Macchi M.B.323

Designed as a basic trainer to complement the M.416 in Italian military service, the MB.323 first flew in 1952. It was a single-engine, low-wing cantilever monoplane powered by a nose-mounted Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine and a retractable tailwheel landing gear. It had two tandem cockpits covered by a sliding one-piece canopy. The type was evaluated against the Fiat G.49 which was preferred by the air force and the MB.323 did not enter production.

 Italy

• Italian Air Force operated two aircraft for evaluation test^[1]

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953-54.^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 9.80 m (32 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 12.40 m (40 ft 8 in)
• Height: 4.04 m (13 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 22.0 m² (237 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,690 kg (3,726 lb)
• Gross weight: 2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp nine-cylinder radial engine, 450 kW (610 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 374 km/h (232 mph, 202 kn) at 2,900 m (9,500 ft)
• Cruise speed: 326 km/h (203 mph, 176 kn) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft) (70% power)
• Range: 1,080 km (670 mi, 580 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)
• Time to altitude: 2 min 2 s to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1 × 7.9 mm machine gun in port wing
• Bombs: racks for practice bombs

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• CAC Winjeel
• Fiat G.49
• I.Ae. 22 DL
• Percival Provost
• Piaggio P.150
• Valmet Vihuri
• Yakovlev Yak-11