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The Ducati 750 Imola Desmois a race motorcycle built by Ducati that won the 1972 Imola 200 mile race at the hands of Paul Smart. This win is considered historic by Ducati and its fans in that it helped define Ducati's approach to racing.
On March 20th, 1970, Fabio Taglioni (September 10, 1920 – July 18, 2001) made the first sketches for the layout of a new Ducati V twin. By April his drawings were completed, and by July, there was a running motor. By August 1970, there was a complete prototype motorcycle. Taglioni engaged Leopoldo Tartarini, the founder of Italjet, to refine the styling aspects of the new Ducati. (When these two worked together, a memorable Ducati usually emerged.)
In October 1970, the decision was made by Ducati to re enter motorcycle competition. Director Arnaldo Milvio and General Manager Fredmano Spairani, were enthusiastic about racing, and had encouraged Fabio Taglioni to develop the 750 V twin.
Taglioni experimented with four valve heads at this time, but failed to produce better power figures than his two valve heads, so the two valve racers continued. He continued to experiment with four valve heads right up to 1973. In 1971 race results were spoilt by a run of gearbox and ignition problems. Phil Read's second to Agostini in the San Remo Grand Prix, and a fourth, also by Read, at Monza in the Grand Prix delle Nazione were the highlights of the season.
A Seeley frame 750 cc had been tested by Mike Hailwood at Silverstone in August 1971 with a view to competing in F750. Hailwood decided against it, saying he didn’t think the handling was good enough. Taglioni had already produced a new frame, for the production bike, incorporating some of the Seeley features. He later said he felt the Seeley frame had been too light for the V twins. They used the production frame for the 1972 Imola bikes.
The 200 Mile formula was first run in Italy in 1972, at Imola. Ducati prepared eight 750 cc bikes for the event. Paul Smart, Bruno Spaggiari, Ermanno Giuliano, and Alan Dunscombe were secured as riders. By now racing fever had set in, and the factory wanted to win. The bikes had the new factory frames and 750 engines, and were once more prepared in a very short time. Wherever possible the bike was lightened, and new 40 mm Dell'Orto carburetors with accelerator pumps were used. These engines delivered 80 hp (60 kW) at 8,500 rpm.
The Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario
(English: Archer) was an Italian monoplane fighter/fighter-bomber produced for the Regia Aeronautica during the later years of World War II. Considered by many "the most beautiful plane of second world war" [2] it was, along with the Macchi C.202/C.205 and Fiat G.55, the Re. 2005 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the famous Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. Only 48 examples were built. "The Re 2005 was altogether a superb, potent, aeroplane", observed Group Captain Duncan Smith, DSO DFC.
Design and development
The Reggiane 2005 was the last of the Reggiane aircraft line to be built in World War II. The project which started in 1941 was carried out by a team led by Roberto Longhi, and included designers Alessio, Maraschini, Toniolo and Pozzi. Preliminary work was completed before the end of the year despite being a new project, and not simply a revamping of an existing aircraft design such as the Reggiane Re.2002. The DB 605 engine still had to be delivered when the airframe was ready in February 1942.
The resulting machine was not only rated as one of the best Italian wartime aircraft, but also one of the best if not the best-looking. Its semi-elliptical wings, long nose and large tail were all distinctive features of this small, nimble fighter.
The prototype MM.494 first flew 9 May 1942, but the day after, a heavy landing led to an undercarriage failure which caused serious damage, and consequently was unable to fly again until June (MM.494 was damaged two other times in tests). This prototype had four Breda 12.7 mm machine guns and one Mauser cannon and was primarily used for testing, and then for the aerial defense of Naples.
After a fierce competition, in which the C.205N was quickly abandoned, and the G.55 considered marginally better, the Regia Aeronautica ordered the production of 750 Re.2005 aircraft.
