Macchi M.B.308

It was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tricycle undercarriage. Construction throughout was of wood. The pilot and a single passenger or instructor sat side by side, and later examples had a third seat behind them.

The MB.308 was ordered in quantity by the Italian Air Force, which leased them out to Italy's aeroclubs. A modified version with a higher-powered engine was put into production in Argentina, under licence to sailplane manufacturer German Bianco.

 Argentina

• Argentine National Gendarmerie

 Egypt

• Egyptian Air Force

 Italy

• Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana) - received 81 aircraft in 1948 and were retired in 1954^[1]

 Lebanon

• Lebanese Air Force

• MB.308 - main production version with Continental C85 engine
  • MB.308 Idro - seaplane version
• MB.308G - three-seat version with Continental C90 engine
  • MB.308G-100 - MB.308G built in Argentina with Continental O-200 engine and fuel tanks relocated from fuselage to wings

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1955–56^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 6.53 m (21 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
• Height: 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in)
• Wing area: 13.72 m² (147.7 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 410 kg (904 lb)
• Gross weight: 650 kg (1,433 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 80 litres (21 US gal; 18 imp gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85 air-cooled flat-four, 63 kW (85 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 197 km/h (122 mph, 106 kn)
• Cruise speed: 164 km/h (102 mph, 89 kn) (70% power)
• Range: 760 km (470 mi, 410 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
• Time to altitude: 6 minutes to 1,000 m (3,300 ft)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Cessna 150

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aermacchi MB-308.

Notes

Bibliography

• Bridgman, Leonard (1955). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1955–56. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
• "The Macchi MB 308". Flight: 64. 17 July 1947. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
• Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-577-5.
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 419. ISBN 0-7106-0710-5.
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 901 Sheet 03. ISBN 1-156-94382-5.