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FMA 21
The I.Ae. 21
General information
Type	Military trainer aircraft
National origin	Argentina
Manufacturer	Fábrica Militar de Aviones
Status	Retired
Primary user	Argentine Air Force
Number built	1
History
First flight	14 May 1943
In service	1943-45
Developed from	North American NA-16
Developed into	I.Ae. 22 DL

The I.Ae. 21 DL, also known as the FMA I.A.21 or FMA 21, was an experimental training aircraft developed by Argentina during the Second World War. While only one was built due to material constraints, the FMA 21 served as an advanced training aircraft for the Argentine Air Force (FAA) from 1943-1945.

The FMA 21 was developed by Argentinian government-owned aircraft manufacturer Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA). Due to souring politicial relations between Argentina and the United States, FMA decided to use their experience with the North American NA-16 in service with the FAA to develop their own domestic fighter, so the FMA 21 was heavily based off the fuselage of the NA-16. It was also featured the first retractable landing gear built in the country.

Construction

The FMA 21's fuselage consisted of welded chrome-molybdenum steel tubes covered in a duraluminium coating. The cockpit had a sliding all-acrylic canopy and was configured for tandem control.

The aircraft was propelled by a Wright R-975-E3 Whirlwind that generated 450 hp at 2250 r.p.m and drove a two-bladed variable-pitch propeller.

See also

Related development

• North American NA-16
• I.Ae. 22 DL

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• CAC Wackett
• Curtiss-Wright SNC
• Fleet 60 Fort
• Kyushu K10W
• Miles Master
• VL Pyry
• Vultee BT-13 Valiant

Related lists

• List of aircraft of the Argentine Air Force
• List of aircraft of Argentine Naval Aviation

References

1. Stahl, Guillermo A. (2012-03-01). An Evaluation of the Argentinean Basic Trainer Aircraft Domestic Development Project. Ohio, United States: Air Force Institute of Technology. p. 21. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018.
2. ^ Burzaco, Ricardo (2008). Las Alas de Peron: Aeronautica Argentina 1945/1960 [Peron's Wings: Aeronautica Argentina 1945/1960]. Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of the Province of Córdoba (in Spanish) (2nd ed.). Córdoba, Argentina. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-987-24620-0-0.
3. Ay, Carlos (August 15, 2013). "The Illustrated Catalogue to Argentine Air Force Aircraft". Gaceta Aeronautica (English). Retrieved 2024-12-11.
4. "อเมริกาเหนือ NA-16" [North America NA-16]. hmong.wiki (in Thai). Retrieved 2024-12-11. ประสบการณ์จากการใช้เครื่องบินรุ่น NA-16-4P และความสัมพันธ์ทางการเมืองที่เสื่อมถอยกับสหรัฐอเมริกาทำให้มีการพัฒนาเครื่องบินรุ่น I.Ae. DL 21 ในพื้นที่ ซึ่งใช้โครงสร้างลำตัวเครื่องบินแบบเดียวกับรุ่น NA-16. [Experience from the NA-16-4P and the deteriorating political relations with the United States led to the development of a local variant of the I.Ae. DL 21, which used the same fuselage as the NA-16.]
5. von Rauch, Georg and David L. Veres. "Argentina's Wooden Warriors". Air Classics (Challenge Publications), Volume 19, March 1983, pp. 14–21.

• FMA aircraft
• 1940s Argentine military trainer aircraft
• Low-wing aircraft
• Single-engined tractor aircraft
• Aircraft first flown in 1943
• Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear
• Single-engined piston aircraft