Italian V-12 Fighters

[mike furline]

Are any of the Italian V-12 fighters currently airworthy or flown? I know they have been flown in the past. How about the G59B Down Under?

[Mike]

There are Merlin-engined G.59Bs in Australia and Italy (currently under repair after a wheels-up landing). The Macchi MC 205 Veltro that was airworthy in Italy was badly damaged in an accident during the 1980s and has not flown since.

[Oscar Duck]

Mrs Zuccoli's G-59B is still very airworthy in Toowoomba, Australia..

[Willy]

The aircraft was repaired to airworthy standards after the accident but will not be flown anymore.

[Chuck Gardner]

http://www.museoscienza.org/english/aereo/mc205.html

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi All,

I had the opportunity to see Mr. Zuccoli's G-59B prior to it's depature from the US. Beautiful aircraft to say the least. I was hoping it still flew.

Paul

[RMAllnutt]

I think it would be an excellent opportunity to make a small production run of one or more of the Italian fighter aircraft. They are so rare, and some of them so beautiful, that I am sure there would be a market for them.

Richard

[italian harvard]

there are two things not mentioned in the webpage Chuck showed us:
1)the macchi was grounded after a bad accident caused by the pilot while taxiing.
2)the recovered and fixed plane is not the one in the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica, but it's in the Aermacchi building in the main entrance gate.

A sad story indeed, the Aermacchi said "the fuselage is too badly damaged to be restored to flying conditions again", but this being said by a specialized aircraft factory who has original drawings is at least ridiculous.. they realised that flying her was starting to cost too much..

A Macchi 205 would be great, but I'd be happy with a G.55 as well, maybe the G.59 fuselage in Duxford might receive such conversion

Alex

[Oscar Duck]

I'm happy as I've flown Guido's G-59>>