L’Industria aereonautica italiana in Spagna, 1937-1943.(Parte prima)

Abstract

The italian aircraft industry in Spain (1936-1938)

After the First World War, the Italian military aircraft industry failed to challenge Anglo-French competition, nor was it able to become a spearhead of Italy’s economic growth, also because of weak governmental support. The outburst of the Spanish civil war and the alliance with Franco provided the opportunity of launching that kind of product in competition with Germany only and at a time when, owing to the impellent war requirements, the nationalists could hardly object to prices and standards of quality. Once again, however, the Italian government was neither able to manage effectively the productive effort, nor succeeded in paving the way to significant import-export movements of manufacture and raw materials.