IL-2 Sturmovik: MC.202 Series VIII Collector Plane

Fly the Italian Macchi 202, the best Italian fighter plane that saw action at the Eastern front of WWII!

In the game, you can fly Macchi 202 in Career mode during Battle of Moscow and Battle of Stalingrad timeframes, in multiplayer and in Quick Mission Builder.

The Macchi combines rather moderate size of German Messerschmitts with the robustness of a Focke-Wulf. It has a tough framework with all-metal construction throughout the airframe and two-spar wings, the only exception being the rudder. A unique feature of the Macchi is its peculiar wing design which is is asymmetrical. The left wing is 20 cm longer than the right one to counteract torque produced by the engine. The wings don’t have leading edge slats and the landing gear is generally similar to the FW-190 which is quite wide and serviceable. There’s a trim stabilizer for the elevators, but no trim tabs on any other flight surface.

The overall approach to the framework design is a bit surprising: on the one hand the aircraft is aerodynamically clean and well designed; on the other hand both of its radiator cowlings look ill-placed causing much drag.

The engine is an export version of the DB601A that was also used in earlier Bf-109 models. But unlike the Bf-109s in our game, this one doesn’t have a good automated constant-speed propeller mechanism. The Macchi’s propeller only has two basic positions: 2200 and 2400 rpm. All other modes are up to the pilot to set up and maintain by controlling the prop pitch manually. Water and oil radiator controls are manual as well. Keep in mind that Macchi’s throttle movement is also inverted – forward to slow down and back to accelerate.

• Armament: 2 x 12.7mm Breda SAFAT machine guns with 400 rounds and a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute.
  
• Length: 8.85 m (29.03 ft.)
  
• Wingspan: 10.58 m (34.7 ft.)
  
• Wing surface: 16.8 sq. m (55.11 sq. ft.)

Modifications

• Additional pilot protection: armored triplex windscreen (10 kg / 22 lbs. weight increase)
  
• 2 x additional Breda SAFAT 7.7mm wing-mounted machine guns with 500 rounds per gun. (25 - 49 kg / 55 – 108 lbs. weight increase)
  
• 2 x additional MG 151/20 20mm guns in wing-mounted gun pods with 135 rounds per gun (157 - 212 kg / 346 – 467 lbs. weight increase, 15 kph / 24 mph speed loss)
  
• 2 x 50-T General Purpose Bombs (130 kg / 287 lbs. weight increase with bomb racks, 14 kph / 9 mph speed loss, 7 kph / 4 mph speed loss after drop)
  
• 2 x 100-T General Purpose Bombs (220 kg / 485 lbs. weight increase with bomb racks, 20 kph / 12 mph speed loss, 7 kph / 4 mph speed loss after drop)

Skins

• Standard pattern with winter camo
  
• 2./JG 108, ('214' with Luftwaffe markings used in training unit)
  
• 73°Squadriglia, 9°Gruppo, 4°Stormo C.T., Tenente Giulio Reiner, Fuka, Egypt, July 1942 ('73-7' dark olive green with sand blotches and light grey bottom)
  
• 386a°Squadriglia, 21°Gruppo Autonomo C.T., Kantemirowka, USSR, October 1942 ('386-1' light brown with dark green patches and light grey undersides)
  
• 70°Squadriglia, 23°Gruppo, 3°Stormo C.T., Cerveteri, Italy, August 1943 ('2-70' light brown with intensive dark green patches and light grey undersides)
  
• 71°a Squadriglia, 17°Gruppo, 1°Stormo C.T., Udine-Campoformido, Italy, October 1941 ('71-2' dark olive green and light grey undersides)
  
• 369°a Squadriglia, 22°Gruppo, 53°Stormo C.T., Capodichino, Italy, Summer 1943 ('369-12' light brown with dark green rings and light grey undersides)
  
• 378°a Squadriglia, 155°Gruppo, 51°Stormo C.T., Gela, Italy, August 1943 ('378-4' dark green with yellow and brown patches and light grey undersides)
  
• Aeromacchi C.202 prototype first flown at Lonate Pozollo on August 10, 1940 by chief test pilot Guido Carestiato (metal with no paint with some parts painted with protective primer color)
  
• 2./Jagd Lehrer Überprüfungsgruppe, Konrad Augner ('13' light brown with dark green patches, light grey undersides and yellow markings)

Flight Parameters

Indicated stall speed in flight configuration: 151..166 km/h

Indicated stall speed in takeoff/landing configuration: 139..152 km/h
Dive speed limit: 850 km/h
Maximum load factor: 14.8 G
Stall angle of attack in flight configuration: 19.6 °
Stall angle of attack in landing configuration: 17.4 °

Maximum true air speed at sea level, engine mode - Combat: 500 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 2000 m, engine mode - Combat: 543 km/h
Maximum true air speed at 5000 m, engine mode - Combat: 604 km/h

Service ceiling: 11300 m
Climb rate at sea level: 17.3 m/s
Climb rate at 3000 m: 15.1 m/s
Climb rate at 6000 m: 10.6 m/s

Maximum performance turn at sea level: 22.6 s, at 270 km/h IAS.
Maximum performance turn at 3000 m: 28.2 s, at 270 km/h IAS.

Flight endurance at 3000 m: 2.2 h, at 350 km/h IAS.

Takeoff speed: 160..190 km/h
Glideslope speed: 190..200 km/h
Landing speed: 140..150 km/h
Landing angle: 13.9 °

Note 1: the data provided is for international standard atmosphere (ISA).
Note 2: flight performance ranges are given for possible aircraft mass ranges.
Note 3: maximum speeds, climb rates and turn times are given for standard aircraft mass.
Note 4: climb rates are given for Combat power, turn times are given for Boosted power.

Engine:
Model: RA.1000
Maximum power in Boosted mode at sea level: 1175 HP
Maximum power in Combat mode at sea level: 1050 HP
Maximum power in Combat mode at 3700 m: 1100 HP

Engine modes:
Nominal (unlimited time): 2200 RPM, 1.23 ata
Combat power (up to 5 minutes): 2400 RPM, 1.35 ata
Boosted power (up to 1 minute): 2500 RPM, 1.45 ata

Water rated temperature in engine intake: 70..80 °C
Water rated temperature in engine output: 94 °C
Water maximum temperature in engine output: 100 °C
Oil rated temperature in engine intake: 60..75 °C
Oil maximum temperature in engine intake: 85 °C
Oil rated temperature in engine output: 90..100 °C
Oil maximum temperature in engine output: 110 °C

Supercharger gear shift altitude: fluid coupling

Empty weight: 2448 kg
Minimum weight (no ammo, 10%25 fuel): 2622 kg
Standard weight: 2967 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 3197 kg
Fuel load: 307 kg / 430 l
Useful load: 749 kg

Combat debut: June 1942

Operation features

• Throttle lever is inverted: backward = full throttle, forward = idle throttle.
  
• Engine is equipped with automatic mixture control system and supercharger with fluid coupling which does not require manual control.
  
• Engine RPM has an automatic governor with two fixed modes: 2200 RPM normal mode, 2400 RPM boosted mode. Also, it is possible to turn off the governor and control the propeller pitch manually by mechanical actuator.
  
• Water and oil radiator shutters are controlled manually.
  
• Airplane has no flight-control trimmers. Airplane is equipped with bendable trim tabs that can be set pre-flight by ground personnel.
  
• Airplane has asymmetric half-wings for roll-compensation: the left one is 20 cm longer than right one.
  
• Airplane has a manually controlled horizontal stabilizer. It should be set to neutral before takeoff and landing. Also, it may be used to trim the flight stick during the flight. In a deep dive the stabilizer should be set so that the pilot must push the flight stick forward to maintain the dive angle.
  
• Landing flaps have a hydraulic actuator and they can be extended to any angle up to 45°. The flap system includes a "pneumatic spring" which allows flaps to be pressed upwards by airflow at airspeed more than 200 km/h.
  
• Airplane has a manual tail wheel lock. Wheel should be locked when taxiing straight for a long distance and before takeoff and landing.
  
• Airplane has differential pneumatic wheel brakes with the shared control lever. This means that if the brake lever is held and the rudder pedal the opposite wheel brake is gradually released causing the plane to swing to one side or the other.
  
• Airplane has a fuel gauge which indicates only the front fuel tank level.
  
• The design of the cockpit canopy does not allow it to be opened during flight. The canopy should be closed before takeoff to prevent damage. The canopy has an emergency release system for bailouts.
  
• The control system for the bomb rack only allows to drop bombs one by one.
  
• The gunsight has a sliding sun-filter. There is also a back-up folding mechanical sight which can be used if main sight is damaged.