The Breda Ba.27 was a fighter aircraft manufactured in Italy during the 1930s, which was utilised by the Chinese Nationalist Air Force throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War.
The Ba.27 was a low-wing braced monoplane featuring a fixed tailwheel undercarriage.
Initially, the design of the Ba.27 included a fuselage constructed from steel tubes, covered with lightweight corrugated alloy metal, along with wooden wings and tailplane.
In 1933, the Regia Aeronautica conducted evaluations of the two prototypes, which yielded a strongly negative response, prompting a comprehensive redesign of the aircraft.
The shape of the fuselage was altered to be more rounded, and the pilot’s open cockpit was repositioned higher and further forward to enhance visibility.
Additionally, the corrugated skin was substituted with smooth sheet metal.
A prototype of this updated version, referred to as the Metallico, made its inaugural flight in June 1934; however, the assessment from the Regia Aeronautica was only marginally more favourable.
In spite of the absence of domestic interest, the Republic of China placed an order for the type to be utilised against Japan.
Of the eighteen machines ordered, merely eleven were ultimately delivered.
