SAIMAN 200

SAIMAN 200
Role	Two-seat primary trainer
Manufacturer	Società Industrie Meccaniche Aeronautiche Navali
Designer	Mario Bottini
First flight	1938
Introduction	1940
Retired	1947
Primary user	Italian Air Force
Number built	140

The SAIMAN 200 was a 1930s Italian two-seat primary trainer designed and built by the Società Industrie Meccaniche Aeronautiche Navali (SAIMAN).

Development

Designed as a basic trainer, the first SAIMAN 200 prototype first flew at the end of 1938. It was a wooden conventional biplane with wide track tailwheel landing gear, powered by a nose-mounted 185 hp (138 kW) Alfa-Romeo 115 engine. Two prototypes with 120 hp (74 kW) Alfa-Romeo 110 engines were also built, designated the SAIMAN 205. Two aircraft were sold to the Italian airline Ala Littoria which were followed by three production batches for the Regia Aeronautica. Caproni-Vizzola built 115 aircraft and SAIMAN built 25. Early accidents in use resulted in structural strengthening and modification to the production aircraft.

Operational history

The SAIMAN 200 was used by Regia Aeronautica primary training schools and some were also used for liaison duties. After the 1943 armistice the surviving aircraft were also used by the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, the Germans and the Allies.

Variants

SAIMAN 200: Production aircraft with an Alfa Romeo 115 engine, 128 built.
SAIMAN 205: Powered by an Alfa Romeo 110 engine, only two prototypes.

Operators

Croatia

Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia

Luftwaffe

Kingdom of Italy

Italy

Italian Air Force

Specifications

Data from ^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 7.47 m (24 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 8.78 m (28 ft 9.75 in)
Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 2.5 in)
Wing area: 22 m² (236.81 sq ft)
Empty weight: 761 kg (1,678 lb)
Gross weight: 1,055 kg (2,326 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Alfa Romeo 115 inline piston engine , 138 kW (185 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 220 km/h (137 mph, 119 kn)
Range: 475 km (295 mi, 256 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,685 ft)

References

^ "SAIMAN 200, immagini, scheda e storia". Ali e Uomini. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Orbis 1985, p 2838

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

[1] "SAIMAN 200, immagini, scheda e storia". Ali e Uomini. Archived from the original on 2013-10-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[2] Orbis 1985, p 2838

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