The Macchi MC202 Folgore represented a significant innovation for the fighter units of the Regia Aeronautica. Exceptionally beautiful from an aerodynamic point of view, it was equipped with the powerful German DB601 inline engines produced under license by the Italian aeronautical industry.
The new power plants and the strength of the aircraft’s design provided the Regia Aeronautica with a fighter capable of engaging Allied fighters on equal terms. Flight performance, compared with fighters of the previous generation equipped with radial engines such as the Fiat G-50 and the Macchi MC-200, was considerably better. Maneuverable and fast (it could reach 600km/h), the early versions were armed with two 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns mounted on the nose. Only in later versions was the armament enhanced to make it more suitable for aerial combat against American and British fighters.
