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AERFER Ariete

1958 COLD WAR X-PLANE

AERFER Ariete's Story

In order to improve the early AERFER demonstrator "Sagittario 2" ("Archer 2") with swept wings and jet propulsion into a mission-quality combat form, the company's engineers produced the related "Ariete" (" Ram") . This version retains the former's swept wing elements to mate with the redesigned fuselage. Despite the changes, the aircraft still broadly mimics the form and function of earlier designs.

Unlike the Sagittario 2, the Ariete is powered by twin turbojets - primarily a Rolls-Royce "Derwent 9" series turbojet with 3,600 lbs of thrust, with a Rolls-Royce "Soar" for auxiliary boost The functional RSr deploys 2 auxiliary turbojets to provide an additional 1,810 pounds of thrust.

The first flight of the Ariete prototype took place on March 27, 1958. The APU is designed to deliver significant power output in a compact, lightweight fighter, and draws air through an interesting, retractable, rear-mounted air intake. The main engine accessories are still drawn in through the nasal air intake. It's closely related to the earlier Sagittario 2, which means many of the new plane's qualities have been carried over - the low landing gear height, domed roof and traditional tail are a few.

The suggested weapon for the fighter role is the 2 x 30mm built-in HDD-825 series cannons, although these were never fitted.

The Ariete program produced only one airworthy prototype, the second with an incomplete fuselage. Replacing the auxiliary turbojets in the rear of the fuselage with simpler rocket booster units - to produce the AERFER "Leone" prototype - was considered, but the move never materialized.

To this end, Ariete completed a series of high-performance aircraft that began in the years before World War II with the propeller-driven AERFER S. 7 racing car.

Performance specs for the Ariete include a top speed of 675 mph, a service ceiling of up to 39,360 feet, and a climb rate of nearly 2,665 feet per minute.