Romeo / IMAM Aircraft Designation

[hesham]

Hi,


a well known Italian company,which was formed in 1925,and in 1934 became
IMAM,or simply Meridionali;


Ro.1 licence built Fokker C.V,a two seat recce and bomber biplane
Ro.2 to Ro.4 ------?
Ro.5 two seat parasol wing sporting and training monoplane
Ro.6 a developed from Ro.5
Ro.7 to Ro.9 ------?
Ro.10 licence built Fokker F.VII/3m,a high wing light transport aircraft
Ro.11 to Ro.24 -------?
Ro.25 single seat acrobatic and training biplane,powered by one engine
Ro.26 two-seat ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,developed with Ro.25
Ro.27 to Ro.29 ------?
Ro.30 three seat observation biplane,only one aircraft was built
Ro.31 to Ro.34 ------?
Ro.35 single seat training glider
Ro.36 ------?
Ro.37 two seat recce biplane,powered by one 600 hp Piaggio P.IX radial engine
Ro.38 to Ro.40 ------?
Ro.41 single seat light biplane fighter
Ro.42 ------?
Ro.43 two seat catapult launched recce biplane aircraft,intended to meet Regia Marina 1933
competition,which the main tenders were; IMAM Ro.43,Piaggio P.18 & P.20,CANT Z-504
CMASA MF.10 and Macchi MC.76
Ro.44 single seat float seaplane fighter biplane
Ro.45 was a further development of Ro.37,with 835 hp Issota Franschini Asso XI RC.40 engine
Ro.46 ------?
Ro.47 single seat fighter project,may be based on Ro.37
Ro.48 to Ro.50 ------?
Ro.51 single seat low-wing monoplane fighter,powered by one 828 hp Fiat A.74 R.C.38 engine
Ro.52 -------?
Ro.53 twin engined recce attack aircraft project
Ro.54 -------?
Ro.55 twin engined recce/bomber floatplane project
Ro.56 -------?
Ro.57 twin engined single seat low-mid-wing monoplane fighter
Ro.58 twin engined low-wing two seat monoplane fighter
Ro.59 to Ro.60 -------?
Ro.61 twin engined overland observation aircraft project
Ro.62 ------?
Ro.63 high-wing STOL monoplane,intended as recce and light transport aircraft
Ro.64 -------?
Ro.65 observation float seaplane project
Ro.66 -------?
Ro.67 three engined low-wing heavy fighter project
Ro.68 -------?
Ro.69 observation float seaplane project
Ro.70 -------?
Ro.71 two seat aerobatic trainer aircraft project
Ro.72 to Ro.80 -------?

 

[Apophenia]

Nice work Hesham! One addition ...

Ro.35 - 1933 single-seat training glider, 14.5 m span, x 1 (I-ABBB)
-- http://www.j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/planeurs-machines/planeur-fiche_0int.php?code=1087

... and some sub-types:

Ro.1 - 1927 Fokker C.VE licenced by Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali
- Ro.1: 1927, 1 x 420 hp Alfa Romeo Jupiter IV, 15.30m span, x 330
- Ro.1 ridotto: reduced span (12.5m) fighter prototype, x 1
- Ro.1 bis: 1 x geared 550 hp Piaggio Jupiter VIII, x 132

Ro.5 - 1929 parasol monoplane multi-purpose a/c, 8.11m span
- Ro.5: open tandem cockpits 1 x 80 hp Fiat A.50 7-cyl
- Ro.5 bis: cockpit glazing, 1 x 85 hp Walter Vega 5-cyl

Ro.30 - 1932 3-seat recce biplane, 15.75m (upper) span*
-- * Ro.30 wing based on Fokker C.VE/Ro.1 structure
- Ro.30: 1 x 530 hp Alfa Romeo Mercurius
- Ro.30: 1 x 500 hp Piaggio P.VIII Stella

NB: Ro.30 was built in a small series and issued to Regia Aeronautica

Ro.37 - 1934 Lince 2-seat reconnaissance biplane, 8.11m span
- Ro.37: 1 x 550 hp Fiat A.30 RA liquid-cooled V-12
- Ro.37 bis: 1 x 560 hp Piaggio P.IX RC.40 9-cyl radial

- Ro.41: single-seat fighter trainer, x 510
- Ro.41: two-seat advanced trainer, x 233
- Ro.41 bis: reduced-span single-seater, 1 x prototype

Ro.51 idro: float-equipped Ro.51 conv. to repl. Ro.44

 

[hesham]

Great addition my dear Apophenia.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


Ro.61 was a twin engined overland observation aircraft project.


http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/storiaTradizione/ufficioStorico/Documents/documenti/Direzione%20Costruzioni%20Aeronautiche.pdf

 

[hesham]

Anther Info about Ro.26 engine,


Ro.26 was two seat aerobatic trainer two seat biplane,powered by one 200 hp
Alfa Romeo Lynx radial engine,built in both landplane and seaplane versions.


Also a strange aircraft built by IMAM but not from its creation.

 

[fbostic]

Nice work Hesham! One addition ...

Ro.35 - 1933 single-seat training glider, 14.5 m span, x 1 (I-ABBB)
-- http://www.j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/planeurs-machines/planeur-fiche_0int.php?code=1087

... and some sub-types:

Ro.1 - 1927 Fokker C.VE licenced by Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali
- Ro.1: 1927, 1 x 420 hp Alfa Romeo Jupiter IV, 15.30m span, x 330
- Ro.1 ridotto: reduced span (12.5m) fighter prototype, x 1
- Ro.1 bis: 1 x geared 550 hp Piaggio Jupiter VIII, x 132

Ro.5 - 1929 parasol monoplane multi-purpose a/c, 8.11m span
- Ro.5: open tandem cockpits 1 x 80 hp Fiat A.50 7-cyl
- Ro.5 bis: cockpit glazing, 1 x 85 hp Walter Vega 5-cyl

Ro.30 - 1932 3-seat recce biplane, 15.75m (upper) span*
-- * Ro.30 wing based on Fokker C.VE/Ro.1 structure
- Ro.30: 1 x 530 hp Alfa Romeo Mercurius
- Ro.30: 1 x 500 hp Piaggio P.VIII Stella

NB: Ro.30 was built in a small series and issued to Regia Aeronautica

Ro.37 - 1934 Lince 2-seat reconnaissance biplane, 8.11m span
- Ro.37: 1 x 550 hp Fiat A.30 RA liquid-cooled V-12
- Ro.37 bis: 1 x 560 hp Piaggio P.IX RC.40 9-cyl radial

- Ro.41: single-seat fighter trainer, x 510
- Ro.41: two-seat advanced trainer, x 233
- Ro.41 bis: reduced-span single-seater, 1 x prototype

Ro.51 idro: float-equipped Ro.51 conv. to repl. Ro.44

...my small contribution to the Ro.37 pictures library
The leftmost pilot (white suit) was my grandfather.
Picture probably taken in Bologna, around 1937.

Thanks,
Francesco

 

[hesham]

Oh,that's nice Fbostic.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


and here is a 2-view for Ro.35.


http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6560179s/f13.image

 

[Apophenia]

and here is a 2-view for Ro.35.

Excellent, thanks Hesham! That is obviously the ST.9 Monospar wing design. I'll add a link to the General Aircraft designation list.

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Apophenia.

 

[hesham]

Hi,


some explanations;


Ro.55 was twin engined high speed recce/bomber seaplane project


Ro.61 was twin engined recce/observation monoplane project.


Ro.65 was twin engined shipboard recce floatplane project.


Ro.69 was single engined battleship and recce seaplane project

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is an Info about IMAM Ro.6.

http://www.avia-it.com/act/biblioteca/periodici/PDF%20Riviste/Ala%20d'Italia/L'ALA%20D'ITALIA%201930%2009.pdf

 

[burunduk]

Concerning Romeo A.G.: may be it is interesting that it's designer Aldo Guglielmetti later, in 1936 has developed the bomber FIAT BGA (in picture)

Doesn't smbd know how many Ro.5, Ro.26 and Ro.30 were built?

 

[hesham]

here is an Info about IMAM Ro.6.

http://www.avia-it.com/act/biblioteca/periodici/PDF%20Riviste/Ala%20d'Italia/L'ALA%20D'ITALIA%201930%2009.pdf

From; Libro del Pilota Aviatore - Barbieri F.,

here is a picture to Ro.6.

 

[VictorXL188]

Can I put the cat among the pigeons. In Annuaire de l'aéronautique... for 1931 there is a full page spread of the Ro.5 bis. However contrary to the description given in Hesham's list above, the picture clearly shows a biplane, not a parasol monoplane. Which is correct? I post the complete page below for clarity.

 

[hesham]

Dear Victor,

that's a misprint,and they meant Ro.25,and no Ro.5.

 

[VictorXL188]

Hi Hesham, yes that equates to the shape, but what about the fact that the picture clearly shows a two seat variant and your list states it is only a single seat aircraft?

 

[hesham]

Hi Hesham, yes that equates to the shape, but what about the fact that the picture clearly shows a two seat variant and your list states it is only a single seat aircraft?

You are right,

it was Ro.26,a developed version of Ro.25.

 

[woodville]

Hi,

There was also a two-seat version of the Ro.25. Attached is a photo of MM 147 from IARB 5/1972.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

There was also a two-seat version of the Ro.25. Attached is a photo of MM 147 from IARB 5/1972.

What is the difference ?.

 

[woodville]

Hi,

There was also a two-seat version of the Ro.25. Attached is a photo of MM 147 from IARB 5/1972.

What is the difference ?.

It is clear from photos that the Ro. 25 appeared both as a single seater & a two seater. I can find little else about it. The page from Annuaire de L'Aéronautique in post #15, does in fact appear to show the Ro. 25 in it's two seater form.

 

[hesham]

It is clear from photos that the Ro. 25 appeared both as a single seater & a two seater. I can find little else about it. The page from Annuaire de L'Aéronautique in post #15, does in fact appear to show the Ro. 25 in it's two seater form.

I know that dear Woodville,

but this Info was for Ro.26 only ?.

 

[Apophenia]

Well, this is puzzling ...

Air Britain has MM147 linked to the first of two OFM Romeo Ro.25 prototypes (the second being MM148). MM147 was clearly a 2-seat tandem biplane. And the Ro.25 was said to be offered as either a single-seat or tandem 2-seater for basic or aerobatic training. So, two questions are arise:

1 - Was MM148 fitted out as a single-seater? (Or was the single-seat offer simply that - an offered option.)

2 - Where do all those references to the Ro.25 being parasol-winged come from? The image of the 'Ro.25' from Annuaire de L'Aéronautique 1931 (as used by Wikipedia) actually appears to be a photo of the Ro.6 - which was a Alessandro Tonini design, not Giovanni Galasso.

Air Britain also mention the sole Ro.26 prototype (c/n 416) of 1932 as being registered I-ABIL. Alas, no Matricola Militare is listed - despite the Ro.26 being transferred for military trials in February 1935.

And, obviously, the Ro.26 cannot have been "built in both landplane and seaplane versions" as hesham's clipping has it - since only a single Ro.26 was built. Or was there more than one Ro.26 ... plot thickens

 

[Maveric]

For Ro.26 see:

Уголок неба ¦ IMAM Ro.26

 

[hesham]

My dears,

I think there was a mess between them,Ro.25 & Ro.26 ?.

 

[Apophenia]

For Ro.26 see:

Уголок неба ¦ IMAM Ro.26

Cheers Maveric. So that photo of prototype I-ABIL on floats confirms that the Ro.26 Idro was a simple switch of landing gears - not a second airframe.

 

[Stargazer]

For lack of a better place to post it... Here's something you don't see every day: a Romeo Ro.1 biplane sporting the mention "U.S. Navy". It was acquired by the U.S. ambassador for his naval attaché.
Source: L'Auto Italiana, 30 Sept. 1927