Macchi M.8

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Macchi M.8
Role	Reconnaissance/bomber flying boat Type of aircraft
National origin	Italy
Manufacturer	Macchi
Designer	Alessandro Tonini
First flight	1917
Primary user	Italian Navy Aviation
Number built	57

The Macchi M.8 was an Italian reconnaissance/bomber flying boat designed by Alessandro Tonini 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

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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

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Kingdom of Italy

Corpo Aeronautico Militare

Sweden

Swedish Navy

United States

United States Navy

Specifications (Macchi M.8)

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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 Fraschini V.4B piston engine , 127 kW (170 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 167 km/h (104 mph, 90 kn)
Endurance: 3 hours 0 minutes

Armament

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

References

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^ Orbis 1985, page 2394

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

v t e Nieuport-Macchi/Macchi/Aermacchi aircraft
Nieuport-Macchi	Ni.4 Ni.6 Parasol Ni.10 Ni.11 Ni.17 Ni.29
Macchi	L.1 L.2 M.3 M.4 M.5 M.6 M.7 M.8 M.9 M.12 M.14 M.15 M.16 M.17 M.18 M.19 M.20 M.24 M.26 M.33 M.39 M.40 M.41 M.52 M.53 M.67 M.70 M.71 M.C.72 M.C.73 M.C.77 M.C.94 M.C.99 M.C.100 M.C.200 M.C.201 M.C.202 M.C.205 M.B.308 M.B.320 M.B.323
Aermacchi	MB-326 MB-335 MB-338 MB-339 MB-340 M-311/M-345
Joint ventures	AM.3 AMX M-346
Purchased designs	AL-60 S-211 SF.260 M-290

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Design and development

Operators

Specifications (Macchi M.8)

See also

References