KPK72153 IMAM RO.41 ITALIAN LIGHT FIGHTER / TRAINER

The IMAM Ro.41 was an Italian fighter and training aircraft in a mixed biplane structure with a fixed landing gear. The drive in the basic version was provided by a single engine Piaggio P. VII C. with 390 hp . The prototype flight took place in 1934. Serial production began in 1935, which led to the creation of about 740 copies of this aircraft. It was armed with two 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns. The Ro.41 plane was created as a private initiative of the IMAM aviation plant, which in 1935 was taken over by the Breda concern. Despite the takeover, work on the Ro.41 continued with the goal of creating a new, maneuverable fighter for the Italian Air Force (owned by Regio Aeronautica). However, despite the corrections and structural changes introduced in the course of design works, the Ro.41 turned out to be a not very successful fighter. It was true that it had a better rate of climb and maneuverability than the standard Italian fighter of that time, i.e. the Fiat CR.32, but it was clearly inferior to it in terms of flight range, maximum speed, the amount of weapons carried and diving skills. Despite these drawbacks, the Ro.41 was commissioned by the Italian Air Force, but as an advanced training aircraft and light fighter. Aircraft of this type took part in the course of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and was completely symbolic in World War II. Copies that survived the war served in the Italian air force until 1950.