BREDA 65A-80 ‘AVIAZIONE LEGIONARIA’

The Breda Ba.65 was an Italian low-wing, all-metal attack aircraft with retractable landing gear. The drive in the basic version was provided by a single engine FIAT A.80 with a power of 1000 HP. The prototype flight took place in 1935. Serial production lasted in the years 1935-1939, ending with the production of 217 machines of this type. The aircraft was armed with two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, two 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns and a load of up to 500 kg of bombs. The Breda Ba.65 plane was created on the initiative of an Italian general, a World War I fighter ace - Amadeo Mecozzi. He postulated the creation of an aircraft capable of direct cooperation with the advancing ground forces, capable of both bombing and firing a target with on-board weapons. Thanks to his influence in the Italian Italian aviation, he persuaded the Breda concern to create such an aircraft. Initially, the Ba.64 aircraft was created, but it was a highly unsuccessful design, which led to the redesign of one of its development versions and the creation of a de facto new machine - the Ba.65. The plane was a modern construction at that time, it was characterized by good performance and piloting properties. The disadvantages were primarily a very high take-off and landing speed and a significantly overloaded engine. In the course of serial production, three development versions of this aircraft were created: Ba.65 (single-seat version), Ba.65 bis (two-seat bomber version) and the same marked training version (ie Ba.65 bis). Breda Ba.65 machines underwent their baptism of fire during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). They also fought in North Africa in 1940. Machines of this type have been sold to, among others, Chile, Paraguay and Portugal.