Meridionali Ro.37

1934

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Meridionali Ro.37

Meridionali, then named Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali, first became involved in the Italian aircraft industry in 1923, beginning manufacturing activities two years later by licence-construction of Fokker designs. Subsequently, after two years under the name Romeo, the title Industrie Meccaniche e Aeronautiche Meridionali (IMAM) was adopted in 1936.

In 1934 the company had started design and production of a two-seat fighter/reconnaissance biplane under the designation Romeo Ro.37. This was an unequal-span single-bay biplane of mixed wood and metal construction. Its design included fixed tailwheel landing gear, all three wheels being provided with speed fairings; a braced tail unit incorporating a variable-incidence tailplane; and accommodation for two in tandem enclosed cockpits, Power was provided by a 522kW Fiat A.30RA Vee engine. An improved Ro.37bis was developed subsequently, and this introduced an optional radial powerplant comprising either the Piaggio P. IX or P.X supercharged engine. Both models proved popular for their day, with production of the Ro.37 and Ro.37bis exceeding 160 and 475 respectively, and export orders were received from Afghanistan, Hungary and from countries in Central and South America.

Ro.37 and Ro.37bis aircraft were involved in the Spanish Civil War from October 1936 and were used extensively by the Regia Aeronautica during Mussolini's invasion of Abyssinia between October 1935 and May 1936 and during the Italian occupation of that country until 1941. Some 275 Ro.37bis aircraft were in service with the Regia Aeronautica when Italy became involved in World War II, and these saw first-line service in the East and North African campaigns and in the Balkans. After withdrawal from first-line service they found a variety of uses, but all had been retired before Italy's armistice with the Allies on 8 September 1943.

Meridionali Ro.37

Comments
Barry, 11.09.2012 12:08

Performance: Max speed 205mph at 16,405 ft (5000m); cruising speed 155mph; service ceiling 23,620 ft (7200m)maximum range 696 miles (1120 km).
Weight: empty 3,494lb (1585 kg)naximum take-off 5,335 lb (2420kg)
Dimensions: span 36ft 41 /4 inches (11.08); length 28ft 1 in
(8.56m); height 10ft 4in (3.15m)
Armament: 2 x 7.7-mm (.303 in)fixed forward firing machine guns with one of a similar calibre on a trainable mount in the rear cockpit plus upto 180kg (397 lb) bombload.
All details for Ro37 bis.

reply

frank, 01.03.2012 19:15

One of them has been found as wreck in Kabul, Afghanistan, brought to Italy and restored.
It will be shown at Vigna di Valle Museum.

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