FMA AeC.1

The FMA AeC.1 was a light utility aircraft built in Argentina in 1931; it was the first aircraft of domestic design to be produced by FMA. It was a low-wing cantilever monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed tailskid undercarriage. As originally designed, the fully enclosed cabin had three seats, but this was later reduced to two. The passenger seat could be readily removed to make way for a stretcher to facilitate its use as an air ambulance.

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

References

FMA AeC.3

The FMA AeC.3 was a light utility aircraft built in Argentina in 1934; a further development in the series of designs that had originated with the AeC.1 three years previously. Like its immediate predecessor, the AeC.2, the AeC.3 was an open-cockpit variant of the family, and was distinguished mainly in its use of an Armstrong Siddeley Genet Major engine. Deliveries to Argentina's aeroclubs were made late in the year.

In 1935, Carola Lorenzini set a South American altitude record of 5,500 m (18,040 ft) in an AeC.3, and another aircraft of this type was flown by Santiago Germanó to win the aerobatics prize at the Resistencia air meet the same year. A final feat for the AeC.3 for 1935 was its use by Pedro B. Mórtola in a long-distance round-trip flight between Buenos Aires and Rio Gallegos, covering 5,200 km (3,200 mi) in 37 hours 20 minutes.

On 21 January 1936, a refined version flew as the AeC.3G. The main innovation introduced on this aircraft was the use of flaps, the first Argentine aircraft to be so equipped. This aircraft first flew as an open-cockpit type, but later had a roof fitted to create an enclosed cabin.

FMA AeC.2

The FMA AeC.2 was a light utility aircraft built in Argentina in the early 1930s, and also produced as a military trainer and observation aircraft under the designations AeME.1, AeMO.1, AeMOe.1 and AeMOe.2.

Development

The design was derived from the AeC.1, but instead of an enclosed cabin, featured two open cockpits in tandem. Only two of the civil AeC.2s were built, but these were followed by seven AeME.1 trainers. Six of the AeME.1s, plus one of the AeC.2s, participated in a long-distance publicity tour of Brazil as part of the "Sol de Mayo" squadron.

In 1934, a version with a revised empennage, the AeMO.1, was developed as an observation machine; 41 examples of which were delivered from July onwards. Some of these were armed with a trainable .303 Vickers machine gun in the observer's cockpit, and some with twin synchronised machine guns in the forward fuselage.

Six AeMOe.1s followed, for crew training in the Observation role, which were generally similar in design but featuring a NACA cowling for the engine, and then the definitive AeMOe.2 version appeared in 1937 with a further refined empennage, 61 examples of which were built.