World’s Last Macchi M.7 Undergoing Restoration in Sweden

Macchi M.7 with separate Isotta Frascini engine on display cart at the Flygvapenmuseum, prior to the restoration project.
Aircorps Art Dec 2019


Macchi M.7 with separate Isotta Frascini engine on display cart at the Flygvapenmuseum, prior to the restoration project.
Macchi M.7 with separate Isotta Frascini engine on display cart at the Flygvapenmuseum, prior to the restoration project.

In addition to the Donnet-Lévêque “Flying Fish” Restoration on which we recently reported, another restoration project of Flygvapenmuseum and the Tullingebergsvägen Group is making progress; coincidentally it’s also a flying boat, a Macchi M.7.

Rudimentary cockpit of the M.7 once controlled twin 8mm machine guns. (image credit: Bernt Olsson/Tullingebergsvägen Group)
Rudimentary cockpit of the M.7 once controlled twin 8mm machine guns.
(image credit: Bernt Olsson/Tullingebergsvägen Group)

Macchi M.7 #945 was one of four of the Italian aircraft obtained in 1921 by the Swedish “Armefälttygkåren” (the part of the army that handled their air forces before the formation of the Swedish Air Force in 1926), but the high ambient humidity of the northern climes made the plywood construction of the planes a maintenance headache and they were retired from service in 1927. 945, which is the only known survivor of it’s kind, was placed in the Flygvapenmuseum with a wooden mock-up of an engine in place of its original. In 1994, the museum traded some Fiat CR.42 parts to the Italian Air Force for an original Isotta Frascini engine which was displayed on a cart beside the plane until 2009 when both the plane and power-plant were placed in storage. Today the plane is being treated to a complete restoration that will also see the engine and plane at last united by the skilled volunteers at the Tullingebergsvägen Group and will be returned to display at Flygvapenmuseum upon completion of the project.

Be the first to comment

Graphic Design, Branding and Aviation Art

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*