Did the Italian Navy try to develop non-fixed wing aircraft?

[Sid Guttridge]

In 1937 all fixed wing aircraft were apparently allocated to the Regia Aeronautica.

As alternatives, did the Italian Navy try to develop gyrocopters, helicopters (I seem to recall that the first helicopter to fly was Italian in about 1930), or even airships, towed blimps, or rotary winged kites, which would seem to be the only avenues left to it?

Cheers,

Sid

[Dili]

They tested gyros, i think in one of heavy cruisers.

[DrG]

In 1920 the Regia Marina made a generic "request of information" to the industry for a rotating wing craft with a top speed of 50 km/h an a ceiling of 1,000 m. This request did not reach any practical result.
In the Twenties Corradino D'Ascanio and his financer, baron Pietro Troiani, made some prototypes of helicpter, but the first one to reach a promising development was the D.A.T.3 of 1929, which flew in May 1930. In 1931 the Regia Marina discarded the Hungarian helicopter Asboth, and in 1934 adm. Cavagnari decided to bet on D'Ascanio (who moved to the Piaggio aircraft company, after the end of his partnership with Troiani). The Piaggio company submitted two projects to the Regia Marina in 1934, one with a 130 hp engine and another with a 390 hp engine. In case this project didn't reach an operational development (as actually happaned), Cavagnari decided to test also the Cierva C.30, by the Spanish engineer Juan de La Cierva. Two C.30 were tested on the heavy cruiser Fiume in Jan.-Feb. 1935, but their performance was disappointing. Nevertheless, in Feb. 1935 the General Staff of the Navy ordered a study of feasiblity for an hangar for 6 helicopters and a small flight deck on the Littorio class.
Anyway, during 1935 the Regia Aeronautica requisitioned the two C.30 of the Navy, arguing that they were of its competence, and lost both by accident during tests in Guidonia in Oct. 1935.