The (Short) Peak of Italian Fighters: Macchi C.205 Veltro

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มี.ค. 2024
  • In this video, we talk about the Macchi C.205 Veltro and its two predecessors, the C.202 Folgore and C.200 Saetta, a line of Italian fighter aircraft fielded by Fascist Italy in World War 2. We first talk about the failings of the Italian military during WW2 and what that can be attributed to, like their bad tanks and guns, and how their aircraft managed to rise above these failings and actually perform quite well. We start with the C.200, looking at its solid flight performance but more lacking combat performance.
    We then look at the C.202 and how it represented a major improvement in both performance and technology, but also still needed refining and improving. We then move to the C.205, a fighter that represented an effective peak for Italian fighter designs during the war that, arguably, was as good as planes like America's P-51 Mustang or Germany's Fw 190 or Bf 109. We look at how the C.205 improved upon the C.202 and also why the C.205 was relegated to just a minor role despite its performance. We end with the high praise of pilot Eric Brown and how he viewed the Macchi fighter line.

ความคิดเห็น • 268

  • @marklawrence8518
    @marklawrence8518 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +67

    I believe Italy kept up, design-wise, with the Allied forces due to their prior involvement with the Schneider Cup air races of the 1920s and 1930s. This competition was encouraged and underwritten by the countries involved, thereby hastening aero industry advancements. Great Britain gained the Spitfire as a direct result of their involvement with the racing. Macchi produced astoundingly advanced racing aircraft.

    • @CounterClaws
      @CounterClaws 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +18

      Macchi still holds the world record for world's fastest floatplane.

    • @michaeltelson9798
      @michaeltelson9798 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      The companies that built the engines just didn’t come up with new designs. There were license built versions of the DB 601 and DB 605 engines. The M.C. 202 used primarily the license built version of the DB 601, which produced less HO than the original. Needless, the M.C. 202 was faster than the BF 109E which had the DB 601. It was a better airframe. The engine torque problem was solved with by extending one wing about 6 inches further.
      After the war, Macchi sold M.C 205 fighters to countries like Egypt. These were actually upengined M.C. 202’s. The easy difference was the non retractable tail wheel of the earlier model. Israelis saboteurs bombed the factory to stop production of these aircraft.

    • @FifingFossil
      @FifingFossil 10 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      ​@@CounterClawscurrently for "Fastest non-jet floatplane"
      Also Caproni still holds one for "Highest altitude non-jet aircraft"

  • @Jdav9782
    @Jdav9782 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +21

    As a plane guy, this is great. As a car guy, good god it’s pronounced like Alpha Row-MAY-Oh

  • @lancerevell5979
    @lancerevell5979 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +59

    In the 1920s/1930s, Italy was a frontrunner in the high-performance racing seaplanes. As with Britain's Supermarine, they used that racing technology to improve their fighter planes.

    • @tonykeith76
      @tonykeith76 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      That's a legend... Sorry....

    • @AntonioPeralesdelHierro
      @AntonioPeralesdelHierro 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      The Italians produced excellent fighters, but at the end of the war. Early on - the pilots didn't care for enclosed cockpits.

    • @geesehoward700
      @geesehoward700 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      @@tonykeith76 which bit is a legend?

    • @extremathule982
      @extremathule982 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@tonykeith76 ....Uh??

    • @cafhead
      @cafhead 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      No such thing as Italy late in the war

  • @StromBugSlayer
    @StromBugSlayer 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +45

    Gotta love the Italian camouflage designs!

    • @tekis0
      @tekis0 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Right?!

    • @HootOwl513
      @HootOwl513 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      The Africa camo schemes remind me of Pizza Crust. IDKY?

  • @andrewstrongman305
    @andrewstrongman305 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +31

    All things considered, it's quite amazing that Italy managed to produce several fighter designs capable of challenging Allied fighters.

    • @mustang1912
      @mustang1912 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Italian tanks and ships were better than American ones. If there's any country with bad equipment it's america.

  • @TheJaymon1962
    @TheJaymon1962 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    The Veltro was a sinister looking aircraft. Love the looks

  • @Oblio1942
    @Oblio1942 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

    1:11 this picture says it all; German soldiers walking by in disbelief while an Italian tanker looks confused at his situation

  • @Blockio1999
    @Blockio1999 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +30

    There is one correction I want to make on the front of Italian tanks: When considering their designed area of operations, the north Italian mountain ranges, they were actually quite capable for the restrictions that came with that; they had to be small and light to even get to the battlefields they were supposed to fight on, and by the time it became clear that they would be fighting on much different terrain, it was too late to do much (although they did make a valiant attempt at it); they were never top runners, but when used as intended, their tanks performed not too badly

    • @pyronuke4768
      @pyronuke4768 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      I just find it funny he chastises Italy for building bad tanks despite being a member of the Axis powers, when oftentimes Japanese armor wasn't much better (or even worse). Honestly Germany was the only one of the three who could build a tank on par with the Allies.

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      Spot on. Actually the M13/40 was on par with british cruiser tanks with the added benefit to be capable of firing explosive shells, which british tanks weren't able to do, thus being able to give infantry support against opposing infantry. On rough terrain their suspension system was actually quite good, reliable and very easy to maintain and repair. OTOH if you ask a 13ton tank with a multi purpoise 47mm gun to perform against a 30 ton tank with a 75mm gun, one can't be surprised about the outcome.

    • @Blockio1999
      @Blockio1999 24 วันที่ผ่านมา

      @@pyronuke4768 Well, Japan had a similar thing as Italy in that regard: Their tanks had to be capable of amphibious landings in tropical islands. Again, never were top runners, but you'd be flat out incapable of operating most Wehrmacht tanks in that kind of mission profile

  • @masterofreality.o0o.535
    @masterofreality.o0o.535 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +13

    Excellent video. If you could produce coverage on the G 55 and Re 2005 it would be greatly appreciated. I love these stylish Italian fighters.

  • @sergeipohkerova7211
    @sergeipohkerova7211 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +119

    Italy had many excellent designs, from planes to guns to specialized equipment. Their problem is that they lack natural resources for real industry and are more of an artisan society. Totally unsuited to world war. Germany itself was just a few steps above Italy and it's amazing they held out as long as they did after declaring war on the planet 😂

    • @allangibson8494
      @allangibson8494 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Italy’s problems in WW2 can be summarised as Benito Mussolini and Fascist government.
      Fascism is essentially rebranded feudalism.

    • @cafhead
      @cafhead 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      If germany declared war on the planet then they won.
      They lost when they declared war on RUSSIA
      if anybody declared war on the world it was definitely japan.

    • @MichaelJones-rn2pq
      @MichaelJones-rn2pq 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +9

      The Beretta submachine guns could hold their own with any designs of other nations.

    • @allangibson8494
      @allangibson8494 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

      @@MichaelJones-rn2pq The problem with the entire Italian government was who was in charge… Government by nepotism, not what you know but who you know.
      Russia today has exactly the same thing going on (so much that Putin is very much a Fascist in the Italian sense with some the nationalist overtones of the Nazi’s (“if you speak Russian you should be governed by Moscow”).

    • @kenneth9874
      @kenneth9874 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      They had a couple of designs that were almost good enough....

  • @BlueyWolf
    @BlueyWolf 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +25

    Thank you for this episode.
    I have been looking into C.205 as a model kit maker lately. Right on my search; you published your awesome video.

    • @Redgolf2
      @Redgolf2 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Italeri do a good kit of it
      I used to be BlueGolf after my Mk2 Golf hehe, changed it to Redgolf after my beautiful guards Red Mk2 Pasadena

    • @reinbeers5322
      @reinbeers5322 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Hasegawa has a 1/48 C.205 kit. Italeri's kit of the same scale is just a rebox of it too.

    • @BlueyWolf
      @BlueyWolf 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@reinbeers5322Yup I will get that one.

    • @BlueyWolf
      @BlueyWolf 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@reinbeers5322 Yup Im planning to buy that one.

    • @reinbeers5322
      @reinbeers5322 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@BlueyWolf Can't go wrong with Hasegawa.

  • @edwardmorriale9358
    @edwardmorriale9358 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    The Veltro was a little faster than you think. It could out run the P51D and Spitfire IX in level flight.
    That is according to the Allied technical inspectors, who tested it.

    • @elliottsmith8268
      @elliottsmith8268 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Does that vary by altitude? I know the mustangs were faster at high altitudes due to the supercharger system

    • @edwardmorriale9358
      @edwardmorriale9358 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@elliottsmith8268 The 205 had decent supercharging. Only at its limits, did the Mustang have a slight edge.

  • @gaz2251
    @gaz2251 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +60

    Interesting vid once again.
    Couple of pronunciation errors (I believe) - Macchi is pronounced with a "k" rather than "ch", so Mackie. And Alfa Romeo is Alfa "Romayo". Oh and Folgore is "Folgoray"

    • @kiereluurs1243
      @kiereluurs1243 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

      Video.
      I wish creators used Forvo to learn pronunciation of names before stumbling over them dozens of times.

    • @towgod7985
      @towgod7985 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

      You Sir, are correct with all three of your pronunciations. Cheers.

    • @smokerjim
      @smokerjim 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      As a petrol head I physically flinched every time Alfa was mentioned - thank you for doing God's work!

    • @therealniksongs
      @therealniksongs 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @gaz2251: Actually more like "Mockie"

    • @notreallydavid
      @notreallydavid 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      pronunciation!

  • @Arthion
    @Arthion 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +16

    To be fair to the Italian tank designers, their upgrades were painfully slow since requirements kept changing over and over delaying introduction of new models. At least they made a half-decent medium tank in the P26/40 late in the war, although far too late. Italians aircraft were quite nice, although production rate left a lot to be desired.

    • @pandaphil
      @pandaphil 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I wonder how they compared to Japans tank force?

    • @thelordofcringe
      @thelordofcringe 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      ​@pandaphil as far as what was actually deployed by 1943, the Italians were marginally better. But compared to what Japan was making (only a couple hundred at best) by the end of the war (and never deployed), Japan has the edge.

    • @Arthion
      @Arthion 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      @@thelordofcringeAlthough they didn't see combat the late-war Japanese tanks are kinda decent, at least on paper. Armor is on the thin side but they certainly don't lack killing power.
      Ironically it seems Japan's problem was funding being essentially cut due to army politics rather than incompetence funnily enough, once the purse strings were opened again they rapidly started developing tanks to counter the M4 Sherman.

    • @thelordofcringe
      @thelordofcringe 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@ArthionDevelop, yes, but its doubtful they ever could have produced the numbers needed to fight, well, anyone. Iirc, they had a single factory capable of producing each already limited line by that point, which is why even their most produced late-war tanks had mere dozens produced by VE day.

    • @Arthion
      @Arthion 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@thelordofcringeThey made at least 140+ Type 3 Chi-Nu tanks, and the rest were mere prototypes at best. Funding tank development and production was low priority fortunately or unfortunately for them until the very end hence the end result.

  • @pandaphil
    @pandaphil 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +44

    It could have been worse. The Japanese Army flew the Nakajima Ki-43 with a top speed of 310, and armed with two 7.7mm machine guns for most of the war.

    • @brendonbewersdorf986
      @brendonbewersdorf986 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +16

      Well to be fair the ki-43 also saw a lot of development including added armor self sealing fuel tanks 2 12.7mm machine guns and later even 2 20mm cannons and was capable of carrying even two 550 pound bombs plus a drop tank in later configurations but the earlier version was pretty lackluster for sure despite its excellent handling

    • @tyisen5125
      @tyisen5125 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

      It's top speed would be increased over time and the Hayabusa itself would be superceded by the Shoki and Hien firstly, then by the Hayate.

    • @reinbeers5322
      @reinbeers5322 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +11

      You mean 7.7mm. They upgraded those pretty fast to a pair of 12.7s though, and the Ki-44 was around in decent numbers as well.

    • @edwardpate6128
      @edwardpate6128 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

      Don't sell the Ki-43 short, some top US aces were shot down by them.

    • @xevious4142
      @xevious4142 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      The Japanese 12.7mm was fucked

  • @falloutghoul1
    @falloutghoul1 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Thanks for covering more Italian aircraft.
    I hope we get into Savoia-Marchetti and Reggiane in the near future.

  • @Aerospacer77
    @Aerospacer77 22 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    Great video. Thank you for putting this together. The C202 Folgore (Lightning) seemed like a great plane!!
    I am 100% Italian blood and decided to look into their air power of WWII. I love the tan desert camo!

  • @woongah
    @woongah 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Note: many of the problems of Italy's technology, at the time, was lack to access to materials due to the long embargo imposed after the country's colonial adventures on Africa. Lack of nickel and other alloying metals led to underwhelming armour plates in tanks. Similarly, no access to good quality mica meant that the capacitors in Italian radios were unreliable and prone to fail, which then exposed their valves to damage... Keeping Italian radios working was a lot of work for a dedicated marconist, in planes that had the space for such a crew member.

  • @mikoyanfulcrum1
    @mikoyanfulcrum1 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Very well done!!

  • @ledeyabaklykova
    @ledeyabaklykova 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +19

    These fighter planes remind me of an ex-bf who hailed from Torino: made in Italy; sexy; temperamental; high-maintenance; smoked.

    • @phann860
      @phann860 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      But presumably he was lovely.

    • @stevecastro1325
      @stevecastro1325 11 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      NICE! LOL

  • @clarencehopkins7832
    @clarencehopkins7832 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Excellent stuff bro

  • @920utdoors9
    @920utdoors9 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +12

    Italian fighters, especially the 5 series are some of the prettiest planes of ww2 and do well in War Thunder

    • @ninjalanternshark1508
      @ninjalanternshark1508 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Yep. Too bad they keep raising the BR on all of them. =( They are my favorite prop fighters in the game.

    • @FifingFossil
      @FifingFossil 10 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

      ​@@ninjalanternshark1508 Still if you don't die in stupid head-on C.202s and C.205s can often get 2-3 kills

  • @ReisskIaue
    @ReisskIaue 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    I still prefer the Fiat G.55 Centauro, but the Veltro is a beauty in its own right.

  • @stephen_cs
    @stephen_cs 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    It's very interesting given the Italian futurist movement in the first half of the 20th century; how they focused so much on racing and fighting and machines and yet were mostly a failure in all categories during the war

    • @Dontwlookatthis
      @Dontwlookatthis 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      That is exactly what I was thinking. The final version even reminds me of a formula 1 car of the 50s. Also, not related to the planes but more to the poorly led part, their soldiers in North Africa were no fools, they didn't want to die for Mussolini so they would surrender to the Brits en mass, prompting Hitler to get into the fight to save his idol. But there seemed to be no lack of leadership in their underground, they did well as an ally of the Grand Alliance and there were reports that they did well serving with the Allies in Italy in WW2 after the King kicked Mussolini out and surrendered, then joined with the Allies. My father in law was a boy Blackshirt and the things he was doing with them prompted his mother to smuggle him and his brother out of Italy to come to America. He was a terrible person because he had loved being a black shirt and beating people up (kids) and when he got to New Orelans he joined the Sicilian Mafia under Carlos Marcelo, and forced my wife when she was a girl to shoplift, steal cars, etc, so she wanted out because she knew it was wrong. So when I met her she was looking for a way out and I was perhaps the most straight, clean guy she ever met. As we progressed and I learned of her wanting out, I had to make sure that she loved me for me and not just as a ticket out, so we dated 2.5 years and were married for 39.5 years until she passed away five years ago. For the first 25 years, I did everthing I could to keep them away from her. Her two older brothers were mafai too, they both moved to Maui and the younger was the big distributor who never used violence but could convince cops, etc, to take money to leave him alone. Finally, he was so successful and had begun taking care of their mother who was wealthy, so the older brother and another man went to the secure compound and murdered the younger brother and a woman who visiting, but left my mother in law alone. As to money and being inept at the drug and prostitution business it all fell apart soon, but he still had control of his mother's money which he went through in about a year. I was at my father in law's funeral in New Orleans, only to support my wife, and the night before, in front of me, the older brother's son approached the dead son's daughter and said "I want to say I am sorry that my father murdered your brother." Well, the Maui police would not do anything about it, I guess they were scared that if they investigated, they would be discovered as being on the take from the dead brother. I blame Mussolini for what he turned my father in law into at a young age, and how it passed down through another generation.

  • @trentonarney6066
    @trentonarney6066 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    A unique airplane. Really enjoyed the video.

  • @Riccardo_Silva
    @Riccardo_Silva 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    A rather cruel but overall precise statement of italian leadership. At 28.33 the video shows how we were managed...that pic shows volumes!!! Thank you IHYLS for this good vid! Hadn't we be governed by such people, we would have a better chance; but hadn't we be governed by such people we wouldn't have undertaken such a foolish war! Just a little clarification: Macchi is pronounced more like Makki.

  • @KABModels
    @KABModels 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    why are you surprised the Italians had good fighters? Who exactly do you think won most of the Schneider triophies after the UK?

  • @tekis0
    @tekis0 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Rommel said that Italian troops were as brave as any other. Italy's generals were usually poor because they got their positions not from ability but through their "connections." Also, at the divisional level, Italy had far fewer nco's that Germany. Italy should've licensed more German designs light the MG 34 and 42, for instance. I'd like to learn about Italian war aces.
    It's pronounced "Alfa Rome-A-O"!!

  • @bdleo300
    @bdleo300 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Italian military: am I a joke to you?!
    Everyone: well, yeah...

  • @jspoons6619
    @jspoons6619 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    I think Italian designs in aircraft were pretty good compared to most allied combat planes , those who tested captured Italian Fighters when they could keep them flying apparently they needed very special hydraulic fluid which was in limited supplies for using in Captured aircraft and allied fluids would not work.as for the Tanks and Armor yes Italy has a unique terrain with the country very mountainous terrain and the Colonial policing.
    So that drove their Tank design.
    I think at the onset of WW2 their Tank designs were on a similar footing to the British Armor and Tanks if you look at things like the Bren Gun carrier and Vickers infantry Tank and Valentine the tanks that the British started WW2 off with bar a few models were just as bad mostly badly built poorly armed and lacking for the type of war they were going to be fighting.
    This had changed however by the time both met in the North African Desert once the British were forced to do a rethink and had to rearm because of leaving most of their equipment in Dunkirk after the evacuation.
    the new tanks were still not perfect but compared to the dated Italian equipment they were far better.
    So at the onset of WW2 most of the allied Tanks and to a degree their aircraft and equipment and tactics were mostly dated or not designed to counter the Germans new tactics and the quality of some of their more advance weapons.
    The allies had the advantage of been supplied new equipment from the U.S and some excellent designs of their own and the means to produce them.
    By the time Italy realised its equipment was lacking and it had dire supply issues thanks in no part to the British Navies strangle hold of its Mediterranean Sea routes of supplies. they were on the back foot playing catch up .
    they did if fact build heavier Tanks though still behind the Tigers and Panthers both in the construction and performance and far to late to see any action. Italy was always going to be a weaker partner compared to the Germans and just like in the WW1 Germany had to send forces that it could ill afford to bailout its Allies . last time it was Austria, Hungry in WW1 and in WW2 Italy.
    It is not that Italians did not fight poorly they fought well but with what they had to fight with it was only going to end in losing.
    My Grandad was a Vet of both the BEF in 1939 to 1940 in Europe and then after Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain He was sent to North Africa and then invasion of Italy. fighting in the ground war in Artillery and Scouting combat. he had lots of respect for both the Italian armies and the German armies especially in their dogged defensive fighting in mainland Italy.

    • @juslitor
      @juslitor 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Considering how touch and go the italian foray into ethiopia was, the alarm bells should have been ringing loud and clear at latest in 1937.

  • @chuckschillingvideos
    @chuckschillingvideos 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    The Italians must have hired all of Alpha Romeo's car designers to design their fighters.

    • @FifingFossil
      @FifingFossil 10 วันที่ผ่านมา

      Every Italian designer that don't work for Caproni have great style sense

  • @xgford94
    @xgford94 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    2:14 my grandfather did fight against Italians in North Africa, and he did feel sorry for them. The Germans in Greece and on Crete, not so much.

  • @chiefbigtoe7260
    @chiefbigtoe7260 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I use to love flying this in AcesHigh 3

  • @JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe
    @JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Coolest uniforms of the war.

  • @kiereluurs1243
    @kiereluurs1243 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    I wish creators used Forvo to learn pronunciation of names, before stumbling over them dozens of times.

  • @joshuaswinarton3274
    @joshuaswinarton3274 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Italy was a lot of bad things in WW2. But it has to be said that they produced some truly excellent fighter aircraft. And another place they interestingly excelled in was naval design. Biggest downside to all of this was a simple lack of a large enough industrial base, and as you mention in the beginning of the video, poorly designed tanks and infantry implements.

  • @alancritchley5901
    @alancritchley5901 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    We hear a lot about the Rolls Royce Merlin engine and what a pivotal role it played in WW2, but it does seem to me that the Daimler Benz 601 was at least as good if not better than the Merlin and was the engine of choice in many aircraft built in Germany and other axis couintries.

    • @lucabarbieri439
      @lucabarbieri439 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      If you know a bit of engines in general, I suggest you to read "The secret horsepower race" by Callum E. Douglas. It goes in depth about British, Germans, Americans and Italian engines, it also shows original documentations and components.
      Have a nice day

    • @noahwail2444
      @noahwail2444 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      The Merlin was used in so any different planes, but the DB 600 series was almost exclusivly used in fidhters. And it displaced a lot more, Merlin 27 litre, DB up to 36litre. Both types was exelent mashines, and had their strenghs and weaknesses.

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      One majorr thing that handicapped the DB engine was the specification for the propeller cannon which prevented the rational placement of a big enough compressor behind the engine, having to rely on a comparatively small one placed sideways.

  • @steveanderson9718
    @steveanderson9718 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Great Story on the C-202 and C-205... Well done ...
    I know of a couple of these survive in Museums.... but.......
    Is there any examples of one of theses surviving and still Flying in Europe.... ??

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      In the 80ies we had a C205 restored to flying conditions and it was displayed around but it suffered an accident while taxiing and was grounded to preserve it. It is now on display at the Museum for Science and Technique in Milan. Another not airworthy example is displayed at tbe Italian Air Force Museum in Vigna Di Valle on the Bracciano Lake near Rome.

  • @marcbrasse747
    @marcbrasse747 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    2:30 min: YAY! Ed, Edd & Eddie! Used to watch them together with the kids.

  • @danieleyre8913
    @danieleyre8913 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Italy had plenty good. The C.200 & C.202 before this, the SM.79 medium bomber, the MAB 38 submachine gun, most of the naval vessels, the G.50 & g.55 fighters, the Re.2001 & Re.2005 fighters, etc.
    They just didn't have a competent air ministry and an aerospace industry that was small and backward in its production methods.

  • @ninjalanternshark1508
    @ninjalanternshark1508 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    C.205s were so sexy

  • @kaboulscabal4816
    @kaboulscabal4816 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    If pilot claims from WWII were actually true, every plane in every airforce would have been shot down many times over ... from Wiki on the Battle of Pantelleria ...
    "The Italian pilots claimed 15 victories (one by Maresciallo Baschirotto, who fired 500 rounds), with 14 Spitfires downed in the sea and another over African soil.
    However, another analysis of this combat shows that the Regia Aeronautica pilots claimed a total of 17 aircraft on 20 April and claimed to have downed 15 Spitfires in this engagement; although Italian ground observers claimed to have seen 14 aircraft crash into the sea or onto land, only one Spitfire, flown by Flg Off Drecki of 145 Sqn, was heavily damaged. In return, three C.205Vs were lost.
    Allied records report only two C.205Vs downed (Tenenti Andreoli and Fanelli), while another made an emergency landing near Cap Bon, and explains why some sources quote two losses and others three, but there is some doubt as to whether this aircraft, the only one to touch down on African soil, was a Veltro or a Folgore. At least one other Macchi was damaged, and the pilot wounded. Similarly, the Italian claims did not match any losses recorded in Allied squadron reports."

  • @notreallydavid
    @notreallydavid 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Good warships, too. And food.

  • @tonykeith76
    @tonykeith76 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    In Italy, the awarding of aerial kills was based on the "word" of the pilot if he was an officer.
    A non-commissioned officer needed testimonies... The true italian ace was Luigi Gorrini, a non-commissioned officer..
    Gorrini, ( The only italian pilot to be accepted in the International Fighter Pilots Association ), also said that Spitfire IX And P-51 were superiors, as the P-47 was superior in high altitudes..

  • @drazenbicanic3590
    @drazenbicanic3590 หลายเดือนก่อน

    A smaller problem was to build an airplane, a much bigger one was to equip it with an engine. Only a couple of engines (DB and RR) at that time brought superiority. When German engines became available to the Italians, the quality of Italian planes increased sharply.

  • @hadleymanmusic
    @hadleymanmusic 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    but they look so cool

  • @lowersaxon
    @lowersaxon 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Well, dont forget that the British Supermarine Spitfire and German Messerschmidt Bf 109 at the beginning of WWII were o u t s t a n d i n g machines. Hurricanes and US Curtiss fighters were ahead of its time but not outstanding. Even a few years earlier, at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War the Soviet Il 16 „Rata“ was a revolutionary concept. The Japanese Misubishi „Zero“ had some decisive weaknesses, but was surely on par with Hurricanes and Warhawks and outclassed the American Wildcat at the beginning of the war in the Pacific. Italy‘s Macchi 200 and Fiat G 50 were good enough to fight Soviet Il 16s in the Winter War and British Gladiator doubledeckers in the desert. Only with license built Daimler Benz engines Macchi 202 Folgore and later MC 205 Veltro could compete with Spitfires Mark V (but hardly Mark IX) and the American P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt, let alone the formidable P-51 Mustang. Italien Industry lacked strong engines and machine guns at that time. So, Italien fighters, underpowered and underarmed as they were, were more than competitive as long as manoveurability - what made a superb WWI doubledecker - was ruling the game, say up to 1940 when Spitfires and Bf 109s took over by s p e e d and heavy armament. But Italian pilots were flying a r t i s t s, loved their older Fiat doubledeckers and even in 1941 refused to operate in closed canopies!

  • @GarrisonNichols-ow1hb
    @GarrisonNichols-ow1hb 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    I would disagree with you on some Italian weapons especially their small arms. The standard Carcano M1891 bolt action rifle was a decent combat rifle for the time same with their service pistols the Beretta M1934 / M1935. The Italian Beretta M38 submachine gun was a favorite of both Italian and German soldiers being able to shoot the common 9mm Luger cartridge from a 30 or 40 round stick magazines. Italy did have some very good anti tank guns too and armored cars.

    • @geodkyt
      @geodkyt 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      The Carcano rifles (all models), Beretta Model 34 pistol, amd Beretta Model 38 SMG were all quite excellent. I would say the Beretta 38 is a strong contender for best SMG if one discounts productivity (the Soviet PPS43 wins there, just because it was as good as most SMGs of the period, but as cheap as a Sten to make... if I was selecting guns without regard to equipping an entire army, I'd pick the Beretta - but if I was the procurement officer for that army, I'd pick the PPS43).
      Most other Italian small arms (including the grenade launchers they bodged onto an otherwise excellent Carcano) were dogs.

    • @GarrisonNichols-ow1hb
      @GarrisonNichols-ow1hb 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      @@geodkyt the PPS43 was okay mostly because it had a duel feed magazine and I do love the 7.62x 25mm cartridge but I would rather have a MP40 or Beretta M38 because I really like 9mm Luger more. The Germans actually loaded their 9mm ammo hotter than what we have today. Also I feel like quality would be alot better too. To be honest I would take any submachine gun over a M1A1 Thompson mostly because of the damn weight of the thing.

  • @SwedishMisha
    @SwedishMisha 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    The only problem what was you needed to dismountle the engine to reload the aircraft, but it looked good.

  • @notreallydavid
    @notreallydavid 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    The Spitfire variant you showed isn't one that had eight .303 guns - you can see (one of) the two 20 mm cannon projecting from the wings, and there are four .303 guns in the wings as well.

  • @ersikillian
    @ersikillian 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    "So fate decided that Italy couldn't have nice things"

  • @brendonbewersdorf986
    @brendonbewersdorf986 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    I love the mc.205 but i personally think the fiat g55/56 are the top of my Italian fighter list and the reggiane 2005 is on there somewhere to heres hoping you get to cover both of those as well id be interested in seeing a comparison of all three of italys best if you ever get around to it

    • @Arthion
      @Arthion 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Yes, it's nice but it's seen the least upgrades compared to earlier model out of the 3 Series 5 aircraft being basically a 202 with a better engine and cannons.

    • @reinbeers5322
      @reinbeers5322 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      Re 2005 took ages to build and was extremely expensive due to the semi elliptical wing.
      And all that expense for no increase in performance...

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@reinbeers5322That comes when you produce by hand what is designed for automated production...

  • @towgod7985
    @towgod7985 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    And No, its not the French. I lost it! ROFL! I had to rewatch the next 2 minutes of the video. The family cat thought I had gone off the deep end I was laughing so hard!

  • @kidmohair8151
    @kidmohair8151 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    the "e" at the end of Folgore is pronounced. Fol-gor-a (for an english speaker)

  • @MattnessLP
    @MattnessLP 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    Why did the Italians drag their feet so much with the production of inline engines? They had years to convert from radial to inline, and in an ongoing total war, every single day counts in terms of arms development and production

    • @xmaniac99
      @xmaniac99 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      The engine designs where license from the British, later from the Germans. Own designs where problematic,both with piston performance and propeller alignment issues.

    • @MattnessLP
      @MattnessLP 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@xmaniac99according to the video, they first imported whole engines from Germany, then later just imported the parts and assembled the engines in Italy. Why not fully build the engines under license, just like the Japanese did with some German designs, not to speak of the wild licensing among the US, Brits and Russians?

    • @xmaniac99
      @xmaniac99 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@MattnessLP There are entire academic papers published around this topic. It is complicated. Both Fiat and Alfa Romeo did have propriatary designs but they where underpowered and suffered from unreliability and criticl component failures, hence the OEM/licencing agreements. The video is not complete and fails to mentions that the AR AlfaSud plant in Pomigliano was the most effective producer of DB power plants, even more efficient than the German plans. If you will search for the history of AlfaSud during WW2 you will find the German research papers on this subject. Like I said, it is complicated.

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      We did develop inline engines for a long time, then mid of the 30ies, the Regia Aeronautica (as many other air forces in the world) switched to radial engines, where we had no experience and were boud to foreign licences. This choice was due out of very rational reasons: sturdiness, easy maintenance, cost, wheight... consider that it is the radial engine that won the war: the majority of planes fighting that war used radial engines, including the best fighters: Zero, Hellcat, Wildcat, P47, Corsair, FW190... Liquid cooled in line engine the likes of Merlin, Packard or Daimler were doomed to extintion anyway while the radial engine survived well into the jet and turboprop age.

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@MattnessLPNo at the end they produced the whole thing, kommandogerät included IIRC. They even modified some parts to better suit production processes and increase reliability (they used bushings instead of bearings for the connecting rods, for example, if memory serves me well)

  • @icewaterslim7260
    @icewaterslim7260 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I wouldn't know how good they were but I always thought the Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario at least looked good sitting on the airfield.
    Japan also bought licenses for the single stage supercharged variant of the Diamler Benz 601 and was built by Kawasaki for their Ki 61 "Tony" fighter and Aichi for the Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" Dive bomber. Those were the only operational Japanese aircraft that used the motor.
    ..
    Attrition from 1937 on had taken much of Japan's skilled workforce for the draft including machinists capable of holding tolerance on the journals of the long V12 crankshaft leaving about half the power-plants from both companies culled before being installed..
    .
    Nakajima cancelled their plans for their Ki 62, 63 and 64 projects that were to use some variant of the motor. Both the operational aforementioned Kawasaki and Yokosuka air-frames wound up getting fitted with the tried and true Mitsubishi Kensai Radial after B29 raids put both factories producing the DB 601 out of their misery. Both air-frames were the better for the swap in relative peak performance in climbing and maneuverability anyway as the Kensai was lighter and developed to a better output in power than the liquid cooled variant as built by then. The Kawasaki was re-designated as "Ki 100"..

  • @bigearl3867
    @bigearl3867 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Sounds like you're taking a dump with the other voice. Glad you're back.

  • @bluetopguitar1104
    @bluetopguitar1104 5 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    This airplane was on display for many years at the Smithsonian Air and Space museum in D.C. Beautiful. Part of the problem was the corruption ,typical in a fascist system. The best designs were not built, it was about who had influence with Mussolini. Too little too late to catch up.

  • @chucktyler4057
    @chucktyler4057 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    Alfa ro-MAY-oh

  • @lorenzor2555
    @lorenzor2555 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Macchi is pronounced “makki”:
    “c+h” in italian is always a “k” sound (double k in this case)

  • @michaeldelaney7271
    @michaeldelaney7271 วันที่ผ่านมา

    "No marked decreased in maneuverability?" With that heavy liquid cooled engine hanging way out front?

  • @reneharkamp4309
    @reneharkamp4309 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Amsterdam,
    My English father in law ( Africa vet )
    Said there were 3 reverse speeds and one forwards in their tanks gearbox

  • @stephenj.mst3kfan836
    @stephenj.mst3kfan836 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Ro-may-o. IHYLS!😅

  • @Laurence0227
    @Laurence0227 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    well the then reality is that when Mossolini decided that Faschism and WWII was what they are gonna be heading, a good portion of the entire Italy nation wasn't exactly enthusiastic about that concience, they kinda just be there becasue they were order to, in fact they fought more enhtusiastically when they are getting rid of Mossolini

  • @kiereluurs1243
    @kiereluurs1243 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    To me it very much looks like a M-109.
    Not surprising , considering those engines.

  • @AaronStuartHall
    @AaronStuartHall 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Is this an AI narrator? The pronunciation grates.

  • @nobbytang
    @nobbytang 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    Claimed kills over Malta of 100 shot down spitfires and hurricanes against a loss of just 17 fighters is exactly that… Claims ..not actual kills

  • @philipaviator
    @philipaviator 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    On the ground Italy had two formidabile Fire weapons:the MAB38. and the BREDA 37 mainly....even germans used these Fire arms After Italy s quit and the were very glad to have them

  • @ottovonbismarck2443
    @ottovonbismarck2443 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Great video !
    But as proven, speed and climb rate were more important than maneuverability. If this wasn't the case, the Regia Aeronautica would have gained air superiority in Africa early on. Or Polikarpov fighters would have kicked the Luftwaffe out of the Russian sky. Thus Saetta was inferior to its counterparts like P-40 and Hurricane; being 50-60 km/h slower might not sound much but in WW2 terms this meant they were worlds apart.

    • @luigiduca
      @luigiduca 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

      C200, 202 and 205 were best in class for climb rate and also for resistance in a dive (provided you entered the dive properly trimmed)

  • @lessharratt8719
    @lessharratt8719 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This is Greggs.

  • @clarkbutler
    @clarkbutler วันที่ผ่านมา

    alot of things arnt cutting it,here in the us the bulk of our aircraft are 50 years old,we develope new aircraft for billions in r&d and nvr produce them, we cancel it and 5 years later give those aircraft companies another 5 billion for another aircraft that we wont produce

  • @yz450f7
    @yz450f7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Bellissimo che linea strepitosa

  • @nicholasgreenway610
    @nicholasgreenway610 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Can’t really read any of the text, it was up on screen for half a second

  • @ivanjednobiegowiec7656
    @ivanjednobiegowiec7656 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    I should be pronounced Ma-Kk-i, not MaCHi...

  • @DefaultProphet
    @DefaultProphet 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Did any country ever experiment with automatic shotguns instead of machine guns?

    • @mycatistypingthis5450
      @mycatistypingthis5450 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Arguably japan, with a slow moving 30mm. Not great though.

  • @jameswebb4593
    @jameswebb4593 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Only thing that mars this podcast , is grating voice of the narrator .

  • @brex50
    @brex50 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    How they were even able to fight at all on a diet of spaghetti with tomato sauce.....is quite impressive in itself.....lol.....

  • @pietrotria
    @pietrotria 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Right pronunciation is “Makki”

  • @ChristopherBourseau
    @ChristopherBourseau 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Ok it’s pronounced Alfa Row-Mayo, just sayin. Nice presentation tho!!

  • @mjf1036
    @mjf1036 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    It looks like they imported more than just the DB engine. A more fitting model for this is the C 109 Nice program and history. Italy does design sexy...well...everything

  • @bftdr
    @bftdr 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    kinda looked like the fw-190

  • @alessandromazzini7026
    @alessandromazzini7026 25 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Italy was all but deficient in navy matters

  • @michaeldelaney7271
    @michaeldelaney7271 วันที่ผ่านมา

    I believe Macchi is pronounced "mock-key."

  • @lorrinbarth1969
    @lorrinbarth1969 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Alfo who?

  • @bigbossimmotal
    @bigbossimmotal 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    All the Alpha Romeo fans are freaking out about your pronunciation right now. lol

  • @brookeshenfield7156
    @brookeshenfield7156 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Very interesting video. I learned something. You sounded terrible, like a Klingon with a cold.

  • @davidlongley534
    @davidlongley534 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Pasta

  • @perrydowd9285
    @perrydowd9285 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Outch! 😅

  • @johngarofano7356
    @johngarofano7356 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    What are Macci?😂

  • @foxhoundms9051
    @foxhoundms9051 6 วันที่ผ่านมา

    The guys in the photo at around 0:20 look so miserable.

  • @biula3278
    @biula3278 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    "Makki"...

  • @mysterycrumble
    @mysterycrumble 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    sexy voice at the end bro

  • @BufusTurbo92
    @BufusTurbo92 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    it's pronounced MAKKI, mate

  • @Ratelau
    @Ratelau 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    The content is great but the pronunciation is giving me a stroke.

  • @stevedawson7649
    @stevedawson7649 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    You sound like the rabbi on Seinfeld.

  • @fabianobressanelli1640
    @fabianobressanelli1640 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    but equiped with a german engine 😞 but always too much few...

  • @volkerkalhoefer3973
    @volkerkalhoefer3973 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Bullshit! You didn't loose your voice, you tried to imitate Greg🤣

  • @pyronuke4768
    @pyronuke4768 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    "Their ability to manufacture modern tanks was woefully lagging behind, especially as a member of the big three of the Axis powers."
    You say this as if Japanese tanks weren't much better. In fact, in many ways Italian tanks were superior to Japanese ones.

    • @danieleyre8913
      @danieleyre8913 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      British tanks were also actually rather rubbish in general, until the last year of the war. Although unlike the Italians; they could produce them in numbers...

    • @geodkyt
      @geodkyt 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      However, the Japanese tanks were perfectly adequate versus the opponents they faced until the end of the war.
      Whereas Italy *always* anticipated having to face Western European opponents, and their tanks were entirely inadequate for that purpose.

    • @pyronuke4768
      @pyronuke4768 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @@geodkyt if by "European" you mean Greece, Turkey, and maybe Spain then sure, I'll give it to you. The facts are Mussolini was *way* more cautious dealing with the League of Nations than Hitler was. Especially after he provided aid to Franko who never returned on the investment. Unlike Adolf who wanted to basically create world where Germany reigned supreme, Benito was more content with just being top dog in the Mediterranean. (I'm not trying to defend Mussolini, he was still a racist megalomaniac, just slightly more patient and grounded in reality than Mr. Mustache Man. They saw eye to eye on many things, but Il Duce didn't have the same sustained hate boner for Europe that der Fuhur had.)
      What I'm getting at is the Tripartite Pact were allies by circumstance, and while they did provide some aid together *their ultimate goals were never fully alined,* and as the war continued they became less and less willing to to stick their necks out for each other.

    • @danieleyre8913
      @danieleyre8913 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@pyronuke4768 How was Mussolini racist? He made certain that Libyan and Eritrean servicemen got the same treatment as Italians did. And he was very reluctant to enact anti-Semitic laws that his German allies insisted upon. I’m pretty certain that he made proclamations that he didn’t even recognise the concept of race.
      The German stinginess in sharing technology and components with its axis allies is a marked contrast with the cooperation between his enemies.

    • @danieleyre8913
      @danieleyre8913 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      @@geodkyt I don’t mean to be rude. But that is complete bollocks.
      Japanese tanks were mostly Ha-Go light tanks or Chi-Ha “Medium” tanks (although light by European standards). They were found wanting even against Soviet BT-7 tanks at Khalkhin Gol in 1939 and were vulnerable even to allied fighter planes with .50cal machine guns and infantry let alone any allied tanks they might face. Predictably; when they did encounter any allied tanks; it ended badly for them.
      Italian tanks were mobile enough for Rommel and had the Bohler 47/32 gun which was a good gun and until the arrival of lend-lease Sherman’s; could defeat any tank the British fielded except the Matilda. The biggest shortcoming of Italian tanks was their armour, which while thick enough to offer adequate protection against British 2 pounder guns from all but the most direct angles; was riveted, which caused a lot of issues with rivers popping and flying internally within the tank, maiming crews, and individual panels buckling. However; Italian tanks were much more useful and competitive in North Africa and the Balkans than Japanese tanks were in the Pacific.
      And the Italian Semovente self-propelled guns were very deadly opponents for the British & Americans in the hands of experienced crews, and would continue to be a problem during the Italian campaign.
      Italian tanks were however nowhere near up to the task of combatting Soviet tanks like the T-34 and KV-1.

  • @niccolosalvan3948
    @niccolosalvan3948 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Macchi is pronounced like "makki"

  • @Nivola1953
    @Nivola1953 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Ok we all know the jokes about the Regia Aeronautica, but… first of all as a documentarist at least learn how to pronounce Macchi! Bloody hell, ch in Italian = k , therefore the chi at the end is pronounced like KEY not like chip🤦‍♂️ Next, about the MC 205 being the best, there are other videos around about the Fiat G55 being so good that the Luftwaffe evaluated it, recognised the potential and didn’t adopt it only for industrial reasons.