Ro.37 Lince

The Ro.37 Lince was a two‑seat biplane reconnaissance and light‑bomber built by the Italian firm Meridionali in the early 1930s. First flown in 1932, it entered service with the Regia Aeronautica as a versatile platform for observation, artillery spotting and short‑range bombing missions. Powered by a 600 hp (447 kW) Alfa Romeo Pegasus radial engine, the aircraft could reach a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and had a service ceiling of 7 500 m, allowing it to operate over the mountainous terrain of the Italian Alps and later in North Africa. Its mixed construction of steel tube fuselage, wooden wings and fabric covering gave a good balance of strength and weight, while the enclosed cockpit provided improved crew comfort compared with earlier open‑cabin types. The Ro.37 proved particularly valuable during the Second Italo‑Ethiopian War and the early stages of World War II, where its reliability and ease of maintenance enabled rapid deployment from forward airfields. Although soon overtaken by more modern monoplanes, the Lince’s successful service record helped solidify Meridionali’s reputation as a capable military aircraft manufacturer and contributed to the evolution of Italian tactical air‑power in the interwar period.

Meridionali

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Design & Classification