- YEP
- NOPE
- Yes but with some changes (comment)
I AM HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU AN EVENT BASED AROUND THE ENGINEER STEFANUTTI AND HIS LAST CREATION: THE AERFER LEONE.
History of Stefanutti:
Spoiler
General overview of Stefanutti’s life
Sergio Stefanutti was an influential Italian aeronautical engineer who contributed extensively to Italian aviation throughout his career. Born in 1906, Stefanutti joined the aviation industry during a time of rapid technological development, particularly in military aviation. His expertise led to his involvement in the design of numerous innovative aircraft, including early experiments with canard fighters and lightweight wooden designs.
Stefanutti’s career began to rise when he joined Ambrosini in the 1930s, where he led the design of Italy’s first canard fighter, the Ambrosini S.S.4. Although ambitious, the S.S.4 project faced numerous challenges and ultimately didn’t proceed to mass production. However, his work with Ambrosini continued as he developed a range of aircraft that were not only unique in design but also pushed the technical limits of the era.
Stefanutti’s innovative designs caught attention beyond Italy, establishing him as a pioneer in aeronautical engineering. His designs explored unconventional layouts and focused on maximizing performance with limited resources. After World War II, Stefanutti continued his work with Aerfer (AERonautica FERroviaria), where he directed projects aimed at making Italy a significant player in the supersonic and military aviation sectors. His most notable work from this period includes the Aerfer Sagittario 2, Italy’s first supersonic jet, which marked a historic moment in Italian aviation by breaking the sound barrier in 1956.
Throughout his career, Stefanutti worked on the following aircraft:
- Ambrosini S.S.4
- Ambrosini S.7
- SAI Ambrosini 207
- SAI Ambrosini 403
- Aerfer Sagittario 2
- V.AL.
- Ariete
- Leone
Stefanutti’s legacy lives on as a testament to Italy’s aviation capabilities during a critical period of aerospace advancement. His innovative approach, especially in pioneering early jet technology and exploring unique aircraft configurations, has left a lasting impact on Italian aerospace engineering.
History of Aerfer:
Spoiler
AEFER, short for “Costruzioni Aeronautiche e Ferroviarie,” was an Italian company founded in 1955 through the merger of IMAM (Industrie Meccaniche e Aeronautiche Meridionali) and Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali. The company focused on the design and construction of both aircraft and railway vehicles, as indicated by its name. AEFER distinguished itself in the aeronautical sector through the development of innovative and experimental aircraft, including models aimed at breaking the sound barrier, positioning Italy alongside the leading aerospace powers of the era.
The company’s merger with Fiat’s aviation division and Salmoiraghi in 1969 led to the formation of Aeritalia, which consolidated Italian expertise in aerospace. Aeritalia subsequently played a key role in the European aeronautical landscape, participating in various international projects and strengthening Italy’s influence in the industry.
Pioneering companies like AEFER helped Italy maintain a significant role in aeronautics, showcasing not only technical skill but also a robust capacity for innovation, particularly during crucial years for the advancement of supersonic aviation and experimental aircraft.
History of the Leone aircraft:
Spoiler
The Aerfer Leone was the third and final member of the Sagittario family developed by the Italian company Aerfer. While the Sagittario II and Ariete were designed as fighters, the Leone was conceived as an interceptor. Unlike its predecessors, which featured a long 30 mm cannon, the Leone was equipped to carry up to four air-to-air missiles, emphasizing its role in aerial combat. Like its “siblings,” the Leone was an all-metal, agile, and exceptionally fast aircraft.
Building on the experience with the Ariete, engineer Sergio Stefanutti aimed to develop a new, fully supersonic aircraft with the Leone. This model represented the ultimate evolution of the Sagittario family, based primarily on the Ariete project but scaled up to house the Bristol Orpheus B.Or. 12 engine in the front, delivering 3,089 kg of thrust. At the rear, it featured the De Havilland Spectre rocket engine, adding an extra 4,100 kg of thrust. With this propulsion, the Leone was capable of reaching speeds of up to 2,159 km/h and could ascend to its maximum altitude of 21,000 meters within approximately five minutes.
In the Leone’s front section, a search radar was installed, and the problematic dorsal air intake seen on the Ariete was removed, improving aerodynamics. Unfortunately, the project was initially halted in 1958 due to financial constraints and resumed briefly in 1960. Although five prototypes were started, only one reached about 80% completion. According to some reports, upon hearing that the Leone prototypes were to be scrapped, Stefanutti, the engineer behind the Sagittario family, was deeply saddened, so much that he started to cry. The Leone marked Italy’s last independent attempt to create a homegrown interceptor before the introduction of the F-104 Starfighter, symbolizing an uncompleted vision in Italian aeronautical innovation.
Armament and specifications:
Engines:1 Bristol Orpheus B.Or. 12kg/s. 3,089+ 1 De Havilland Specter kg/s. 4,400
Wingspan: 6.93m.
Length: 10.60m.
Height: 3.32m.
Wing surface: 16.50 m2
Empty weight: 3,375kg
Total weight: 6,400kg
Take-off wing loading: 338 kg/m²
Max horiz speed at 16,500 m: 2,490 km/h (Mach 2.34)
Thrust/weight ratio: 1.05
Ascent speed to sea level: 220m/sec.
tangency: 25,000 m
Take-off space:560 m
Crew: 1
.
Air to Air missiles
4x Aim 9B Sidewinder
4x Firestreak
4x Sispre C7
Gun pods
4x 7.62 mm
4x 12.7 mm
Other payloads
Unguided Bombs and rokets
4x Fuel tanks
Visit the link on the bottom of the suggestion for more info.
Why this event?
The reason i came up with this idea is that i think that Sergio Stefanutti was one of the greatest engineer in the history of italian aviation and i feel like very little people know about him, and also very little of his aircrafts are in-game. Since the Aerfer Leone is an unfinished prototype i tought to kill two birds with one stone with an event that would bring Stefanutti the spotlight he deserves and also would make it possible to add the Leone, wich could never probably be added in any other way if not with an event.
I don’t really have much to say, i just tought this idea would be really cool, and feel free to correct some mistakes and add/ change some stuff.
Details and prizes:
I would like this to be part of the event cycle, i would really like it to be less than 45k points each stage (40k is fine) but it will probably be 45k if it gets added.
For 1 Stage: trophy with random reward
For 2 Stages: one of the prize decals
For 3 Stages: trophy with a random reward
For 4 Stages: one of the prize decals
For 5 Stages: a trophy with a random reward
For 6 Stages: the player icon “Sergio Stefanutti”
For 7 Stages: Trophy with a random reward
For 8 stages: non-tradable coupon for the Aerfer Leone
For 9 stages: unique camouflage and four random modifications for the Aerfer Leone
Decals
Maybe colorized and with some background
.+ also a decal made by Gaijin :)
Camo
Base camo
and
9th stage camo
Let me know what you think
Sources
I didn’t use much sources and a lot of info were gathered from some of the suggestions below
Aerfer - Wikipedia
Sergio Stefanutti - Wikipedia
Links to related suggestions and every Stefanutti project ever suggested on this forum:
Stefanutti profile icon
Aerfer Leone
SAI 207
SAI Ambrosini 207 (MM 8433).
SAI Ambrosini 403 B “Dardo”
SAIMAN V.A.L.
SAI S.S.4
Big shoutout to @Il_Signor_Regio for allowing me to borrow some info from his work.
