Italian armistice halted further experimentation. The F.6MZ prototype had two 12.7mm and two 7.7 mm MGs, 404 mph max speed, and 851 miles range. In my opinion, the F.6MZ would not have been ordered, as the existing/planned G56, MC.206, and Re 2006 aircraft would have been equal or superior.)

Ca 309 2B1 1 L 9 Ca 309 Ghibli (Desert Wind). All Ca 300-series aircraft were made by the Caproni Bergamasca subsidiary of Caproni.

Ca 310 2B2 1 L 13 Ca 310 Libeccio (Southwest Wind).

Ca311 2B2 1 L14 Ca 311 and Ca 311M. The Modificato version had a different nose and windshield.

Ca313 2B2 1-1 L14

Ca314 2B3 2-1 L 12

Ca 314-RA 3B2 2-1 LV 10 Ca 314-RA (RA for Ricogneione - Aerosiluranti, meaning reconnaissance torpedo bomber). Probably very few.

Ca 314C 4HF3 0/14 Ca 314-C (C for Combattimento, combat); also includes Ca 314-SC (SC for Scorta, escort), the convoy escort version. Probably very few.

Ca 331B 5NHF4 2-1/18 Ca 331B Raffica (Squall). From Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca, this was scheduled for production as a night fighter and apparently as a fighter- bomber (it could carry a 2200-lbs. bomb load). The Ca 331A first flew 31 August 1940. It was designed as a twin-engined recon bomber, achieved 300 mph, and demonstrated excellent handling qualities. The Italians were not interested in it, but visiting German technicians were impressed and had it tested in Germany for possible production for the Luftwaffe. (Alurninurn shortages thwarted this.) Later, as the Allies began to bomb Italy more heavily, the Italian air force reconsidered the aircraft as a night fighter: the Ca 331B. By Sept. 1943, there were two prototypes, and the aircrafl "was almost ready for mass production."

Campini N.1 Not Rated When the N.l first flew in 1940, it was lauded as the first jet-propelled aircraft. In actual fact, a year earlier the Germans had secretly flown both the He 178 jet and He 176 rocket plane. The N.l had only limited abilities, and the Italians did not pursue further development of jets during the war.

CR.25bis 3HF2 0/20 Very few. CR stood for Caccia Rosatelli (Rosatelli Fighter), designed by Celestino Rosatelli and made by Fiat.

CR.30 2F2 0/? "Most maneuverable fighter ever built." Progenitor of CR.32.

CR.32 2F2 0/10 More lightly ar~ned than CR.32bis. Includes similar CR.32quater.

CR.32bis 3F2 0/9 Includes the similar CR.32ter. Perhaps more than anything else, the experience of the CR.32bis in the Spanish Civil War blinded Italy to the future of air combat. Combining excellent maneuverability and range together with good firepower for 1935/36, the Nationalist CR.32bis biplanes consistently out-dogfought the Soviet I-16 Types 6 and 10 monoplanes flown by the Republicans -- even though the I-16 was 60 mph faster. Unfortunately, biplane fighters were near the peak of their development, while monoplanes were just starting their evolution towards the high- speed, heavily-armed platforms that would dominate the air.

CR.42 3F3 0/9 CR.42 Falco (Falcon). Includes CR.42ter (heavier armament). (The CR.42bis was an export model, for Sweden.) See "Europa Aloft" in TEM #56 for a fuller description of the CR.42.

CR.42 3NA3 1/8 As an emergency stopgap measure the Luftwaffe briefly impressed CR42s for ground attack duties in 1944 (nighttime nuisance raids).

CR.42AS 3F3 1/8 CR.42 A.S. Falco (A.S.: Africa Settentrionale, North Africa).

CR.42CN 3NF3 0/9 CR.42 C.N. Falco (C.N.: Caccia Notturna, night fighter).

CR.42B 3F4 0/13 CR.42B Falco. It had a German 1010- hp engine giving a significant speed increase.

G.12T OT2 0/36 . Fiat's G.12C (G for Giuseppe Gabrielli, the designer, C for Civile, Civilian) was a 1940 airliner, from which the G.12T (T for Transporto, military transport) was developed, capable of carrying 22 troops with full equipment.

G.50 3F3 0/6 G.50 Freccia (Arrow), designed by Gabrielli for Fiat. Appearing in 1937, it was Italy's first all-metal monoplane fighter. See "Europa Aloft" on page 36 of this issue of TEM.

G.50bis 3F3 0/10 G.50bis Freccia.

G.55 8F7 1/13 The G.55 Centauro (Centaur). Includes G.55/0 and G.55/1 submodels. Few.

G.55/2 9HF6 1/12 G.55/11 Centauro. RSI version. Very few. (RSI was the Italian abbreviation for the Italian Social Republic, the pro-Axis Italian puppet state set up by Germany after Italy surrendered to the Allies.)

G.55S 8F6 2V11 G.55S Centauro (S for Silurante, torpedo). RSI torpedo version. Very few.

G.56 9F8 1/14 A single prototype flew in March 1944, comparative tests indicated it could match or overcome the German Me 109G and Fw 190A.

MC.200 3F4 1/8 MC.200 Saetta (Thunderbolt). Includes MC.200 (no bombs), MC.200 A.S. (Africa Settentrionale, meaning adapted for North Africa), and MC.200CB (Caccia Bombardiere, fighter-bomber). The M in MC stood for Macchi (Aeronautica Macchi), the manufacturer; the C for Mario Castoldi, the designer. Previously rated 3F3 in Europa, the MC.200 has clear speed and performance edge over its rivals, the G.50 and CR.42, and 3F4 shows this better.

MC.202 6F6 1/10 MC.202 Folgore (Lightning). Includes MC.202 (no bombs) and MC.202CB (bombs). It had a great speed for its time, but was underarmed.

MC.205V 7F8 1/12 MC.205V (V for Veltro, Greyhound). Essentially an MC.202 airframe mounting a license-built DB 605A engine.

MC.205N 8F8 1/11 MC.205N Orione (Orion). Existed at prototype stage. More heavily armed than the MC.205V. Probably would have been abandoned in favor of the MC.206.

MC.206 8F8 1/12 Projected development of the MC.205

P.108B 4NHB5 2-15/39 P.108B (B for Bombardiere, bomber, to distinguish it from the P.108C (Civile) civil transport). This 4-engine bomber superficially resembled the B-17. It gave the Axis a long-range heavy bomber capability--surprising the British by bombing Gibraltar, previously out of range to Axis bombers.

P.108B 4HB4 5 V 34 Torpedo version (probably very few); could carry three torpedoes. There was, also an anti-shipping P.108A (one produced; not rated) mounting a 102mm gun.

P.108M 5NHB5 2-15/39 P.108M The 'M' is for Modificato). Increased armament. Probably very few.

P.108T 2T4 0/39 P.108T The 'T' is for Transporto). Military transport version.

P.119 8F7 1/17 Prototype; no plans for production were made by end of war. While "an excellent machine free of vices," it was not superior to the existing/planned G.55, G.56, MC.205, MC.206.

P.133 6NHB6 2-21/36 Planned development of the P.108.

Re 2000 3F3 0/9 Re 2000 Falco I (Falcon I). This is the Re.2000 Serie I export version. Serie II was y catapult version for the Italian Navy (not rated); few. Serie. III was a long range version, 3F3 0/14.

Re 2001 4F4 0/12 Re 2001 Falco II (Falcon II). Includes the Serie I (light armament) and Series II and II (heavier armament). Rated for the standard 840-hp engine; some early Serie I had 1175-hp engine (not rated) but this engine was not available in quantity for this aircraft.

Re2001CB 4F4 2/10 Re 2001 C.B. Falco 11 (C.B. for Caccia Bombardiere, fighter-bomber). Although faster than early Hurricanes, the Hurricane's heavy armament and rugged construction gave it the edge over the Re.2001. Actual designation seems to have been Re.Z0011 Serie IV, but Re.2001CB was probably used unofficially in imitation of other "CB"-designated fighter-bombers.

Re2001CN 5NHF4 1/9 Re 2001 C.N. Falco 11 (C.N. for Caccia Notturrza, night fighter). While its armament of 2x 20mm cannon and 2x 12.7" MGs is not particularly heavy for contemporary aircraft of other nations, it is more than the Re 2001 airframe/engine could handle without suffering a loss of maneuverability. Hence, the aircraft is rated as NHF instead of NF, putting it at a disadvantage when facing other fighters.

Re 2002 5F5 2/12 Re 2002 Ariete (Ram).

Re 2005 8F7 2-1/13 Re 2005 Sagittario (Archer).

Re 2005R 9F8 1/10 Re 2005R (R for Rezione, ?). Planned upgrade; aircraft to have special compressor (with its own separate engine) to boost speed.

Re 2006 8F8 2-1/15 Projected development of Re.2005.

Ro44 2F2 0 F6

Ro 57 3HF4 0/13

Ro 57bis 4HF5 2/12 All Ro57s were converted to Ro 57bis, which came in fighter-bomber (rated) and dive bomber (not rated) versions.

Ro 58 7HF6 1/17

S.A.I. 403 7F8 1/16 S.A.I. 403 Dardo (Dart) from Ambrosini (S.A.I.: Societa Aeronautica Italiana, part of the Ambrosini industrial group). 3000 were ordered in 1943; none were produced before Italy's surrender.

SM.73 OT2 0/25 SM stood for the manufacturer, Savoia-Marchetti (Societa Italiana Aeroplani Idrovolanti "Savoia-Marchetti").

SM.74 OT3 0/? Very few.

SM.75 OT2 0/25 SM.75 "Marsupilae" or "Canguro" ("Marsupial" or"Kangaroo," popular names applied to both the SM.75 and SM.82).

SM.79-1 2B3 1-5/22 SM.79-1 Sparviero (Sparrow Hawk) or "Cobbo Maledetto" ("Hunchback," an unofficial name based on the aircraft's appearance).

SM.79B 2B3 1-5/18 SM.79B Sparviero ("B" for Bimotore, two engined). 2-engined export version of 3-engined SM.79-1; acquired by Iraq and Romania.

SM.79JR 2B3 1-5/21? SM.791R Sparviero (JR possibly stood for Jumo Romania). This was a 2-engined version with higher horsepower German Junkers Jumo 211Da engines, ordered by Romania (and also produced under license there).

SM.79-2 2B3 3-2 V 20 SM.79-II Sparviero.

SM.79-3 3B3 3-2 V 29 SM.79-III Sparviero. Note: There is some confusion over the designations of SM.79 and SM.84 aircraft in various sources. It is possible that what [Europa shows as the SM.79-1 should be the SM.79; the SM.79-II should be the SM.79sil (sil for Silurante, torpedo); the SM.79-III should be the SM.84; and the SM.84 should be the SM.79bis. Europa follows the designation given in the aircraft books by Jonathan Thompson and Kenneth Munson. According to Thompson, "SM.84" was originally issued to a civil airliner model but then was reissued for a development of the SM.79,"84" being available since the airliner designation had been abandoned). The SM.79 development was originally designated the SM.79bis, changing to SM.94 and finally to SM.84. The result is that the prototype for the SM.84 military aircraft was called the SM.79bis, which may be what confuses some sources. The SM.79bis/SM.84 was not the SM.79-III.

The SM.79 derived from the SM.79P civil light transport (8 passengers), a special aircraft (one built) designed for an air race. There was an SM.79 military prototype, which went into production as the SM.79-1 in 1936. In 1937, some SM.79-I's were reengined to compete in a race, becoming the SM.79C. The transatlantic SM.79T were developed from the Cs. The SM.79B was a twinengined export version, followed by the SM.79JR.

The SM.79-II was the torpedo bomber version, which went to the Aerosiluranti units. ARer the Italian surrender, the SM.79-III (also called the S.579) "was developed under the Germans for the Aviazione della RSI." It was a cleaned-up SM.79 and no connection to the SM.79bis/SM.84 is mentioned.

Another factor in the confusion may have been the way the Italian air force referred to its aircraft. Checking my Italian air force sources, I note that several list the SM.84 in torpedo-bomber squadrons, and none list an SM.79bis. Other torpedo squadrons had the SM.79 (submodel not designated), but the Italians would append "siluranti" or "sir" after the squadron number or aircraft type to distinguished the torpedo SM.79s from the regular bomber SM.79s. This practice could be causing the confusion. Further, the Italians were very sloppy in tracking designations: The MC.200, for example, was also referred to as the Macchi C.200 and Mc 200, all in the same source.

SM.81 2B2 1-4/17 SM.81 Pipistrello (Bat, a wartime name for its night bombing use). There was also a bi-motor SM.81B (not rated), with 2 engines instead of 3.

SM.81 1T2 0/23 SM.81 configured as a transport.

SM.82 OT3 0/31 SM.82 "Canguro" or "Marsupilae" ("Kangaroo" or"Marsupial," popular name applied to both the SM.75 and SM.82). The SM.82 transport version was unarmed. There was also an SM.82 bomber version: 2B2 1-8/22.

SM.84 3B3 34 V 20 See the comments for the SM.79-III. "Although aerodynamically cleaner and better armed than the Sparviero [SM.79], the SM.84 was not noticeably faster; in addition it suffered from inferior maneuverability and was generally disliked by crews."

SM.85 2D2 2-1M Unsuccessful and was replaced in the Italian Air Force by the Ju 87.

SM.91 7HF5 2/16 The "Italian P-38." Most twin-engine fighters were based on a single fuselage containing the cockpit, with two separate engine nacelles mounted on the wings. This resulted in 3 significant sources of drag, plus potential problems with turbulence behind the engines. The US P-38 and Italian SM.91 both feature a twinboom construction, with each engine in its own fuselage and the cockpit mounted in an aerodynamically-shaped pod on the main wing between the booms. This design was supposed to reduce drag and turbulence problems. The SM.91 was not ordered into production, and probably would have been abandoned for SM.92

SM.92 8HF7 2-1/22 This was an innovative solution to the twin-engined fighter problem. It had the double fuselage of the SM.91 but eliminated the central cockpit pod, with the pilot being placed in a cockpit on the left boom (with counterbalancing equipment on the right boom). This considerably reduced weight and drag. Had lighter armament been mounted (it carried 3x 20mm and 5x12.7"), it would rate F instead of HF.

Z.506B 2B3 24 F 22 Z.506B Airone (Heron) Serie I and XII. (Z for Filippo Zappata, the designer). A military version of the Z.506A civil transport floatplane.

Z.1007 2B4 ?-?/? Z.1007. Original Z.1007 model, not too impressive. Not named Alcione until the bis model appeared.

Z.1007b 3B5 2-5/22Z.1007bis Alcione (Kingfisher).

Z.1007b 3B5 2-4 V 20

Z.1007t 3B5 24/25Z.1007terAlcione.

Z. 1 007t 3B5 24 V 20

Z.1018 4B5 34/18Z.1018 Leone (Lion).

Z.1018 9NHF7 1/18Projected NHF version 385 mph with 7x 20mm and 3x 12.7mm guns.

Italian Aircraft Designations and Designs