Aermacchi 1972 COIN projects (AKA "little A10")

Skybolt

Skybolt

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This aircraft was briefly referenced to by our Elmayerle in another topic. I am finally able to post drawings. Aermacchi received in 1972 a request by a foreign country (South Africa, but Portugal was interested too, and probably other non-European customers already operating the MB-326 in CAS role). There were three versions, one single-engine and two with a pair of turbofans. For all, the intended engine was the Rolls Royce/SNECMA M45H (more info here =http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M45H-01. Nothing came (probably development cost were too high for the plausible production run).
Don't know weapons, but I assume the gns were a pair of 30 mm DEFAs.

Uh, and naturally, these are never-seen-before projects.. ;D
 

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These are the two-engines proposals, more powerful and slighty larger (more resilient, too, operating far from bases, as in the African scenario). First one use same engine disposition of the FWV-614. Second one is supposedly influenced by a score of AX-proposals (the Lockeed one expecially, but I doubt that Bazzocchi had seen drawings of it). Enjoy.
 

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Anyone of our artists want to try themselves in devising an "artistic impression" of this in SAAF colours? ???
 
I'm trying to learn computer drawing but my progress is very slow...maybe in a four-five years I can post my own profiles :p
 
Skybolt said:
South Africa, but Portugal was interested too, and probably other non-European customers already operating the MB-326 in CAS role). There were three versions, one single-engine and two with a pair of turbofans.
Click to expand...

This really strikes me as a scaled down A-10, perfect for the sort of COIN operations that occured in Africa in the 1970s and 1980. I do have to wonder if the Spanish HA-500 proposal was initiated by a request from the same potential customers?

I do think that the political aspect of this program would have been difficult.

Do you have an further specifications to go along with these excellent drawings?
 
As for now, no. But I have an insider in the workings of Aermacchi at that time... If he can speak, I'll post here.
 
Yes, but eventually Aermacchi didn't follow suit. They designed a couple of small VIP-transport derivatives of the MB-339 instead, around 1984. They looked at replacing the PD-808 in Aeronautica Militare service, but Piaggio won the day with the Avanti.
 
Skybolt said:
These are the two-engines proposals, more powerful and slighty larger (more resilient, too, operating far from bases, as in the African scenario). First one use same engine disposition of the FWV-614. Second one is supposedly influenced by a score of AX-proposals (the Lockeed one expecially, but I doubt that Bazzocchi had seen drawings of it). Enjoy.
Click to expand...

Given that there have been tie-ins over the years between Lockheed and Aermacchi (AL-60, Lockheed choice of the MB339 for the JPATS competition, etc.), a direct Lockheed influence on the design is not totally beyond the realm of possibility, not, I'll concede, likely but by no means unthinkable.
 
A little update: the three machines were designated MB-342, MB-343 (the two twin-engined) and MB-344. Collectively they were known internally as "farfalloni", big butterflies. The single engine, at least, used the Impala wing, already license produced in South Africa.
 
Skybolt said:
A little update: the three machines were designated MB-342, MB-343 (the two twin-engined) and MB-344. Collectively they were known internally as "farfalloni", big butterflies. The single engine, at least, used the Impala wing, already license produced in South Africa.
Click to expand...
That makes it a real temptation to use a MB.326 or MB.339 kit as a source for the wings to scratchbuild that one.
 
These projects are real beauties! And the side view of the 344 is the best. Wow!
 
Hi Skybolt,

the 1. was the M.B.344, the 2. the M.B.343 and the 3. M.B.342... Is this correct?
 
Aermacchi MB.342, MB.343 & MB.344

Hi boys:
My son Alberto, dealing with an article about the fifty years since the delivery to Italian Air Force of the first Aermacchi MB.326 trainers, found an interesting family of projects by Eng. Ermanno Bazzocchi of 1972. These preliminary projects were MB.342, MB.343 and MB.344, nicknamed "I farfalloni" (something like the Big Butterflies or The Big Moths) and are light attack or counterinsurgency aircraft.
Indeed Skybolt can tell us something more about those Italian hybrids of the Bronco and A-10 concepts...

Nico
 

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Re: Aermacchi MB.342, MB.343 & MB.344

Nico, I can't say much more that what I said some years ago (OMG, it's almost five years.. ) here:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,1132.msg9085.html#msg9085...
One think I can add, told by my good friend Gianni Cattaneo: during design of these aircrafts and later models (MB-338 with M45H and MB-340) Bazzocchi was travelling to and from South Africa with secret SAAF mission reports (describing deep incursions in Angola, Mozambico and more) in his bags. Fortunately no-one ever asked to inspect them ....
 

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