| C.205 Veltro / C.205N Orione | |
|---|---|
 Regia Aeronautica C.205V, Serie I from 352ª Squadriglia, 51° Stormo, photographed at Capoterra, Sardinia, summer 1943 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Fighter |
| Manufacturer | Aeronautica Macchi |
| Designer | |
| Primary users | Regia Aeronautica |
| Number built | 262 [1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | September 1942 – May 1944 |
| Introduction date | February 1943 |
| First flight | 19 April 1942 |
| Retired | 1947 (Italy) 1950 (Egypt) |
| Developed from | Macchi C.202 |
The Macchi C.205 Veltro (Italian: Greyhound) (also known as MC.205, "MC" standing for "Macchi Castoldi") was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore. With a top speed of some 640 km/h (400 mph) and equipped with a pair of 20 mm cannon as well as 12.7 mm Breda machine guns, the Macchi C.205 Veltro was highly respected by Allied and Axis pilots alike. Widely regarded as one of the best Italian aircraft of World War II, it proved to be extremely effective, destroying a large number of Allied bombers.[2] The Macchi C. 205 proved capable of meeting fighters such as the North American P-51D Mustang on equal terms, which encouraged the Luftwaffe to use a number of these aircraft to equip one Gruppe.[3]
While the C.205 was able to match the best Allied opponents in speed and maneuverability, it was introduced late in the conflict.[1] Due to the limitations of the Italian war economy, only a small production run was delivered before the end of the war. Like the Spitfire, the Veltro was tricky in its construction and slow to build.[4] Italy's highest-scoring ace, Adriano Visconti, achieved 11 of his 26 credited victories in the few weeks he was able to fly the Veltro, with the top-scoring Sergente Maggiore pilota Luigi Gorrini shooting down 14 enemy aircraft plus six damaged with the C.205.[5]