The SAIMAN 200 was a 1930s Italian two-seat primary trainer designed and built by the Società Industrie Meccaniche Aeronautiche Navali (SAIMAN). Designed as a basic trainer the first of theee prototypes SAIMAN 200 first flew at the end of 1938. It was a wooden conventional biplane with a wide track tailwheel landing gear and powered by a nose-mounted 185hp Alfa-Romeo 115 engine. Two prototypes with 120hp Alfa-Romeo 110 engine were also built designated the SAIMAN 205. Two aircraft were sold to the Italian airline Ala Littoria which was followed by three production batches for the Regia Aeronautica. Caproni-Vizzola built 115 aircraft and SAIMAN built 25. Early accidents in use resulted in structural strengthening and modification to the production aircraft.
The SAIMAN 200 was used by Regia Aeronautica primary training schools and some were also used for liaison duties. The biplane had a full-wood frame with plywood covering on all surfaces. The total production reached 146 Saiman 200. The Luftwaffe captured 31 of these and a few were captured and used by the allied forces.After the 1943 armistice the surviving aircraft were also used by the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Type
2-seat trainer
Engine
1 Alfa Romeo 115
Dimensions
Length 7.47 m , height 2,50 m, span 8,78 m, wing area 22 m2
Weights
Empty 761 kg , loaded 1055 kg
Performance
Max. speed: 220 km/h, range 475 km, service ceiling 6000 m