{"id":31503846,"date":"2026-11-06T17:01:50","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T16:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/"},"modified":"2026-11-06T17:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T16:03:09","slug":"siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/","title":{"rendered":"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: The Sports Car That Trained Air Forces"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\r\n<!-- mfsh:top -->\r\n\r\n<style>\r\n.mfsh-trigger{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;height:44px;padding:0 18px;margin:0 0 26px;border:2px solid #0F1720;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;font-family:inherit;font-size:14px;font-weight:700;line-height:1;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;transition:background .15s,color .15s}\r\n.mfsh-trigger:hover,.mfsh-trigger:focus-visible{background:#0F1720;color:#fff;outline:none}\r\n.mfsh-trigger svg{width:18px;height:18px;display:block;flex-shrink:0}\r\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-bottom{margin:8px 0 28px}\r\n.mfsh-meta{position:relative;padding-right:190px}\r\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta{position:absolute;right:0;bottom:0;margin:0;height:30px;padding:0 8.9px;font-size:13px}\r\n.mfsh-trigger.mfsh-inmeta svg{width:16px;height:16px}\r\n.mfsh-overlay{position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(15,23,32,.55);z-index:99999;display:flex;align-items:flex-end;justify-content:center;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s}\r\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\r\n.mfsh-sheet{width:100%;max-width:520px;background:#fff;color:#0F1720;padding:18px 20px 28px;transform:translateY(24px);transition:transform .22s;box-shadow:0 12px 32px rgba(15,23,32,.25);font-family:inherit;max-height:92vh;overflow:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\r\n.mfsh-overlay.mfsh-open .mfsh-sheet{transform:none}\r\n@media (min-width:640px){.mfsh-overlay{align-items:center}.mfsh-sheet{padding-bottom:20px}}\r\n.mfsh-head{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;margin:0 0 14px}\r\n.mfsh-head strong{font-size:18px;font-weight:800;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;line-height:1}\r\n.mfsh-head strong svg{width:18px;height:18px}\r\n.mfsh-close{background:none;border:0;padding:6px;margin:0;cursor:pointer;color:#0F1720;line-height:0;box-shadow:none}\r\n.mfsh-close svg{width:18px;height:18px}\r\n.mfsh-preview{display:grid;grid-template-columns:96px 1fr;gap:12px;border:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:#F5F7FB;padding:10px;margin:0 0 12px;align-items:center}\r\n.mfsh-preview img{width:96px;height:72px;object-fit:cover;display:block;margin:0}\r\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-kicker{font-size:10px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5C91FF;margin:0 0 4px;line-height:1.2}\r\n.mfsh-preview .mfsh-title{font-size:14px;line-height:1.3;font-weight:700;margin:0;display:block}\r\n.mfsh-list{display:grid;margin:0;padding:0}\r\n.mfsh-item{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;height:50px;width:100%;border:0;border-top:1px solid #DCE3EE;background:none;padding:0 4px;margin:0;text-align:left;font-family:inherit;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;color:#0F1720;cursor:pointer;box-shadow:none;letter-spacing:0;text-transform:none;line-height:1}\r\n.mfsh-item:hover,.mfsh-item:focus-visible{background:#F5F7FB;outline:none}\r\n.mfsh-item svg{width:20px;height:20px;color:#5C91FF;flex-shrink:0;display:block}\r\n.mfsh-item small{margin-left:auto;color:#5B6674;font-weight:500;font-size:12px}\r\n.mfsh-item.mfsh-done svg{color:#1E9E5A}\r\n.mfsh-toast{position:fixed;left:50%;bottom:32px;transform:translate(-50%,10px);background:#0F1720;color:#fff;padding:10px 16px;font-weight:700;font-size:13px;font-family:inherit;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .2s,transform .2s;z-index:100000}\r\n.mfsh-toast.mfsh-show{opacity:1;transform:translate(-50%,0)}\r\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.mfsh-overlay,.mfsh-sheet,.mfsh-toast,.mfsh-trigger{transition:none}}\r\n<\/style>\r\n<svg width=\"0\" height=\"0\" style=\"position:absolute\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-share\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M12 3v12M8 7l4-4 4 4M5 12v8h14v-8\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"m5 5 14 14M19 5 5 19\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-wa\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 2a10 10 0 0 0-8.6 15.1L2 22l5.1-1.3A10 10 0 1 0 12 2Zm0 1.8a8.2 8.2 0 1 1-4.2 15.3l-.3-.2-3 .8.8-2.9-.2-.3A8.2 8.2 0 0 1 12 3.8Zm-3 4.4c-.2 0-.5 0-.8.4-.3.3-1 1-1 2.4s1 2.8 1.2 3c.1.2 2 3.2 5 4.4 2.5 1 3 .8 3.5.7.5 0 1.7-.7 2-1.4.2-.7.2-1.3.1-1.4l-.5-.3-2-1c-.3 0-.5-.1-.7.2l-.9 1.1c-.2.2-.3.2-.6.1-.3-.2-1.3-.5-2.4-1.5-.9-.8-1.5-1.8-1.7-2-.2-.4 0-.5.2-.7l.4-.5.3-.5v-.5l-.9-2.2c-.2-.5-.4-.5-.6-.5H9Z\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-x\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M17.8 3h3l-6.7 7.7L22 21h-6.2l-4.8-6.3L5.4 21h-3l7.2-8.2L2 3h6.3l4.4 5.8L17.8 3Zm-1.1 16.2h1.7L7.4 4.7H5.6l11.1 14.5Z\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-fb\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M13.5 22v-8h2.7l.4-3.2h-3.1V8.8c0-.9.3-1.6 1.6-1.6h1.7V4.4c-.3 0-1.3-.1-2.5-.1-2.5 0-4.1 1.5-4.1 4.2v2.3H7.4V14h2.8v8h3.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-li\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 8.5H3V21h3.5V8.5ZM4.8 3a2 2 0 1 0 0 4 2 2 0 0 0 0-4ZM21 13.4c0-3.4-1.8-5.2-4.5-5.2-1.6 0-2.7.8-3.2 1.7V8.5H9.9V21h3.4v-6.4c0-1.7.6-2.8 2.1-2.8 1.4 0 2 1 2 2.8V21H21v-7.6Z\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-rd\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M22 12.1a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-4.1-1.7 11.7 11.7 0 0 0-5.5-1.7l1-4.5 3.1.7a1.7 1.7 0 1 0 .2-1l-3.6-.8a.5.5 0 0 0-.6.4l-1.1 5.2a11.8 11.8 0 0 0-5.8 1.7A2.4 2.4 0 1 0 3 14.3v.5c0 3.4 4 6.2 9 6.2s9-2.8 9-6.2v-.5a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 1-2.2ZM7.5 13.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 3.4 0 1.7 1.7 0 0 1-3.4 0Zm8.9 4.5c-1.2 1.2-3.4 1.3-4.4 1.3s-3.3-.1-4.4-1.3a.5.5 0 0 1 .7-.7c.7.8 2.4 1 3.7 1s2.9-.2 3.7-1a.5.5 0 0 1 .7.7Zm-.6-2.8a1.7 1.7 0 1 1 0-3.4 1.7 1.7 0 0 1 0 3.4Z\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-tg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M21.9 4.6 18.7 19.9c-.2 1-.9 1.3-1.7.8l-4.9-3.6-2.3 2.3c-.3.3-.5.5-1 .5l.4-5 9-8.2c.4-.3-.1-.5-.6-.2L6.4 13.5 1.6 12c-1-.3-1.1-1 .2-1.5l18.8-7.2c.9-.3 1.6.2 1.3 1.3Z\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-mail\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"M3 6h18v12H3z\"\/><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" d=\"m3 7 9 6 9-6\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-link\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.9\" stroke-linecap=\"square\" d=\"M10 14a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 0l3-3a4 4 0 0 0-5.7-5.7l-1.5 1.5M14 10a4 4 0 0 0-5.7 0l-3 3a4 4 0 0 0 5.7 5.7l1.5-1.5\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n  <symbol id=\"mfsh-i-more\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><circle cx=\"5\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><circle cx=\"19\" cy=\"12\" r=\"2\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/symbol>\r\n<\/svg>\r\n<span class=\"mfsh-top-slot\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger\" data-mfsh-placement=\"top\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button><\/span>\r\n<script>\r\n(function(){\r\n  if (window.__mfsh) return; window.__mfsh = true;\r\n  var SECTION = 'afterburner';\r\n  function meta(p){ var m=document.querySelector('meta[property=\"'+p+'\"]'); return m ? m.getAttribute('content') : ''; }\r\n  function pageUrl(){ var c=document.querySelector('link[rel=\"canonical\"]'); return (c && c.href) || (location.origin + location.pathname); }\r\n  function pageTitle(){ var h=document.querySelector('h1.entry-title'); return (h && h.textContent.trim()) || meta('og:title') || document.title; }\r\n  function slug(){ return location.pathname.replace(\/\\\/+$\/,'').split('\/').pop() || 'home'; }\r\n  function kicker(){ var c=document.querySelector('.et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category tag\"], .et_pb_title_container a[rel=\"category\"], a[rel=\"category tag\"]'); return 'Afterburner' + (c && c.textContent.trim() ? ' \u00b7 ' + c.textContent.trim() : ''); }\r\n  function shareUrl(ch, placement){ return pageUrl() + '?utm_source=share&utm_medium=' + ch + '&utm_campaign=' + SECTION + '&utm_content=sheet_' + placement; }\r\n  function track(ch, placement, extra){\r\n    window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];\r\n    var ev = { event:'share', share_channel:ch, share_variant:'sheet', share_placement:placement, page_section:SECTION, content_id:slug() };\r\n    if (extra) for (var k in extra) ev[k]=extra[k];\r\n    window.dataLayer.push(ev);\r\n  }\r\n  var CH = [\r\n    ['whatsapp','WhatsApp','mfsh-i-wa',''],\r\n    ['x','X','mfsh-i-x',''],\r\n    ['facebook','Facebook','mfsh-i-fb',''],\r\n    ['linkedin','LinkedIn','mfsh-i-li',''],\r\n    ['reddit','Reddit','mfsh-i-rd','r\/aviation, r\/WarplanePorn'],\r\n    ['telegram','Telegram','mfsh-i-tg',''],\r\n    ['email','Email','mfsh-i-mail',''],\r\n    ['copy','Copy link','mfsh-i-link',''],\r\n    ['native','More','mfsh-i-more','Instagram, Signal, AirDrop']\r\n  ];\r\n  var overlay, toastEl, toastT, placement = 'top';\r\n  function build(){\r\n    overlay = document.createElement('div'); overlay.className = 'mfsh-overlay'; overlay.setAttribute('role','dialog'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-modal','true'); overlay.setAttribute('aria-label','Share');\r\n    var img = meta('og:image');\r\n    var items = CH.filter(function(c){ return c[0] !== 'native' || !!navigator.share; }).map(function(c){\r\n      return '<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-item\" data-mfsh-ch=\"'+c[0]+'\"><svg><use href=\"#'+c[2]+'\"\/><\/svg>'+c[1]+(c[3]?'<small>'+c[3]+'<\/small>':'')+'<\/button>';\r\n    }).join('');\r\n    overlay.innerHTML = '<div class=\"mfsh-sheet\"><div class=\"mfsh-head\"><strong><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share<\/strong><button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-close\" aria-label=\"Close\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-close\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>'\r\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-preview\">' + (img ? '<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"'+img+'\" alt=\"\">' : '<span><\/span>') + '<div><div class=\"mfsh-kicker\">'+kicker()+'<\/div><span class=\"mfsh-title\">'+pageTitle()+'<\/span><\/div><\/div>'\r\n      + '<div class=\"mfsh-list\">'+items+'<\/div><\/div>';\r\n    document.body.appendChild(overlay);\r\n    toastEl = document.createElement('div'); toastEl.className = 'mfsh-toast'; document.body.appendChild(toastEl);\r\n    overlay.addEventListener('click', function(e){\r\n      if (e.target === overlay || e.target.closest('.mfsh-close')) { close(); return; }\r\n      var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-item'); if (b) act(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-ch'), b);\r\n    });\r\n    document.addEventListener('keydown', function(e){ if (e.key === 'Escape') close(); });\r\n  }\r\n  function open(p){ placement = p || 'top'; if (!overlay) build(); overlay.classList.add('mfsh-open'); track('open', placement); }\r\n  function close(){ if (overlay) overlay.classList.remove('mfsh-open'); }\r\n  function toast(m){ toastEl.textContent = m; toastEl.classList.add('mfsh-show'); clearTimeout(toastT); toastT = setTimeout(function(){ toastEl.classList.remove('mfsh-show'); }, 1600); }\r\n  function act(ch, btn){\r\n    var url = shareUrl(ch, placement), t = pageTitle(), enc = encodeURIComponent;\r\n    if (ch === 'copy') {\r\n      var done = function(){ toast('Link copied'); btn.classList.add('mfsh-done'); setTimeout(function(){ btn.classList.remove('mfsh-done'); close(); }, 900); };\r\n      track(ch, placement);\r\n      if (navigator.clipboard && navigator.clipboard.writeText) navigator.clipboard.writeText(url).then(done, done); else done();\r\n      return;\r\n    }\r\n    if (ch === 'native') {\r\n      track(ch, placement, { share_result:'opened' });\r\n      navigator.share({ title:t, text:t, url:url }).then(function(){ track('native', placement, { share_result:'completed' }); close(); }).catch(function(){});\r\n      return;\r\n    }\r\n    var target = {\r\n      whatsapp: 'https:\/\/api.whatsapp.com\/send?text=' + enc(t + ' ' + url),\r\n      x:        'https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=' + enc(t) + '&url=' + enc(url) + '&via=MiGFlug',\r\n      facebook: 'https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=' + enc(url),\r\n      linkedin: 'https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=' + enc(url),\r\n      reddit:   'https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=' + enc(url) + '&title=' + enc(t),\r\n      telegram: 'https:\/\/t.me\/share\/url?url=' + enc(url) + '&text=' + enc(t),\r\n      email:    'mailto:?subject=' + enc(t) + '&body=' + enc('Thought you would like this, from Afterburner, MiGFlug\\'s magazine:\\n' + t + '\\n' + url)\r\n    }[ch];\r\n    track(ch, placement);\r\n    if (target) { if (ch === 'email') location.href = target; else window.open(target, '_blank', 'noopener,width=680,height=560'); }\r\n    close();\r\n  }\r\n  var mq = window.matchMedia('(min-width:981px)');\r\n  function place(){\r\n    var t = document.querySelector('.mfsh-trigger[data-mfsh-placement=\"top\"]'), slot = document.querySelector('.mfsh-top-slot');\r\n    var meta = [].slice.call(document.querySelectorAll('.et_pb_title_meta_container, .et_post_meta_wrapper .post-meta, .single .post-meta')).filter(function(m){ return m.offsetParent !== null; })[0];\r\n    if (!t || !slot) return;\r\n    if (meta && mq.matches) { meta.classList.add('mfsh-meta'); t.classList.add('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== meta) meta.appendChild(t); var a = meta.querySelector('a'); if (a) { var pr = document.createElement('span'); pr.style.cssText = 'display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;vertical-align:baseline'; a.appendChild(pr); var base = pr.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; pr.remove(); var fs = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(a).fontSize) || 14, mb = meta.getBoundingClientRect().bottom; t.style.bottom = Math.max(0, mb - (base + fs * 0.12)) + 'px'; } }\r\n    else { t.classList.remove('mfsh-inmeta'); if (t.parentNode !== slot) slot.appendChild(t); }\r\n  }\r\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', place); else place(); window.addEventListener('load', place); if (document.fonts && document.fonts.ready) document.fonts.ready.then(place); window.addEventListener('resize', place);\r\n  if (mq.addEventListener) mq.addEventListener('change', place); else mq.addListener(place);\r\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){ var b = e.target.closest('.mfsh-trigger'); if (b) { e.preventDefault(); open(b.getAttribute('data-mfsh-placement') || 'top'); } });\r\n})();\r\n<\/script><!-- \/mfsh:top -->\r\n<p>It was meant to be a rich pilot's toy: a sleek, three-seat sport plane that could loop and roll like a fighter. Instead, the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/aircraft\/sf-260\/\">SIAI-Marchetti SF-260<\/a> became the aircraft in which thousands of military pilots learned to fly.<\/p><p>Designed by Stelio Frati and first flown on 15 July 1964, the little Italian low-wing monoplane went on to serve with some 27 air forces. Leonardo, its current owner, calls it the most successful Italian aircraft produced in peacetime, and the company's own nickname for it is the sports car of the air.<\/p><p>Six decades on, it still trains pilots in Italy. Here is how a design for weekend aerobatics ended up as one of the world's classic military trainers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f4f6f9;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:18px 22px;margin:8px 0 28px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:700;color:#0d1117\">Quick Facts<\/p><ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:18px;line-height:1.7\"><li><strong>Designer:<\/strong> Stelio Frati<\/li><li><strong>First flight:<\/strong> 15 July 1964 (as the F.260)<\/li><li><strong>Manufacturers:<\/strong> Aviamilano, SIAI-Marchetti, Aermacchi, Leonardo<\/li><li><strong>Engine (SF-260M):<\/strong> Lycoming O-540, 260 hp<\/li><li><strong>Turboprop version:<\/strong> SF-260TP, Allison 250, 350 shp<\/li><li><strong>Max speed (SF-260M):<\/strong> 333 km\/h at sea level<\/li><li><strong>g limits:<\/strong> +6 \/ -3<\/li><li><strong>Built:<\/strong> 976 including prototypes, production to 2017<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">A Sport Plane From Frati's Drawing Board<\/h2><p>In the early 1960s Frati, already known for elegant light aircraft such as the Falco, began work on a new three-seat aerobatic design. Unusually for a civil aircraft of the time, it was meant to have aerobatic ability close to that of contemporary combat aircraft, and to be equipped for instrument flight.<\/p><p>The design borrowed heavily from Frati's earlier work, sharing the wing and a similar structure with the Falco F8L. It was his first all-metal aircraft. Initially called the F.250 after the horsepower of its engine, it flew in its F.260 form on 15 July 1964, built by the Milan firm Aviamilano.<\/p><p>Soon afterwards SIAI-Marchetti bought the rights to the design and took over production, and the aircraft became the SF.260. The company kept building it until Aermacchi bought SIAI-Marchetti in 1997.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history-img1.jpg\" alt=\"Italian Air Force SF-260 trainer coded 70-25 banking over a coastal marina\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An Italian Air Force SF-260 coded 70-25, of the 70th Wing training school, banks over the coast. Photo: Alenia Aermacchi, via Airforce Technology<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Built Like a Fighter in Miniature<\/h2><p>The SF-260 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear and distinctive tip tanks. Its skin is extensively flush-riveted to cut drag, and its compact, dense structure gives it handling that pilots often describe as jet-like.<\/p><p>The original engine was a 260 hp Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder piston engine driving a two-blade constant-speed Hartzell propeller. In the 1980s, Flying magazine summed up the result in one line.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;the fastest normally aspirated piston single in production&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Flying magazine<\/strong> &mdash; 1980s, as quoted in Wikipedia's SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 article<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>The SF-260M is cleared to +6 and -3 g and reaches 333 km\/h at sea level. There is a catch for aerobatics: the rear seat must be empty and the tip tanks drained first, which cuts endurance to roughly an hour and a half. The pilot normally sits on the right, flying with the right hand on the stick and the left on the throttle, just as a military student would in a jet.<\/p><p>For a fast, slippery aircraft its manners are kind. Stall behaviour is relatively tame, helped by vanes on the tip tanks that speed up the airflow over the wingtips and ailerons, and there is usually plenty of aerodynamic warning. The flip side of its responsive controls is that pilots must watch their speed closely, and the landing gear's speed limits are often listed among its few weak points.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aEZ1FDvQFXA\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">The Italian Air Force's own close-up look at the SF-260EA trainer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">From Weekend Toy to Military Trainer<\/h2><p>Air forces noticed. Between 1964 and 1984 most SF-260s went to military customers, who used them as trainers and as light ground-attack aircraft, while private buyers struggled to get hold of one. A late-1960s attempt to sell it in the United States as the Waco Meteor, despite no link to the Waco company, did not succeed.<\/p><p>The militarised SF-260M, with a strengthened airframe and improved aerodynamics, first flew in 1970. The armed SF-260W Warrior added underwing hardpoints and proved popular with smaller air forces that could hang guns, rockets or bombs on it for close air support.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background:#f8f9fa;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:20px 22px;margin:18px 0 24px;font-size:16px;line-height:1.7\"><div><em>&ldquo;The SF-260 is the most successful Italian aircraft produced in peacetime.&rdquo;<\/em><div style=\"margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:#555\"><strong>Leonardo<\/strong> &mdash; company article on the 900th SF-260 delivery<\/div><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Libya was the biggest single customer, ordering 240 SF-260WLs. The first 60 were built in Italy and the rest assembled from kits at a new plant in Sebha, and Libyan aircraft were used for ground attack during the long conflict in Chad. The Philippines ordered 48 in the early 1970s, with the first six delivered in May 1973, and Turkey ordered 40 in 1990, 34 of them built under licence by Turkish Aerospace Industries.<\/p><h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Small Wars, Small Air Forces<\/h2><p>The Warrior's low cost and simple systems took it into conflicts its designer never imagined. Despite an arms embargo, Rhodesia obtained 17 SF-260Cs and 14 SF-260Ws in 1977 through various routes, using the trainers for instruction and the Warriors for light attack and convoy escort.<\/p><p>In the Philippines, the 15th Strike Wing at Sangley Point flew SF-260W Warriors alongside T-28 Trojans before the survivors were disarmed and returned to training. Burkina Faso's small air force used Warriors during the Agacher Strip War with Mali, and Sri Lanka's SF-260TPs, bought for training in 1985, were later drawn into the fight against the Tamil Tigers.<\/p><h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Turboprop Generation<\/h2><p>In 1980 SIAI-Marchetti flew the SF-260TP, powered by an Allison Model 250 turboprop flat-rated at 350 shp. It gave air forces a trainer that ran on jet fuel and behaved much like the piston version, and several operators later upgraded older airframes to the same standard.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px;width:100%\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history-img2.jpg\" alt=\"White SF-260TP turboprop trainer with red stripes flying over a town\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;max-width:100%;display:block\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">A white and red SF-260TP turboprop demonstrator in flight over northern Italy. Photo: Alenia Aermacchi, via Airforce Technology<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p>Civil sales never vanished either. In the late 1970s and 1980s American airline pilot Frank Strickler became a major reseller, buying SF-260s from the factory in small batches and selling them on to US owners. In 1986 SIAI-Marchetti asked Gates Learjet to adapt the SF-260TP for FAA civil certification, which brought aerodynamic changes such as shark's-teeth leading-edge extensions to lower the stall speed.<\/p><p>In 1991-92 SIAI-Marchetti offered an updated SF-260, with an enlarged canopy and revised fuel system, for the US Air Force's Enhanced Flight Screener competition. The Slingsby T67 Firefly won, but the work fed into the fuel-injected SF-260E and the SF-260F.<\/p><p>After the Aermacchi takeover in 1997, the design was overhauled to simplify production, adding a new fuel system, air conditioning, a cockpit tailored to military training, an autopilot and modern avionics, according to Leonardo. In 2005 the <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/air-forces\/italian-air-force\/\">Italian Air Force<\/a> took delivery of 30 SF-260EAs for a total of 33 million euros.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VOAMVDPkRzQ\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">The Breitling Devils SF-260 aerobatic team training at Thiene in Italy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:22px\">Still Flying, Still Teaching<\/h2><p>Production continued at a low rate until 2017, by which time 976 aircraft, including prototypes, had been built. Leonardo says more than half of its 27 military operators placed repeat orders, and five came back three or four times.<\/p><p>In Italy the SF-260 is the workhorse of the 70th Wing at Latina, the Italian Air Force's basic flying school, according to MalpensaNews. The type has also flown with civilian and military display teams, and in 1983 nine SF-260s flew across the Atlantic to mark 50 years since Italy's 1933 Decennial Air Cruise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;margin:24px 0 8px\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l0KlRmfVKvo\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><p style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin:0 0 24px;font-style:italic\">Archive film of the Belgian Air Force's Swallows display team flying the SF-260.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>For a sport plane that was never meant to go to war, it has had a remarkable career. Frati drew a fast, pretty three-seater for private pilots; air forces on several continents turned it into a classroom, a light strike aircraft and a display-team mount, and kept ordering more.<\/p>\r\n<p><em>Sources: Wikipedia (SIAI-Marchetti SF.260), Leonardo, MalpensaNews, Airforce Technology, Aeronautica Militare<\/em><\/p>\r\n<!-- mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"mfsh-trigger mfsh-bottom\" data-mfsh-placement=\"bottom\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><svg><use href=\"#mfsh-i-share\"\/><\/svg>Share this story<\/button>\r\n\r\n<!-- \/mfsh:bottom -->\r\n\r\n<style>.mfq{margin:34px 0 8px}.mfq h2{font:26px\/1.3 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117;padding-top:22px;margin:0 0 6px}.mfq .qa details{border-top:1px solid #5C91FF;margin:0;padding:0}.mfq .qa details:last-of-type{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e7ee}.mfq .qa summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;padding:22px 26px;font:18px\/1.7 \"Gilroy semiBold\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#0d1117}.mfq .qa summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mfq .qa summary::after{content:\"+\";font:24px Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#3568e0;flex:0 0 auto}.mfq .qa details[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mfq .qa details:hover summary{color:#3568e0}.mfq .qa .a{font:16px\/1.7 \"Gilroy regular\",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:#454e5e;padding:0 26px 24px}.mfq .qa .a a{color:#3568e0}@media(max-width:680px){.mfq .qa summary{padding:18px 14px;font-size:17px}.mfq .qa .a{padding:0 14px 20px}}<\/style>\r\n\r\n\r\n<section class=\"mfq\"><h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2><div class=\"qa\"><details open><summary>Who designed the SIAI-Marchetti SF-260?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 was designed by Italian aircraft designer Stelio Frati, known for elegant light aircraft such as the Falco. He conceived it in the early 1960s as a three-seat aerobatic sport plane. It shared its wing with the Falco F8L and was Frati's first all-metal design.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>When did the SF-260 first fly?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The SF-260 first flew on 15 July 1964, in its F.260 form, built by the Milan company Aviamilano. SIAI-Marchetti then bought the rights to the design and took over production. Aermacchi acquired SIAI-Marchetti in 1997, and the aircraft is now marketed by Leonardo as the Leonardo SF-260.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>What engine does the SF-260 use?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">The original SF-260 uses a 260 hp Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder piston engine driving a two-blade constant-speed propeller. The SF-260TP version, first flown in 1980, uses an Allison Model 250 turboprop flat-rated at 350 shp. Piston and turboprop SF-260s share broadly similar handling and performance.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Which air forces have flown the SF-260?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Leonardo says 27 air forces have ordered the SF-260. Operators include the Italian Air Force, which trains pilots on it at Latina, as well as Libya, which ordered 240 SF-260WLs, the Philippines, Turkey, Belgium and many smaller air forces that used the armed SF-260W Warrior for light attack.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>How many SIAI-Marchetti SF-260s were built?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">A total of 976 SIAI-Marchetti SF-260s, including prototypes, were built before low-rate production ended in 2017. Leonardo marked the 900th delivery as an all-time sales record for the Italian aircraft industry, and more than half of the type's 27 military operators placed repeat orders.<\/div><\/details><details><summary>Why is the SF-260 called the sports car of the air?<\/summary><div class=\"a\">Leonardo describes the SF-260 as the sports car of the air because of its sleek lines, responsive controls and jet-like handling. Flying magazine once called it the fastest normally aspirated piston single in production. It is fully aerobatic, cleared to +6 and -3 g, yet has relatively tame stall behaviour.<\/div><\/details><\/div><\/section>\r\n\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Who designed the SIAI-Marchetti SF-260?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 was designed by Italian aircraft designer Stelio Frati, known for elegant light aircraft such as the Falco. He conceived it in the early 1960s as a three-seat aerobatic sport plane. It shared its wing with the Falco F8L and was Frati's first all-metal design.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did the SF-260 first fly?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The SF-260 first flew on 15 July 1964, in its F.260 form, built by the Milan company Aviamilano. SIAI-Marchetti then bought the rights to the design and took over production. Aermacchi acquired SIAI-Marchetti in 1997, and the aircraft is now marketed by Leonardo as the Leonardo SF-260.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What engine does the SF-260 use?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The original SF-260 uses a 260 hp Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder piston engine driving a two-blade constant-speed propeller. The SF-260TP version, first flown in 1980, uses an Allison Model 250 turboprop flat-rated at 350 shp. Piston and turboprop SF-260s share broadly similar handling and performance.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which air forces have flown the SF-260?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Leonardo says 27 air forces have ordered the SF-260. Operators include the Italian Air Force, which trains pilots on it at Latina, as well as Libya, which ordered 240 SF-260WLs, the Philippines, Turkey, Belgium and many smaller air forces that used the armed SF-260W Warrior for light attack.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many SIAI-Marchetti SF-260s were built?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A total of 976 SIAI-Marchetti SF-260s, including prototypes, were built before low-rate production ended in 2017. Leonardo marked the 900th delivery as an all-time sales record for the Italian aircraft industry, and more than half of the type's 27 military operators placed repeat orders.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is the SF-260 called the sports car of the air?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Leonardo describes the SF-260 as the sports car of the air because of its sleek lines, responsive controls and jet-like handling. Flying magazine once called it the fastest normally aspirated piston single in production. It is fully aerobatic, cleared to +6 and -3 g, yet has relatively tame stall behaviour.\"}}]}<\/script><div style=\"background:#f0f4ff;border-left:4px solid #5C91FF;padding:16px 20px;margin:32px 0 8px\"><p style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-weight:600;color:#333\">Related Posts<\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/pilatus-pc-7-mkx-first-dutch-trainer-first-flight-2026\/\">Pilatus PC-7 MKX: The First Dutch Trainer Takes Off<\/a><\/p><p style=\"margin:4px 0\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/savoia-marchetti-sm-79-sparviero-damned-hunchback\/\">Savoia-Marchetti SM.79: Italy's Damned Hunchback<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stelio Frati drew it as a sporty three-seater. Air forces turned the SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 into a trainer and light attack aircraft flown on several continents.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":31503742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[665,666],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31503846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aviation-world","category-history-and-legends"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Italy&#039;s Sports Car Trainer | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Stelio Frati&#039;s 1964 sport plane that became a trainer and light attack aircraft for 27 air forces. Its history and specs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Italy&#039;s Sports Car Trainer | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Stelio Frati&#039;s 1964 sport plane that became a trainer and light attack aircraft for 27 air forces. Its history and specs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-11-06T16:01:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-11-06T16:03:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"940\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"410\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3\"},\"headline\":\"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: The Sports Car That Trained Air Forces\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-06T16:01:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-11-06T16:03:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1634,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Aviation World\",\"History &amp; Legends\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/\",\"name\":\"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Italy's Sports Car Trainer | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-11-06T16:01:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-11-06T16:03:09+00:00\",\"description\":\"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Stelio Frati's 1964 sport plane that became a trainer and light attack aircraft for 27 air forces. Its history and specs.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg\",\"width\":940,\"height\":410,\"caption\":\"Photo: Leonardo\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: The Sports Car That Trained Air Forces\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\\/w:897\\\/h:278\\\/q:mauto\\\/ig:avif\\\/https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3\",\"name\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy\"},\"description\":\"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy covers French and European aerospace, from Rafale and Airbus to NATO strategy and the continent\u2019s defence industry.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/fr\\\/author\\\/fortuneleroy\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Italy's Sports Car Trainer | MiGFlug","description":"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Stelio Frati's 1964 sport plane that became a trainer and light attack aircraft for 27 air forces. Its history and specs.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/","og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Italy's Sports Car Trainer | MiGFlug","og_description":"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Stelio Frati's 1964 sport plane that became a trainer and light attack aircraft for 27 air forces. Its history and specs.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-11-06T16:01:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-11-06T16:03:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":940,"height":410,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/"},"author":{"name":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3"},"headline":"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: The Sports Car That Trained Air Forces","datePublished":"2026-11-06T16:01:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-11-06T16:03:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/"},"wordCount":1634,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg","articleSection":["Aviation World","History &amp; Legends"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/","name":"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Italy's Sports Car Trainer | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg","datePublished":"2026-11-06T16:01:50+00:00","dateModified":"2026-11-06T16:03:09+00:00","description":"The SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: Stelio Frati's 1964 sport plane that became a trainer and light attack aircraft for 27 air forces. Its history and specs.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/11\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history.jpg","width":940,"height":410,"caption":"Photo: Leonardo"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/siai-marchetti-sf-260-italian-aerobatic-trainer-history\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"SIAI-Marchetti SF-260: The Sports Car That Trained Air Forces"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - Le magazine de MiGFlug","description":"pour ceux qui s&#039;int\u00e9ressent au pilotage d&#039;avions militaires et aux sujets li\u00e9s \u00e0 l&#039;aviation","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/8de428a67c070c9b49afaa026328a4e3","name":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/24d828074a1cc6684638b2dcfc98a9dd85a2e06b37adfd74d20fae209f234190?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy"},"description":"Fortun\u00e9 Leroy couvre l&#039;a\u00e9rospatiale fran\u00e7aise et europ\u00e9enne, du Rafale et d&#039;Airbus \u00e0 la strat\u00e9gie de l&#039;OTAN et \u00e0 l&#039;industrie de d\u00e9fense du continent.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/author\/fortuneleroy\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31503846","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31503846"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31503846\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31504354,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31503846\/revisions\/31504354"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31503742"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31503846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31503846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31503846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}