BREDA Ba.44

Breda Br.44 Unit: Italian Regia Aeronautica Serial: I-ORSA This Breda Br.44 airliner impressed from Ala Littoria airline for service with the Italian Regia Aeronautica, circa 1940. Several were commandeered for use in the Italian occupation of Albania in 1938, and most (if not all) were later impressed into the Regia Aeronautica when Ala Littoria airline was absorbed into the military.

 The Breda 44 was a twin-engined light transport bearing a general similarity to the D.H. Dragon.

Bearing a general similarity to the DeHavilland Dragon, the Breda 44 light transport was built in 1934. Like the Dragon, the Breda transport was a six-passenger twin-engine biplane; the comparison was strengthened by the unstepped nose and the landing gear faired into the engine nacelles. Power was supplied by Walter Major-Six air-cooled in-line engines of 190 h.p. each. In addition to their limited use in Italy, a number of Breda 44 transports were exported to Paraguay during that country's war with Bolivia.

Maximum speed was 140 m.p.h., with cruising and landing speeds of 112 m.p.h. and 56 m.p.h. Other performance data included a cruising range of 335 miles and a service ceiling of 15,580 ft. Spanning 43 ft. 8 in., the Breda 44 was 33 ft. 11 in. long and 10 ft. 1 in. high; wing area was 387 sq. ft. The empty weight was 2970 lb. and the loaded figure 4774 lb. Alternate engine installations were 155 h.p. Colombo S.63 six-cylinder in-lines, giving a speed of only 115 m.p.h.; and 200 h.p. DeHavilland Gipsy-Six inverted in-lines, providing 124 m.p.h.