The Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I is an Italian all metal, low-wing monoplane developed and manufactured by aircraft company Reggiane. The type was used by the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) and the Swedish Air Force during the first part of the Second World War.
The Re 2000 was developed by a team headed by aircraft designers Roberto Longhi and Antonio Alessio to be a lightly built and highly maneuverable interceptor/fighter aircraft. The emergent design, which had been designated as the Re 2000 Falco I, was equipped with a Curtiss-Wright-style retractable undercarriage, bore substantial similarities to the American-built Seversky P-35. On 24 May 1939, the prototype performed its maiden flight.Ethell 1995, p. 72. Flight testing of the prototype revealed it to be able to outfight several significant combat aircraft of the time, including even the more modern Macchi C 200 and the German Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters. During the run up to and following the outbreak of the Second World War, the aircraft was ordered by several nations, including Hungary, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Italy.
Upon entering squadron service, the Re 2000 soon proved to be a technically advanced aircraft, well balanced and extremely aerodynamic during flight, but not without its faults.Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 214. Although the aircraft was potentially superior to Italian contemporary fighters (Fiat G 50 and Macchi C 200), the Re 2000 was not considered to be satisfactory by Italian military authorities. Consequently, the manufacturer built the type for export and almost all of the first production served with the Swedish Air Force and Hungarian Air Force, rather than in the Regia Aeronautica.Snedden 1997, p. 53. The Re.2000 served as the starting point for several derivatives, including the MÁVAG Héja, Reggiane Re.2001, Re.2002, Re.2003, Re.2004, Re.2005, Re.2006 and Re.2007 combat aircraft.
Development Background During 1938, the Italian Air Ministry launched Programme R, a comprehensive effort targeted towards the enactment of several improvements, both qualitative and quantitative, throughout the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force). At the time, those fighter aircraft under consideration for their potential adoption had either already reached the prototype phase of development (such as the Fiat G.50 and the Macchi C.200) or were within advanced stages of development (like the Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18 and the Caproni Vizzola F.5). However, only one aircraft, designated as the Re 2000 by Italian aircraft manufacturer Reggiane, was intentionally designed with the intention of competing for orders under Programme R in mind.Cattaneo 1967, p. 3.
During 1938, work commenced at Reggiane on a new fighter design; the company's design team, which was headed by Roberto Longhi and Antonio Alessio, set about designing an aircraft that would be offered to the Air Ministry that would not only meet but exceed the requirements of Programme R. Having very little time, the company considered various options, including the potential for manufacturing an American-developed fighter aircraft under license, however, under the influence of aeronautical engineer Giovanni Battista Caproni, a completely new design was rapidly prepared. The design team took inspiration from the contemporary American fighter Seversky P-35, which Re.2000 would superficially resemble; according to aviation author Gianni Cattaneo, the design "displayed evidence of fairly strong American influence...certain structural characteristics were strongly reminiscent of the American school, particularly of the Seversky P-35".Cappone, Max C.A. "Reggiane RE 2000 Falco (Hawk): The Regia Aeronautica: American". Planes and Pilots of World War Two, Retrieved: 23 June 2011. Refinement of the Re 2000's aerodynamic characteristics greatly benefitted from a series of wind tunnel tests held at Caproni's facility in Taliedo, Milan.Cattaneo 1967, p. 4.
Flight testing On 24 May 1939, the prototype Re 2000 conducted its maiden flight at Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, flown by Mario De Bernardi.Green and Swanborough 1990, p. 57. According to Cattaneo, early flights had quickly demonstrated the type's favourable flying attitude, including good speed and high manoeuvrability. Only minor modifications were required after the successful completion of the initial factory flight test programme; these including changes to the exhaust, the lengthening of the carburetor air intake, and the replacement of the round windshield with a framed counterpart. Following the completion of armament trials at Furbara, Santa Marinella, in August 1939, the prototype was delivered to the Experimental Establishment of the Regia Aeronautica to commence its formal evaluation.
During its original set of trials held at Guidonia by the Regia Aeronautica, conducted throughout late 1939, the prototype was able to attain a speed of 518 km/h at an altitude of 5,250 m, along with 506 km/h at 6,000 m; it also climbed to 6,000 m in 6.5 minutes and demonstrated an 11,500 m altitude ceiling. Throughout the test flights, the aircraft showed that it was capable of excellent performance levels, and on several occasions, it demonstrated the ability to perform better than other existing fighters then in production. In mock dogfights, it could successfully fight not only the slower Fiat CR 42 biplane,'L'aviazione', De Agostini, Novara 1986, vol 12. p. 156. but even the more modern Macchi C 200 and the German Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighters.
However, an unfavourable technical report of the prototype was also produced by the Directorate of Aeronautical Construction of the Air Ministry. Amongst its findings, it judged the placing of the integral fuel tanks within the wings to be highly vulnerable and prone to leaks, as well as posing some difficulty to manufacture. The negative conclusions of the technical report directly led to an initial order for 12 pre-production aircraft, which had been drafted towards the latter half of the flight test programme, to be cancelled, along with the instruction to proceed given to Reggiane to prepare the tooling necessary for a wider production run of 188 aircraft.Cattaneo 1967, pp. 4-5. While some consideration was made at Reggiane towards the adoption of a more conventional three-spar wing with normal fuel tanks instead, only a prototype conforming to this configuration was authorised (this subsequently became the basis for the Reggiane Re.2002 ground attack aircraft).Cattaneo 1967, p. 5.
Further development The Re.2000GA (Grande Autonomia) version featured additional 340-liter fuel tanks, which was primarily achieved by sealing off the cells of the outer wing structure, to function as a modern long range reconnaissance aircraft for the Regia Marina (Italian Navy). This version was intended to have been used to reach Eastern Africa; during 1941, the Italian government was keen to acquire an aircraft which would be able to fly directly from Italy to Ethiopia. By adopting the Re.2000GA, Italy would be able send reinforcements to the units of the Regia Aeronautica far easier, unlike a batch of 51 C.R.42s that had to be disassembled and air-transported by the large Savoia-Marchetti SM.82s instead. However, the Re.2000GA was not ready to enter operational service until after the Armistice of Cassibile, Italy's surrender to the Allied Powers, had already come into effect.
In comparison to the standard production Re.2000s, the newer Re.2000GA variant was heavier and significantly slower, possessing an empty weight of 2,190 kg compared to the Re.2000's 2,080 kg along with a maximum speed of 520 km/h at 5,300 meters. The armament was a pair of 12.7 mm SAFAT machineguns, complete with 600 rounds, along with provisions for a Nardi dispenser capable of housing 88 2 kg bomblets (this was a typical 'special armament' for the Re.2000). The Re.2000GA was never considered to be highly reliable, even by Re.2000 standards, especially due to its troublesome engine.
The Re.2000bis, equipped with the more powerful P XI bis radial engine, was only manufactured in small numbers. Reportedly, by August 1941, only nine examples had been delivered to the newly formed 377a Squadron.
Design The Reggiane Re.2000 is an Italian all metal, low-wing monoplane fighter aircraft. It is the first aircraft to be designed by Reggiane to employ aluminum stressed skin construction, as opposed to the wooden or mixed wood and metal structures that had been traditionally used in contemporary Italian aircraft such as the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 (which had been previously produced by Reggiane under license). The stressed skin fuselage was highly streamlined, save for the protrusions of the hard-rivetted finish. The majority of the aircraft's exterior, including the tail, was metal-skinned; however, the control surfaces had fabric coverings.
In addition to the stressed-skin construction, Reggiane introduced several advanced features on the Re.2000, such as a modern structure, which was considerably more advanced than the ones used in Macchi's and other Italian fighters of the time, along with an elliptical wing profile. Overall, the design possessed greater aerodynamic sophistication in comparison to other Italian rivals such as the Fiat G.50 and Macchi C.200. The Re.2000 was furnished with retractable landing gear; the main gear retracted via the Curtiss method, the wheels rotating around to face flat within the wheel wells when retracted. The atypical fairing covered the landing gear's actuation mechanism, while the legs incorporated hydraulic shock absorbers and drag struts to effectively absorb loads; pneumatic brakes were also fitted. The tail wheel was both retractable and steerable.
However, according to Cattaneo, the Re.2000 was afflicted by a major handicap in the form of the unavailability of reliable in-line engines of sufficient power; as such, the RE.2000 was able to represent only a limited advance over the Macchi C.200. The Re.2000 was powered by a single Piaggio P.XI RC 40 radial engine, which was capable of generating a maximum of of thrust; this drove a Piaggio-built three-blade constant speed variable-pitch propeller. This engine proved to be a major weak point of the aircraft in service as it proved to be not altogether reliable. Despite the limitation imposed by a lack of suitable engines, the fighter remained a relatively compact and balanced design.Cattaneo 1967, pp. 3-4.
The aircraft was furnished with an elliptical wing, the internal structure of which comprised a multi-cell configuration using a total of five spars, stress-skin covering, and integral fuel tanks within the center section. The wing made use of a modified N.38 airfoil section and was outfitted with Frise-type ailerons complete with static and aerodynamic balance, along with a split-continuous flap. The cockpit of the Re.2000 featured a large backwards-sliding canopy; it is claimed that this canopy provided "almost unrestricted all-round visibility".
The armament comprised a pair of 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, housing 300 rounds each, installed in the upper fuselage; in addition, provisions were made for the fitting of bomblet-dispensers (spezzoniera). It was also possible to install a gun camera, while a small internal bay could be used to hold a few 4.4 lb (2 kg) incendiary bombs. This armament, while typical amongst Italian-built aircraft at the time, was relatively light in comparison to foreign-built rivals then being constructed; additional weapons, such as the installation of a pair of wing-mounted guns, was studied but never applied.