Editing Macchi C.202 Folgore (section)

===Flight testing===
On 10 August 1940, less than seven months following the start of design work and two months after Italy's entry into the [[World War II|Second World War]], the sole prototype conducted its [[maiden flight]].<ref name="Cattaneo p. 8." /> The prototype differed in some respects from the production aircraft; the headrest fairing incorporated two windows for rear visibility, while production versions replaced this with a narrower, scalloped headrest. The square-sectioned supercharger air intake was replaced by an elongated round sectioned fairing, which was later redesigned to incorporate a dust filter. From the onset of flying trials, it was evident that the C.202 was an advanced design for the era, owing much of its performance to the use of the Daimler Benz DB 601, which represented a departure from the standard practice of using engines of Italian origin.<ref name="Matricardi pp. 70–71" />

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Macchi C.202 rear view.png|thumb|left|Revised and camouflaged C.202 prototype from the rear, showing the three-bladed propeller and wing profile]] -->
Following its initial flights, the prototype was flown to the ''Regia Aeronautica''{{'}}s main test airfield at [[Guidonia Montecelio|Guidonia]], where it reportedly met with an enthusiastic response from test pilots.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 8." /> A speed of 603&nbsp;km/h (375&nbsp;mph) was recorded during testing, while an altitude of 5,486&nbsp;m (18,000&nbsp;ft) was attained within the space of six minutes; in addition, little of the favourable manoeuvrability of the earlier C.200 had been lost.<ref name="Gentilli and Gorena 1980, p.5." /><ref name="Cattaneo p. 3." /> Another of its positive attributes was its extremely strong construction, which allowed its pilots to dive the aircraft steeply.<ref name="Caruana">Caruana 1996, p. 175.</ref> The performance figures gathered during these tests indicated that Italy had caught up with both [[United Kingdom|Britain]] and Germany in the field of fighter airplanes.<ref name="Angelucci and Matricardi p. 219." /><ref name="Cattaneo p. 3." />