The Ambrosini SAI.10 Grifone was a military trainer aircraft produced in small numbers for the Italian Regia Aeronautica early in World War II.
With the approach of war, the Ministero dell’ Aeronautica began a program to increase the number of pilots available, and ordered a prototype primary trainer from Ambrosini.
This aircraft, a parasol monoplane of mixed construction, first flew on July 8 1939 with Guiliano Ferrari at the controls.
A production batch of 50 was ordered, but this was quickly reduced to just 10 machines, all of which were delivered in 1940.
Production aircraft differed by having a Fiat A.50 radial engine in place of the prototype’s CNA D.
Other engines were trialled included an example with a Siemens-Halske Sh 14, and one with an Alfa Romeo 110, this latter machine designated SAI.11.
Another experimental development that did not enter production was a float-equipped SAI.10 Gabbiano.
