FMA Ae.MB1

FMA AE.MB bomb
Type:	bomber
Design country:	Argentina
Manufacturer:	Fábrica Militar de Aviones
First flight:	June 9, 1935
Commissioning:	1936
Production time:	1936
Number of pieces:	14 + 1

The FMA Ae.MB Bombi was the first and only bomber aircraft developed in Latin America . It was produced in a small series by the Argentine Fábrica Militar de Aviones .

history

The FMA Ae.MB Bombi was intended to replace the Breguet XIX , which had been in service with the Argentine army since the late 1920s. Development began in 1932, with the prototype (number 201) not being completed until 1934 as some of the required materials (e.g. aluminum tubes) were missing. During testing, a number of deficiencies were found that forced changes to the prototype and later series production. The engine and the chassis were clad and the rear was enlarged to improve lateral stability. The first flight took place on June 9, 1935 and at the end of 1935 the bomber was presented to the Argentine military as Ae.MB1 on the Base Aérea Militar (BAM) near El Palomar near Buenos Aires . Compared to the prototype, the production version received a closed cockpit and modified armament in the form of a dome-like glass tower with two 7.65 mm MGs from Madsen instead of the British Lewis MGs. The first (number 202) of 14 production aircraft was delivered on March 6, 1936 to the 2nd División de Material Aeronáutico del Ejército, the last (number 212 - 215) on April 10, 1936. The machines initially had problems with the landing gear, which led to a temporary flight ban by the military on March 1, 1937. On the 203, for example, the landing gear broke on the runway during takeover attempts and the machines 207 and 214 each lost a wheel while rolling on the ground. Overall, the machines proved to be unreliable and too slow. The 210 had an accident on July 9, 1936 and the 207 crashed on December 21, 1936 near Despenaderos . In the latter accident, the only fatality occurred despite the frequent accidents with the bomb. The prototype was lost due to a pilot error during night landing training on June 5, 1937 when approaching General Urquiza Airport in Paraná . In February 1938, the modification to the Ae.MB2 began with a revised landing gear, modified tanks, a larger door and a removed weapon turret. Nine machines were modified accordingly and later used primarily as observation and transport aircraft as well as for dropping up to five parachutists and as a target aircraft. Northrop 8A and Martin 139 were purchased as bombers . At the end of 1947 the last bomb was taken out of service.

construction

The FMA Ae.MB Bombi was a low wing bomber whose hull was completely covered with fabric for weight reasons. The armament consisted of a dome-like glass turret with two 7.65 mm machine guns from Madsen (the turret had a negative impact on flight characteristics and was later designed retractable), two 11.25 mm machine guns under the fuselage and bombs attached under the fuselage up to 450 kg mass.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data
crew	3
length	10.90 m
span	17.20 m
height	2.80 m
Wing area	35 m²
Empty mass	2120 kg
Max. Payload	1380 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	3500 kg
Cruising speed	240 km / h (at 2100 m altitude)
Top speed	285 km / h (at 2100 m altitude)
Landing speed	105 km / h
Service ceiling	6000 m
Max. Altitude	6700 m
Range	600 km
Engines	a nine- cylinder radial engine Wright Cyclone SGR-1820F with 526 kW (715 hp)
Armament	7.65mm machine guns on the fuselage 11.25mm machine guns under the fuselage 400 kg bombs

See also

• List of aircraft types

Web links

Commons : FMA Ae. MB.2 Bombi  - collection of images

• Los aviones de la primera época (Spanish, memento of October 24, 2013 in the Internet Archive)
• Aircraft profile on 1000aircraftphotos.com (English)
• Airplane profile Ae.MB.1 (2) Bombi (Russian)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} FliegerRevue X No. 50, pp. 34–45, Bombi - the only Argentine bomber
2. ↑ ^{a b} FlugRevue, February 2010, pp. 92–95, bombers with starting difficulties - FMA Bombi