12/31/2010. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Basically an adaptation of the Re 2000 to take a Daimler-Benz DB 601A liquid-cooled inverted V-engine, the Re 2001 Falco (Falcon) II featured a redesigned wing structure, the five-spar arrangement giving place to three-spar construction and the integral fuel tanks feature being eliminated. The first prototype Re 2001, c/n 1, serialed MM409, left the assembly shop on June 9, 1940 and was first flown by Commander Mario De Bernardi at Reggio Emilia on June 14, 1940.

A total of 237 Re 2001s were eventually delivered to the Regia Aeronautica, these being powered for the most part by a license-built version of the DB 601A, the Alfa Romeo RA 1000 RC 41-1a Monsonie (Monsoon) rated at 1,175 hp for take off. Armament of the initial version comprised two fuselage-mounted 0.50 in (12.7 mm) SAFAT machine guns and two wing-mounted 0.303 in (7.7 mm) SAFAT machine guns.

Variants included the Re 2001 C.N. (Caccia Notturno, Night Fighters), with 0.787 in (20 mm) MG 151 cannon replacing the wing-mounted 0.303 in (7.7 mm) weapons, and the Re 2001 C.B. (Caccia Bombardiere, Fighter Bomber) with provision for a single 551 lb (250 kg) bomb. Known as the Re 2001 Delta, one example was fitted with an Isotta-Fraschini Delta RC 16/48 twelve-cylinder air-cooled inverted V-engine rated at 840 hp at 17,390 ft (5,300 m).

Converted from the Re 2000 prototype, MM408 became an additional Re 2001 prototype. As described by Carlo Soliani, it appeared in three configurations:

1^st: natural aluminum finish transparent pilot headrest fairing
2^nd: green & brown camouflage finish transparent pilot headrest fairing
3^rd: green only camouflage finish modified pilot headrest fairing (solid)

During WW II it was a common practice among the Italian aircraft manufacturers and military forces to release official photographs more or less retouched. Retouched photo 1784, taken at the same spot at the same day, shows the retractable tail wheel doors deleted and an antenna added, as became standard at production models. Compare photo 1784 with an unretouched copy (apart from the background) of the same photo supplied by in this composition."

Span: 36 ft 1.1 in (11.00 m)
Length: 27 ft 5.1 in (8.36 m)
Height: 10 ft 4.0 in (3.15 m)
Wing area: 219.58 sq.ft (20.40 sq.m)
Weight empty: 5,423 lb (2,460 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,231 lb (3,280 kg)
Max speed: 339 mph (545 kmh) at 17,945 ft (5,470 m)
Climb: to 16,405 ft (5,000 m) 6 min 20 sec
Range: 684 mls (1,100 km)