The Ansaldo A.300 was an Italian general-purpose biplane aircraft built by the Ansaldo company (now part of FIAT) of Turin from 1920 to 1929. It also served as a light bomber, transport, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft, and finally as an advanced trainer, with examples in service as late as 1940. 50 examples were also license-built in Poland at ZM E. Plage & T. Laśkiewicz, but were not a success due to poor quality.
Based on Ansaldo's highly successful World War IBalilla and S.V.Ascouts, the A.300 was a conventional single-engined two-bay open cockpit biplane of mixed metal and wood-and-fabric construction, powered usually by a water-cooledFiat A.12bisV12 engine. Most variants had two fixed Vickers guns and one mobile gun mounted in the rear cockpit. It first flew in 1919.
Early examples were two seaters, but the A.300/3 was a three-seater intended for reconnaissance use, of which around 90 were delivered. The most significant variant was the A.300/4, again mostly three-seaters, which started full production in 1923, just as Ansaldo was absorbed into FIAT. This became the standard multi-role aircraft in the newly formed Regia Aeronautica and served in Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corfu, Libya and Eritrea.
Operational history
The A.300 was one of the most numerous aircraft of its time, with the production run of the A.300/4 alone, at 700 units, exceeding the total production of any other type of the 1920s except the Breguet XIX and Potez 25. Despite this, and possibly because it was Italian rather than French or British, it remains one of the least documented contemporary types, certainly the most obscure produced in anything like these numbers.
Variants
A.300/2
initial production version
A.300/3
three-seat version, also exported to Spain, Belgium, and Poland
A.300/4
definitive production version with improved cooling
A.300/5
prototype with Lorraine engine
A.300/6
improved A.300/4, also in service
A.300C
Four passenger airliner. Several built 1921-'26 and operated by the Belgian airline SNETA, French airlines SABENA and 1925 operated by the Romanian airlines SNNA, as regular flights with 5 aircraft.[1][2]
A.300T
Eight passenger airliner. At least one built 1921.[3][4]
^"1921 Paris Air Salon: Ansaldo Aéronautique A.330 T" Flight, November 17, 1921
Bibliography
Bourret, Alain (April 2001). "Courrier des Lecteurs" [Readers' Letters]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (97): 5. ISSN 1243-8650.
Duwelz, Yves (December 1999). "L'Ansaldo A.300 en service dans l'Aéronautique Militaire belge" [The Ansaldo A.300 of the Belgian Air Force]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et Son Histoire (in French) (80): 28–42. ISSN 1243-8650.
Stroud, John (1966). European Transport Aircraft since 1910. London: Putnam.
Taylor, John W. R. (1969). Combat Aircraft of the World: from 1909 to the present. New York: Parragon Books.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1920). L'Année Aéronautique: 1919-1920. Paris: Dunod. p. 43.
Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1921). L'Année Aéronautique: 1920-1921. Paris: Dunod. (p. 53 for 300/3, p. 55 for 300C)
Wauthy, Jean-Luc & de Neve, Florian (June 1995). "Les aéronefs de la Force Aérienne Belge, deuxième partie 1919–1935" [Aircraft of the Belgian Air Force]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (305): 28–33. ISSN 0757-4169.
ansaldo, italian, general, purpose, biplane, aircraft, built, ansaldo, company, part, fiat, turin, from, 1920, 1929, also, served, light, bomber, transport, fighter, reconnaissance, aircraft, finally, advanced, trainer, with, examples, service, late, 1940, exa. The Ansaldo A 300 was an Italian general purpose biplane aircraft built by the Ansaldo company now part of FIAT of Turin from 1920 to 1929 It also served as a light bomber transport fighter and reconnaissance aircraft and finally as an advanced trainer with examples in service as late as 1940 50 examples were also license built in Poland at ZM E Plage amp T Laskiewicz but were not a success due to poor quality A 300Role Reconnaissance aircraftManufacturer Gio Ansaldo amp C First flight 1919Number built 850Development EditBased on Ansaldo s highly successful World War I Balilla and S V A scouts the A 300 was a conventional single engined two bay open cockpit biplane of mixed metal and wood and fabric construction powered usually by a water cooled Fiat A 12bis V12 engine Most variants had two fixed Vickers guns and one mobile gun mounted in the rear cockpit It first flew in 1919 Early examples were two seaters but the A 300 3 was a three seater intended for reconnaissance use of which around 90 were delivered The most significant variant was the A 300 4 again mostly three seaters which started full production in 1923 just as Ansaldo was absorbed into FIAT This became the standard multi role aircraft in the newly formed Regia Aeronautica and served in Italy Sicily Sardinia Corfu Libya and Eritrea Operational history EditThe A 300 was one of the most numerous aircraft of its time with the production run of the A 300 4 alone at 700 units exceeding the total production of any other type of the 1920s except the Breguet XIX and Potez 25 Despite this and possibly because it was Italian rather than French or British it remains one of the least documented contemporary types certainly the most obscure produced in anything like these numbers Variants EditA 300 2 initial production version A 300 3 three seat version also exported to Spain Belgium and Poland A 300 4 definitive production version with improved cooling A 300 5 prototype with Lorraine engine A 300 6 improved A 300 4 also in service A 300C Four passenger airliner Several built 1921 26 and operated by the Belgian airline SNETA French airlines SABENA and 1925 operated by the Romanian airlines SNNA as regular flights with 5 aircraft 1 2 A 300T Eight passenger airliner At least one built 1921 3 4 A 400 prototypeOperators Edit BelgiumBelgian Air Force Kingdom of ItalyCorpo Aeronautico Militare PolandPolish Air Force Soviet UnionSoviet Air Force TurkeyTurk Hava Kurumu THK Specifications A 300 4 EditGeneral characteristics Crew two pilot and observer Length 8 75 m 28 ft 9 in Wingspan 11 24 m 36 ft 11 in Height 2 97 m 9 ft 9 in Wing area 39 5 m2 425 sq ft Empty weight 1 200 kg 2 650 lb Gross weight 1 700 kg 3 750 lb Powerplant 1 Fiat A 12bis piston engine 170 kW 230 hp Performance Maximum speed 200 km h 120 mph 100 kn Endurance 3 hours 30 minutes Service ceiling 5 500 m 18 000 ft Rate of climb 2 5 m s 490 ft min Armament 2 fixed forward firing 303 Vickers machine guns 1 flexible 303 Vickers machine gun for observerNotes Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ansaldo A 300 Stroud 1964 pp 392 393 The Ansaldo A 300 C Commercial Biplane Flight June 30 1921 Stroud 1964 p 393 1921 Paris Air Salon Ansaldo Aeronautique A 330 T Flight November 17 1921Bibliography EditBourret Alain April 2001 Courrier des Lecteurs Readers Letters Avions Toute l Aeronautique et son histoire in French 97 5 ISSN 1243 8650 Duwelz Yves December 1999 L Ansaldo A 300 en service dans l Aeronautique Militaire belge The Ansaldo A 300 of the Belgian Air Force Avions Toute l Aeronautique et Son Histoire in French 80 28 42 ISSN 1243 8650 Stroud John 1966 European Transport Aircraft since 1910 London Putnam Taylor John W R 1969 Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present New York Parragon Books Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions Hirschauer Louis Dollfus Charles eds 1920 L Annee Aeronautique 1919 1920 Paris Dunod p 43 Hirschauer Louis Dollfus Charles eds 1921 L Annee Aeronautique 1920 1921 Paris Dunod p 53 for 300 3 p 55 for 300C Wauthy Jean Luc amp de Neve Florian June 1995 Les aeronefs de la Force Aerienne Belge deuxieme partie 1919 1935 Aircraft of the Belgian Air Force Le Fana de l Aviation in French 305 28 33 ISSN 0757 4169 Portals Italy Companies Aviation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ansaldo A 300 amp oldid 1105223124, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
