Breda Ba.27: Italian Fighter

Ba.27M serial number 702 of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force.

 

The Breda Ba.27 was a fighter produced in Italy in the 1930s, used by the Chinese Nationalist Air Force in the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The Ba.27 was a low-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. As originally designed, the Ba.27 had a fuselage of steel tube construction, skinned with light corrugated alloy metal, and wooden wings and tailplane. Evaluation of the two prototypes by the Regia Aeronautica in 1933 was strongly negative, resulting in an extensive redesign of the aircraft. The fuselage shape was made more rounded and the pilot's open cockpit was moved higher and forward to improve visibility. The corrugated skinning was also replaced with smooth sheet metal.

A prototype of this revised version, known as the Metallico, was first flown in June 1934, but Regia Aeronautica's appraisal was only a little more positive.

Despite the lack of domestic interest, the type was ordered by the Republic of China for use against Japan. Out of eighteen machines ordered, only eleven were actually delivered.

Variants

Ba.27: Initial prototype, two built.

Ba.27 Metallico: Second improved version, twelve built.

Role: Fighter

Manufacturer: Breda

First flight: 1933

Primary user: Chinese Nationalist Air Force

Number built: 14

Variants: Breda Ba.65

Crew: one pilot

Length: 7.67 m (25 ft 2 in)

Wingspan: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)

Height: 3.40 m (11 ft 2 in)

Wing area: 18.9 m2 (203 sq ft)

Empty weight: 1,320 kg (2,910 lb)

Gross weight: 1,850 kg (4,078 lb)

Powerplant: 1 × Alfa Romeo Mercurius radial engine , 403 kW (540 hp)

Maximum speed: 380 km/h (236 mph, 205 kn)

Range: 750 km (466 mi, 405 nmi)

Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,530 ft)

Rate of climb: 11.1 m/s (2,180 ft/min)

Armament: 2 × fixed, forward-firing 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns

Operators

Republic of China

Chinese Nationalist Air Force received eleven aircraft.

Bibliography

Soulard, Stéphane (May 1995). "Le Breda 27 (2e partie): Le Breda 27 en Chine" [The Breda 27 in China]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (26): 30–32.

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 195.

World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 890 Sheet 77.

Breda Ba.27 Metallico.

 

Breda Ba.27.

Breda Ba.27, 15 June 1938.

Ba.27 frame.

Ba.27 prototype.

Ba.27 prototype.

Ba.27 prototype.

Ba.27 prototype.

Ba.27 prototype.

Ba.27 serial number MM.217.

Ba.27 serial number MM.217.

Ba.27 serial number MM.217.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218 with civil registration I-BAWA.

Ba.27M serial number MM.218 with civil registration I-BAWA in 1934.

Ba.27M serial number 702 of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force.

Ba.27M serial number 702 of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force.

Ba.27 instrument panel.

Breda Ba.27.

Breda Ba.27.

Ba.27M serial number 702 of the Nationalist Chinese Air Force.

Breda Ba.27M serial number 801 of the, Nationalist Chinese Air Force in Manchuria in 1939.

Breda Ba.27M.