Macchi M.B.308
# Macchi M.B.308

The Macchi MB.308, later Aermacchi MB-308, was a light aircraft produced in Italy in the late 1940s.

## Development

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.

## Operators

### 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

### Lebanon

* Lebanese Air Force

## Variants

* 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

## Specifications (MB.308 - C85 engine)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1955–56

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 $m^2$ (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)
