Macchi M8 (1917)

Regia Aeronautica, c30 built

The Macchi M.8 was a flying boat bomber designed by Alessandro Tonini bnased on the excellent M5 fighter but with a new hull with tandem seats and a ring mount for an observer/machine gunner. It was also capable of carrying four 50 kgs bombs under wings. This classic unstaggered biplane wings of unequal span, pusher engine in the interplane gap "Aviazione Navale" (In redaction)

Macchi M8 illustration

The Macchi M8 was a move towards a large hull, for a 2-seat reconnaissance/bomber flying boat when developed by Tonini in 1917. It was directly evolved from the earlier Macchi M.3 and M.5 lineage, scaling up the airframe to accommodate a two-man crew and a heavier payload for maritime patrol. It was primarily operated by the Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina) for anti-submarine patrols and coastal reconnaissance in the Adriatic Sea. The United States Navy also operated a small fleet of Macchi M.8s from its naval air stations in Italy (such as Porto Corsini) for patrol and training duties. Postwar, several M.8s were converted for civilian use, becoming early commercial passenger seaplanes.

It was powered by an Isotta Fraschini V.4B inline engine rated for 170 hp in the same pusher layout and in addition of a 7.7 mm (.303 in) Fiat-Revelli machine gun on a flexible ring mount in the nose it could also carry four 50 kg (110 lb) bombs or two light 100 kgs (220 Lb) depth charges under the wings. Overall, only 57 of the M8 were manufactured, from late 1917 to late 1918, and Sweden purchased many, now surplus postwar. The remainder were retained by the Corpo Aeronautico Militare for instruction. The fate of those used by the USMC is unclear, but they were probably left in the Adriatic, returned to Italy postwar.

Design

Engine & Perfomances

Armament:

As seen above, the Macchi M8 could be armed with a single light machine gun in its ring mount, likely the Villar Perosa, SIA Modello 1918, or Fiat-Revelli M1914. This was completed by four 25 kgs bombs under wings (on racks between the fuselage and floats), for a total of 100 kgs.

Detailed specs

Specs M8
Crew:	2, pilot and observer
Fuselage Lenght
Wingspan
Height
Wing area:
Empty weight:
Gross weight:
Powerplant:
Propeller:	2-bladed fixed-pitch wooden propeller
Maximum speed:
Endurance:	3+ hours
Service ceiling:
Time to altitude:	Unknown
Armament

Exports

Polish Navy: Purchased for the Naval Aviation Base in Puck in 1919-1920.

References

Angelucci, Enzo. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. San Diego, California: The Military Press, 1983.
Nelcarz, Bartolomiej and Robert Peczkowski. White Eagles: The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918–1939. Ottringham, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2001.
Grey, C.G. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919. London: Sampson Low Marston, 1969 (reprint).
Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989.