Macchi-Castoldi MC-72
Model Airplane News Cover Art for September, 1934
by Jo Kotula
Click to Enlarge

The Macchi M.C. 72 was an experimental seaplane designed by Mario Castoldi ("M.C") and built by the Italian aircraft company Macchi Aeronautica. The M.C. 72 held the world speed record for all aircraft for five years. In 1933 and 1934, it set a world record for speed over water which still stands to this day (piston-engine seaplanes...)

  

Photos of the Macchi-Castoldi MC-72
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The design of the Macchi M.C. 72 was unique the wood monocoque tail was bolted to the portion made of metal tubing. The streamlined nose contours enclosed an oil tank and acted as a radiator. The wing was all metal with flat tubular water radiators smoothly faired into the wings. The twin pontoons had three smoothly-faired radiators on the outer surfaces, the forward radiator for water and the centre and rear radiators for oil cooling. The float struts also featured water radiators and another radiator was fitted during hot conditions under the fuselage running from cockpit to tail.

Here is a video of the Macchi-Castoldi MC-72 in action:

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