Macchi Mc 72 in action

[JDK]

Inspired by a bit of banter on the Bald Eagle aviation thread...

From the British Pathe newsreel online database.

http://www.britishpathe.com/

Not the facility of You Tube, but the original film. Worth a look and a (free) download.

1658.17 | AIR RECORD MAKERS (1:25:44:00 - 1:27:31:00) 26/11/1934


Desenzo, Italy.

Several shots of a seaplane getting ready to take off. Flight Lieutenant Agello is in the plane ready for attempt to make a new world's air speed record.

Several shots of the seaplane speeding across water. Several shots of the plane in flight. Cameramen are filming the event. Plane taxiing in.

Several shots of the crowd around Angelo after his success - people cheering loudly.

Well you would, wouldn't you?



For the impatient, 'Bomberguy' to the rescue.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=gLRLhZJsCh4

[JDK]

This:


Went in this;



And was cooled by this;



Note the radiators even on the float (sorry, 'pontoon') struts...

One of the coolest machines I've ever seen. Can you imagine what it would've been like to see in action?

[PeterA]

One of the coolest machines I've ever seen. Can you imagine what it would've been like to see in action?

Another Americanism?

The Supermarine Racers were operated/limited on the coolant temperature to max.

PeterA

[JDK]

One of the coolest machines I've ever seen. Can you imagine what it would've been like to see in action?

Another Americanism?

As an Aussie married to a Canadian, we move seamlessly between the varieties of English - almost as much as you travel...

An appropriate term with all that cooling available n'cest pas?

The Supermarine Racers were operated/limited on the coolant temperature to max.

...and even then, they wouldn't have kept up with the Macchi.

And an interesting stat -
While I presume one of the Russian jets hold the seaplane absolute speed record, the Macchi (not any Supermarine) holds the piston-engined seaplane absolute speed record. Not a bad retention of an aviation record - 75 years - 3/4 of the total history of heavier than air aviation...

Cheers, prost, saluti, bon chance, bottoms up, here's looking at you kid, etc, etc... eh?

[PeterA]

The Italians were doubtless operated/limited on the Macchi-meter to max.

PeterA

[RyanShort1]

Instead of racing the warbirds at Reno, wouldn't it be neat to attempt to put together a world record piston-engined seaplane that could beat the Macchi? Sounds like a fun challenge to me.
I've always liked the M.C. 72. Beautiful airplane.

Ryan

[Mgawa]

http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2008 ... up-racers/

[Ztex]

I'll bet the aeroplane repairmen just loved to work on this piece of Italian machinery... talk about "Fix It Again Tony"

Gary...do you have heartburn yet?

[Neal Nurmi]

When the late Jack Sandberg was planning the scratch-built Unlimited Racer "Tsunami" one of his intentions was to try for the seaplane speed record. My old friend Bruce Boland once showed me concept drawings he had done for a twin float installation for the airplane. Now that would have been something...

[Matt Gunsch]

Instead of racing the warbirds at Reno, wouldn't it be neat to attempt to put together a world record piston-engined seaplane that could beat the Macchi? Sounds like a fun challenge to me.
I've always liked the M.C. 72. Beautiful airplane.

Ryan

Sandburg had planned to do that with Tsunami.