Macchi M.C. 72

Holding one of the longest standing speed records in the aviation world, the Macchi M.C. 72 set the record for a piston-engined seaplane twice, first in 1933 and then again in 1934, with a speed of 440 mph on the second trial. For a number of years, this was the world aviation speed record, broken in 1939 by a German aircraft. Designed by Mario Castoldi, the M.C. 72 was a very advanced aircraft for its day, utilizing contra-rotating propellers and carrying a supercharged engine that may have produced more than 3,000 horsepower.

This historic aircraft is rendered here exactly as the lone surviving airframe sits in the Italian Air Force Museum. Its high-quality construction and beautiful bright red finish make it a model that will pop to the fore in any collection.