Macchi M.9

The Macchi M.9 was a flying boat bomber designed by Alessandro Tonini and produced by Macchi in Italy close to the end of World War I and shortly afterwards.

M.9
A M.9 of the Argentine Naval Aviation, circa 1920s
Role	Flying boat bomber
National origin	Italy
Manufacturer	Macchi
Designer	Alessandro Tonini
First flight	1918
Number built	ca. 30

Design and development

The M.9 was a conventional design for its day, with unstaggered biplane wings of unequal span and a single engine mounted pusher-fashion on struts in the interplane gap, close to the underside of the top wing. The pilot and observer sat side by side in an open cockpit. While earlier Macchi flying boats had conventional interplane struts, the M.9 introduced the Warren truss-style struts that would become characteristic of this manufacturer's designs.

Around 16 examples were delivered to the Italian Navy prior to the Armistice, and around another 14 were assembled after the end of hostilities. A small number of postwar aircraft were built with four seats under the designation M.9bis and were used in Switzerland for carrying passengers and mail.

Operators

Argentina

• Argentine Navy
  • Argentine Naval Aviation

Brazil

• Brazilian Naval Aviation

Kingdom of Italy

• Corpo Aeronautico Militare

Poland

• Polish Navy (Naval Aviation Base in Puck)

Specifications

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919, p. 390.

General characteristics

• Crew: 2, pilot and observer
• Length: 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 15.40 m (50 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.25 m (10 ft 8 in)
• Wing area: 48.5 m² (521 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,250 kg (2,750 lb)
• Gross weight: 1,800 kg (3,960 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Fiat A.12 , 208 kW (280 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 188 km/h (118 mph, 103 kn)
• Endurance: 4 hours
• Service ceiling: 5,500 m (18,050 ft)

See also

Related lists

• List of seaplanes and flying boats

References

Bibliography

• Angelucci, Enzo. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980. San Diego, California: The Military Press, 1983. ISBN 0-517-41021-4.
• Nelcarz, Bartolomiej and Robert Peczkowski. White Eagles: The Aircraft, Men and Operations of the Polish Air Force 1918–1939. Ottringham, UK: Hikoki Publications, 2001. ISBN 1-902109-73-2
• Grey, C.G. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1919. London: Sampson Low Marston, 1969 (reprint). ISBN 978-0715346471.
• Taylor, Michael J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 1989. ISBN 0-517-69186-8.