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The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet aircraft designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successful aircraft of its type, being bought by more than 10 countries and produced under licence in Australia, Brazil and South Africa. It set many category records, including an altitude record of 56,807 ft (17,315 m) on 18 March 1966. More than 600 were built.〔Angelucci and Matricardi 1980, pp. 269–71.〕 ==Design and development== In the 1950s, a number of countries were operating small jet trainers with a similar performance to their operational aircraft. At this time, several nations commenced development of purpose-built aircraft for the role, such as the Fouga Magister, the T-37, the Jet Provost, and the Aero L-29. Italy, which was still recovering from the effects of the Second World War, could not afford the development of supersonic interceptors or bombers; it instead elected to focus its development efforts on light fighter and trainer aircraft. The MB-326 was designed by Ermanno Bazzocchi at Macchi. Bazzocchi considered many configurations before it was chosen to proceed with a single-engined design. The airframe was a robust and light structure, all-metal, simple and cheap; powered by an efficient engine, the Armstrong Siddeley Viper. This engine was designed as a short-life unit originally destined for target drones, but showed itself to be far more reliable. This airframe and engine combination led, in 1953, to the MB-326 project. The Italian Air Force was quite interested, and so the MB-326 took part in the contest. The contest specifications were: * Max load 7 g at maximum weight * 5,000 hours lifespan, 50–60 hours between servicing, stall-alert (at 15 km/h (9 mph) more than stall speed) * Take-off at max load in 800 m (2,625 ft) over a 15 m (50 ft) high obstacle, or 500 m (1,640 ft) at light weight, landing in 450 m (1,480 ft) at minimum weight * Speed (min-max): 110/130–700 km/h * Rate-of-climb must be at least 15 m/s (2,950 ft/min) and endurance should be three hours at 3,000 m (9,840 ft).〔Jannetti 1987〕 There were several modifications to the MB-326 project: the horizontal tail surfaces lost their negative dihedral angle, the airbrakes (two in the wings) became one, in the ventral position. In 1956 the AMI approved the project and requested two prototypes (MM.571 and 572) and one airframe for static tests. No weaponry or pressurization was needed, but Bazzocchi introduced them. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 10 December 1957,〔Taylor 1969, p. 120.〕 flown by Chief Test Pilot Guido Carestiato, and the second flew the following year.〔Angelucci and Matricardi 1980, p. 269.〕 The plane showed very good characteristics, but the modifications affected the weight, which was 400 kg (880 lb) more than the initial estimates. The original Viper 8 engine produced 7.8 kN (1,750 lbf) of thrust, so the Viper 9 was adopted, which had 0.7 kN (147 lbf) more of thrust. ''I-MAKI,'' the prototype, was first demonstrated in France. The second prototype first flew on 22 September 1958. It had a new Viper engine, the '11' model, updated to produce 11.1 kN thrust (1,134 kgf, 2,500 lbf). On 15 December 1958, the AMI placed an order for 15 pre-series examples. In 1960, an order for 100 aircraft was placed, establishing Aermacchi's supremacy in jet trainers. Direct competition came from the Fiat G.80, being more powerful and the first real Italian jet, having flown five years earlier, but it was also heavier, bigger and more expensive. It lost the contest, remaining without a market. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Aermacchi MB-326」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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