Strikemasters and Aermachis as combat aircrafts?

[phasselgren]

In spite of having the possibility to carry armament I have never seen any mention of the use of Strikemasters and Aermacchis in any other role than as trainers (including armament training). Were there any plans to use them as attack aircraft in a major conflict?

Compare with the Swedish Air Force during the cold war era were every training aircraft had a combat role in the case of war. SAAB 105 would be used in light attack/reconnaissance. With a top speed of around 700 km/h and a maximum load of 700 kg (=no possibility to carry Sidewinders, chaff or flares) they had to use extreme low altitude tactics to survive.

[skyhawkdon]

No they were only ever used as trainers. Fortunately NZ is a long way from the type of threats Sweden faced in the Cold War period. However I'm sure that had the Russians (or anyone else) come steaming into Auckland harbour intent on taking the country over the Strikemasters/Macchi's would have been loaded up with whatever they could carry and accompanied the A-4's in strike packages (they accompanied the A-4's and visiting RAAF/USAF aircraft many times like this - more to build up numbers than as serious strike aircraft).

[phasselgren]

Thanks Don,

Luckily the threat from the Russians is much smaller today but during the fifties when the threat was at its peak Sweden had the fourth largest Air Force in the world (counting the number of combat aircraft). This in a country with a population of today 9 million.