Macchi MC.200 Saetta

History

The C.200 began to enter service in October 1939, by which time it had been given the name Saetta (Lightning). When Italy entered the war 10 June 1940, 156 had been delivered and some were in front line squadrons. Although the first 240 aircraft had fully-enclosed cockpits, the subsequent variants had open cockpits at the request of the Italian pilots. The first combat missions were flown as escorts for Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers attacking Malta in the autumn of 1940, and the type subsequently saw action over Greece and Yugoslavia. Fitted with dust filters and designated C.200AS, Saettas saw extensive use in North Africa. A number were also involved in operations on the Eastern Front during 1941-2 where, together with C.202s, they achieved an 88 to 15 victory/loss ratio.

The Saetta was an easy airplane to fly and had sturdy construction and good maneuverability, permitting skilled pilots to effectively fight against more modern designs like the British Hawker Hurricane and the American Curtiss P-40. Its greatest weakness was the light armament of two 12.7 mm machine guns.

A total of 1,153 Saettas were produced, but almost all were gone by the time of the Armistice with Italy in September 1943. Twenty-three were flown to Allied airfields in southern Italy, and flown for a short time by pilots of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force.

Source: Wikipedia

The Kit

Our 1:12 scale kit was designed by Tom Jacoby for CD-ROM brushless power. The kit is easy to build because it's constructed over a central crutch that becomes an integral part of the model's structure.

Our prototype is in the colors of the 364th Squadriglia, 150th Grupo Autonomo - the famous "Gigi tre osei" - Africa, spring 1942.

Our MC.200 kit is a short kit containing:

• All laser-cut wood parts needed to build the model:
  • fuselage and cowl formers
  • wing ribs and spars
  • fin and rudder
  • stabilizer and elevator
  • laser-cut lower skins for the wing
  • jig-built cowling
  • motor mount
• 3/8" x 3/4" wing leading edges
• custom vacuum-formed plastic canopy and headrest
• custom vacuum-formed cowl cylinder head fairings
• full-size plan sheet
• construction manual
• two sheets of markings

To complete this kit, the builder will need the following additional materials:

• 3/32" Aluminum tubing, 3"
• 1/16" Music wire, 20"
• 1/16" x 4" x 36" Balsa sheet for wing and fuselage skin, 3 each
• 1/8" x 4" Hardwood dowel
• 1/64 or 1/32 ply and foam blocks for fillets
• Wing mounting bolt
• Hinges (ailerons, elevator)
• Miscellaneous servo mounting materials and pushrods
• Covering materials and paint
• CD-ROM BP2408-21 brushless power system

Status

Smokin'Beaver will build the prototype at Ezone magazine online.

The kit is available now!

To order this kit, please go to the Kits page.

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