10/31/2007. This type of mixed metal and wood construction was designed
for the 1931 Schneider Trophy contest by Mario Castoldi, Tranquillo
Zerbi designed the 2,850 hp Fiat AS.6 twenty-four-cylinder water-cooled
Vee-engine, driving two metal two-bladed counter-rotating propellers.
The light areas at the floats and struts are radiator cooling surfaces
and the light area on fuselage between cockpit and tail plane is the
fuselage-mounted oil-cooler.
Five examples of this single-seat twin-float racing aircraft were built,
MM177 to MM181. The first flight was made by Captain Giovanni Monti on
June 22, 1931. Monti was killed when his MC.72 crashed into Lake Garda
on takeoff on August 2, 1931. On September 10 another MC.72 crashed at
Desenzano, killing the pilot Lieutenant Stanislao Bellini. On October
23, 1934, Warrant Officer Agello established a record speed in the
MC.72 of 440.682 mph (709.209 kmh).
The pictured aircraft is preserved at the Italian AF Museum at Vigna di
Valle.
