After a long development time, and prototypes, the first Aermacchis MB-326 entered service with the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) on 22nd March 1962. They initally served with the 214º Gruppo (214th Squadron) Lecce-Galatina flight school that was temporalriy based in Brindisi.
They replaced the North American T-6 Texan as trainers and, with 130 hours the pilots had the same training as 210 in a T-6. Even if it was much expensive, the additional advanced training made with a Fiat G.91T, ensured an all-jet training course for the pilots and, furthermore, it ensured a training made in all-national airplanes. Unlike the G.91 that never was too conviceable as a light fighter, the MB-326 was successfully exported to many countries.
It was a low-wing all-metal monoplane that was powered by a Rolls-Royce Viper (Later Bristol-Siddeley Viper) that could delive 11.1Kn (2500lbf) of thrust non-afterburning power with intakes in the wing roots. Each wing had 22 ribs and two spars and had three fuel tanks, a large one in the main fuselage and two smaller ones in the wings. The aft fuselage was entirely dedicated to hold the engine and the cockpit had tandem configuration which was chose to give it better slimmer aerodynamics than the usual side-by-side configuration. The canopy was of the bubble type and the rear of the wings had flaps and ailerons with a trim surface. Sometimes wing fences were added to the mid-wings in order to increase the lift characteristics.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aermacchi_MB-326
2. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aermacchi_MB-326 (translated)
3. La Bancarella Aeronautica - Aermacchi MB-326 (translated)
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