Ba.16

The Breda Ba.16 was a light, low‑wing monoplane developed in Italy during the early 1930s to meet a growing demand for economical sport and training aircraft. Conceived by the Società Italiana Ernesto Breda, the prototype first flew in 1931, and a small series of ten production units were completed before the program was halted in 1934. Powered by a modest 70 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major inline engine, the Ba.16 featured an all‑metal fuselage with a wooden wing structure covered in fabric, a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and an open cockpit that could accommodate a pilot and a single passenger side‑by‑side. Its clean aerodynamic lines, relatively low empty weight (about 460 kg) and modest fuel consumption made it attractive to flying clubs and private owners, offering a cruising speed of roughly 150 km/h and a range of 600 km. Although it never entered large‑scale production, the Ba.16 demonstrated Breda’s ability to translate wartime manufacturing expertise into civilian aviation, influencing later Italian light aircraft such as the Caproni Ca.100. Its brief service highlighted the shift in the early 1930s toward affordable, dependable trainers that helped expand pilot training programs across Europe.