Macchi M.8

The Macchi M.8 was an Italian reconnaissance/bomber flying boat designed and built by Macchi. It was used by the Italian Naval Aviation and was later flown by crews from the United States Navy.

Design and development

The M.8 was similar to earlier flying boat designs from the company but introduced new rigid wing bracing (or interplane struts). The hull was improved from earlier designs and the tail unit was similar to that developed for the M.7. It was a biplane flying boat with the pilot and co-pilot in a side-by-side open cockpit with a further open cockpit forward of them for an observer. The third cockpit was fitted with a machine gun ring and there was access inside the hull between the cockpits. The M.8 was powered by a single Isotta-Fraschini V.4B pusher engine mounted below the upper wing.

A total of 57 aircraft were built between 1917 and 1918 and were used for coastal reconnaissance and to attack enemy submarines. After World War I, a number of surviving aircraft were used at seaplane flying schools for instruction.

Operators

 Kingdom of Italy

• Corpo Aeronautico Militare

 Sweden

• Swedish Navy

 United States

• United States Navy

Specifications (M.8)

Data from ^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: three (pilot, co-pilot and observer/gunner)
• Wingspan: 16.00 m (52 ft 6 in)
• Gross weight: 1,430 kg (3,153 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Isotta-Fraschni V.4B piston engine, 127 kW (170 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 167 km/h (104 mph)
• Endurance: 3 hours  0 min

Armament

• 1 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Vickers machine-gun or similar, ring mounted in forward cockpit
• 4 × 50 kg (110 lb) bombs

See also

Related lists

• List of seaplanes and flying boats

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Macchi.

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