Aermacchi MB-339

Aermacchi MB-339. . , First flown in 1976, the MB-339 was designed to meet the training requirements of the Italian Air Force. The two-seat aircraft allows pilots to develop their skills before moving up to more advanced frontline aircraft., The MB-339 has a simple and sturdy design. These qualities make it an ideal training aircraft and a stable weapons platform, effective in training pilots to manage air-to-ground munitions delivery systems. Armed with a wide range of guns, missiles, rockets and bombs on six underwing hard points, the MB-339 can be deployed in a light attack role against ground targets., The MB-339 is powered with a single Rolls-Royce Viper MK 632 turbojet engine. More than 220 of these aircraft are in service today with air forces around the world. The latest version of the MB-339 is used to train European pilots destined to fly the more sophisticated Eurofighter., The MB-339 displayed here is shown in the colors of the Frecce Tricolori (Tricolored Arrows), the aerial demonstration team of the Italian Air Force. Established in 1961, the Frecce Tricolori is one of the only aerobatic teams in the world that uses 10 aircraft at the same time in its air shows.,

Length: 36 feet (10.97 m) , Wingspan: 35 feet 7 inches (10.86 m) , Height: 11 feet 10 inches (3.6 m) , Empty Weight: 6,780 pounds (3,075 kg) , Max Weight: 13,000 pounds (5,897 kg) , Top Speed: 558 miles per hour (898 kph) , Ceiling: 48,000 feet (14,630 m) , Crew: Two , Armament: 4,000 pounds (1,814) of mixed ordnance, including bombs, rockets and missiles

, [Captions:] , The Frecce Tricolori performs a flyby at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, England, in 2011. The aircraft trail smoke in the colors of the Italian flag., The MB-339CD of the Italian Air Force has modernized flight controls, advanced avionics and space for additional fuel in the tanks mounted on the wing tips. It can also be refueled in flight.