Editing Macchi C.202 Folgore (section)

==Design==
[[File:Macchi M.C.202D prototype.jpg|thumb|The nose of a Macchi C.202D]]
The Macchi C.202 ''Folgore'' was developed from the earlier [[Macchi C.200|C.200 ''Saetta'']], the principal differences being the use of an Italian-built version of the German Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa engine and the adoption of a revised [[wikt:streamline|streamlined]] fuselage. Both the wing and fuselage structures were metal, with a single vertical tail, and a wing of relatively conventional design{{clarify|date=June 2022}} with two main spars and 23 ribs. The ailerons, elevators and rudder were metal structures with fabric covering.  The  trailing edge of the wing inboard of the ailerons was occupied by a pair of all metal [[Flap (aircraft)|split flaps]].<ref name="Gentilli and Gorena 1980, p.5." /> The undercarriage had two widely set [[hydraulics|hydraulically]]-actuated main legs retracting inwards into recesses in the wing;  the tail wheel was non-retractable.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4." />

The fuselage of the C.202 was a semi-[[monocoque]] structure, comprising four light-[[alloy]] [[longeron]]s and ovoidal formers.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4." /> It was significantly better streamlined than the preceding C.200 to increase performance by reducing parasitic drag. The forward section housed both the main armament and the [[Alfa Romeo RA.1000 R.C.41-I Monsone]] engine, which drove a Piaggio P1001 three-blade, [[Variable-pitch propeller (aeronautics)|variable pitch]], [[constant speed propeller]].<ref name="Cattaneo p. 34." /> As with the C.200, to counteract the [[torque]] of the engine Castoldi extended the left wing by 21&nbsp;cm (8.5&nbsp;inches) so that the left wing developed more lift, offsetting the tendency of the aircraft to roll to the left due to the rotation of the propeller. The wing was a two spar structure, attached to the fuselage center section via steel forgings; it was fitted with [[Flap (aeronautics)|flaps]] that were both statically and dynamically balanced.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4." />

The main coolant radiator was housed in a rectangular fairing under the fuselage beneath the cockpit, and the oil cooler was placed under the nose within a streamlined, rectangular housing.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4." /> From the cockpit aft, the fuselage was formed into a round monocoque structure; the aft fuselage tapered into the tail and contained the radio, oxygen and flight control mechanisms. The canopy was hinged on the starboard base and opened sideways. Behind the canopy, the pilot's headrest was fixed to a triangular turn-over pylon which was covered by a streamlined, tapered fairing.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4.">Cattaneo 1966, p. 4.</ref> This fairing was shaped into an inverted 'T' which enabled the pilot to have a reasonable field of view to the rear. The unpressurised cockpit had an armor plate fitted behind the armored seat for protection. While early C.202s had a very short "stub" radio mast projecting from the fairing, most used a tall, slim mast.<ref name="Gentilli and Gorena 1980, p.5." />

Situated behind the engine and under the 12.7&nbsp;mm (.5&nbsp;in) ammunition boxes there was a single 270&nbsp;L (71.3&nbsp;US gal) fuel tank; all tanks were of the [[self-sealing fuel tank|self-sealing]] variety.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4." /> Another 80&nbsp;L (21.1&nbsp;US gal) fuel tank was placed behind the pilot, along with a pair of additional tanks, each with a capacity of 40&nbsp;L (10.5&nbsp;US gal), being housed in the wing roots; the total fuel capacity was 430&nbsp;L (113.6&nbsp;US gal).<ref name="Gentilli and Gorena 1980, p.5." /> Jettisonable tanks, containing either 22 or 33 gallons of fuel, could be installed upon some of the later built aircraft.<ref name="Cattaneo pp. 45" />

[[File:Macchi MC-202 (16760028958).jpg|thumb|left|A Macchi C.202 in flight]]
Initially, all the armament was fitted within the nose of the Macchi. Ammunition carried was up to 800 rounds (standard: 700 rounds).<ref name="Cattaneo pp. 45">Cattaneo 1966, pp. 4-5.</ref> An additional pair of Breda 7.7&nbsp;mm (.303&nbsp;in) machine guns was fitted in the wings in the VII series onward, but these, along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition, added 100&nbsp;kg (220&nbsp;lb) to the aircraft's weight and were typically removed by pilots to save weight, since they were relatively ineffective against most enemy aircraft in 1942.<ref>Sgarlato 1998, p. 33.</ref><ref name="Cattaneo p. 3." /> A synchronizing unit allowed the nose guns to fire through the propeller disk, but with a 25% loss in rate of fire.<ref>Ghergo 2006, p. 12.</ref> A "San Giorgio" reflector gun sight was fitted.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 4." />

Australian air ace [[Clive Caldwell]] felt the ''Folgore'' would have been superior to the Messerschmitt Bf 109 had it been better armed.<ref>Ethell and Christy 1979, p. 51.</ref> The C.202 was lightly armed by the standards of the time carrying the same armament as the [[Fiat CR.32|C.R.32]], a 1933 design.<ref>Williams and Gustin 2003, p. 107.</ref> The C.202 carried as standard two 12.7&nbsp;mm (.5&nbsp;in) [[Breda-SAFAT machine gun]]s. The Breda design was as heavy as the [[M2 Browning machine gun|Browning M2]], the model from which it was derived. The Breda fired 12.7x81&nbsp;mm "[[Vickers machine gun|Vickers]]" ammunition —  while its cartridges were longer than the 13 x 64&nbsp;mm rounds of its German rough equivalent, the [[MG 131 machine gun|MG 131]], the 81&nbsp;mm Italian rounds were still shorter than the standard 12.7x99&nbsp;mm rounds of the American "Ma Deuce"; with the result that the energy at the muzzle was 10,000&nbsp;[[joule]]s vs. 16,000. The rate of fire was about 18 rounds/second (1,080 rounds per minute) or 0.63&nbsp;kg (1.39&nbsp;lb).<ref>Massimello, Giorgio. ''La caccia italiana 1940–43'', p. 11.</ref>

[[File:Macchi C202 Folgore 112511.jpg|thumb|A C.202 on display at the Smithsonian's [[National Air and Space Museum]], [[Washington D.C.]]]]
On 21 August 1941, ''Tenente'' Giulio Reiner, one of the most skillful and experienced pilots of 9° ''Gruppo'', flew the "military control flight" in Lonate Pozzolo, The ''Ufficio tecnico'' (Technical Bureau) recorded the maximum speed of 1,078.27&nbsp;km/h in the ''Folgore'' in a vertical dive, with 5.8 G. forces while pulling out of the dive. ''Ingegner'' Mario Castoldi, the designer of the 202 questioned whether Reiner had properly flown the test. In fact, during the vertical dive, Reiner had to face very strong vibrations throughout the airframe and in the control stick, while the flying controls were locked and the propeller blades were jammed at maximum pitch.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} The clean aerodynamics offered by the inline engine permitted dive speeds high enough for pilots to encounter the then-unknown phenomenon of [[compressibility]].<ref name="Cattaneo p. 5." />

The empty weight of the new C.202 (approximately 2,350&nbsp;kg/5,180&nbsp;lb) gradually increased throughout production, and due to the thickness of metal used it was also comparatively heavy, yet this class of aircraft was still considered lightweight compared to other contemporary fighter designs. The Macchi's mass was around 300&nbsp;kg (660&nbsp;lb) higher than the comparable Bf 109E German fighter, consequently, the power-to-weight ratio was considerably lower while wing loading was higher.<ref>Marcon, Tullio. "P-40." ''Storia Militare'', January 2001. p. 21, gives a ratio of 2.1 kg/hp for the Bf 109, 2.5 for the MC.202, 2.1 for the Spitfire VC and 3.3 for the P-40E.</ref> The relatively high diving speed of the type has been attributed to the exceptionally clean design of its fuselage.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 5." />

Some of the defects present on the new fighter could have been easily resolved, such as a tendency for the landing gear to inadvertently lower when pulling out of a steep dive, a machine gun bonnet that often broke, frequent jamming of the ammunition belts and the rapid crystallizing and eventual shearing of the air cleaner intake caused by vibrations generated by the engine. Other defects, such as the unreliability of the radio sets and of the oxygen systems and the limited armament could not be addressed with such ease.<ref name="Duma p. 217.">Duma 2007, p. 217.</ref> However, different types of radio sets and accompanying [[Antenna (radio)|antenna]] were installed in some aircraft.<ref name="Cattaneo p. 5.">Cattaneo 1966, p. 5.</ref>