MAQUETTE À MONTER - Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario **LIKE NEW INSIDE UNOPENED**

Characteristics

Description

The Reggiane Re 2005 is considered by many as "the most beautiful fighter of the axis". In fact, the Sagittario was a really beautiful airplane, with a clean and fascinating shape, but also had exceptional flying characteristics, powerful armament and exceptional handling. It was the plane limited by a slow production during the war, also due to the American bombing runs over the Reggiane factory. The Reggiane Re 2005 Sagittario was the final result of a series of fighters which started with the Re 2000 Falco I and continued with the Re 2001 Ariete I and Re 2002 Ariete II. The Reggiane team lead by Ing.Alessio and Ing.Longhi devoted itself with much resolve to the realization of the new fighter and the result was of great excellence.

The construction of the first prototype was started in October 1941 and completed at the end of 1942. After the first flights the prototype was sent to the Experimental Air Force Centre of Guidonia, where some modifications were requested and the Re 2005 proved to have better performance than the others Italian fighters, with a maximum speed of 678 km/h at 2000m. The Air Force ordered 750 Reggiane, but only few were produced. In May of 1943, the first Sagittarios entered service with the Regia Aeronautica. The first prototype and several aircraft were used operationally by the 362 Squadriglia, 22o Gruppo at Naples-Capodichino starting in May 1943, being used to defend Rome and Naples. Sagittario was not fighting a long time, Armistice, that came in the September 1943, stopped the war in Italy. Luftwaffe has tested also Re-2005 (with German engine DB605A and a VDM propeller) but good results. Some of the Sagittarios were reengined by the Germans with DB605As and equipped with VDM props after the Armistice, before being flown to an uncertain fate in Germany.

Read more here thanks to KFS

Read more here thanks to Britmodeller