02/08/2026. Remarks by
Johan Visschedijk: "Formed as Ingg. Fratelli Nardi (Nardi Brothers) in Milan, Italy in 1933, its factory was destroyed in WW II. Post-war the company reappeared as Nardi S.A. per Costruzioni Aeronàutiche (Nardi Aeronautical Construction SA) and by 1949 a new factory was built near Aeroporto Enrico Forlanini (presently called Aeroporto di Milano Linate). Nardi's first post-war aircraft was designed by the two eldest of the four Nardi brothers, Dr.Ing. Luigi Nardi (1900-1978) and Dr.Ing. Euste Nardi (1902-1951).
The design was an all-metal amphibian, designated F.N.333 (the initials F.N. of Fratelli Nardi were retained). Most striking features of this amphibian were the long float which formed the keel and stretched well aft of the short fuselage, while the nose was reminiscent of the
Republic RC-3 Seabee. Just aft of the windows were the wells for the retractable mainwheels and behind this the fuselage ends in sharp vertical line. Above the high-set wing there was a long fairing housing the intake and the pusher engine. The wing was square-cut with slight taper on the leading edge; at the tips were the retractable floats mounted on single thin pylons when detracted. The twin booms were thin and each carried a curved fin at the end. The tailplane connecting the booms had no taper but prominent cut-outs round the elevators.
F.N.333 No.1 (
Johan Visschedijk Collection)
Nardi built two three-seat prototypes powered by a 145 hp Continental engine, the prototype No.1 flew from Forlanini on December 4, 1952, with test pilot Mario Stoppani at the controls.
From the prototype No.1 was developed the FN-333-S with a 225 hp Continental motor, and a novel form of wing-folding which would allow the wingtip floats to remain in constant touch with the water to maintain stability. However, this was never materialized.
F.N.333 No.2 (
Johan Visschedijk Collection)
The nearly similar prototype No.2 was fitted with a different engine cowling and different air-intakes. It was shown on static display at the XXXII Fiera Campionaria di Milano (32nd Milan Trade Fair) held on April 12 to 29, 1954. It is stored dismantled at the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci in Milan. It is unknow the prototype No.2 ever flew, it is also unknown whether either of the prototypes No.1 and No.2 was ever registered.
The prototype No.3, pictured on top of the page, was a four-seater that had three side windows (the three-seaters had two), and it was powered by a 225 hp Continental C-225 engine. I-KISS was first flown on December 8, 1954, however, within two months it was lost. Flown by test pilot Maj. Nello Valzania during test flight at maximum weight on January 24, 1955, the aircraft entered an uncontrollable spin and crashed into the ground near Forlanini, killing Maj. Valzania. Cause of the crash was most likely an abrupt change of center of gravity during the spin test.
Later at least 27 F.N.333s were built with modified design and with different engines: 5 pre-production F.N.333s by Fiat (3) and SIAI Marchetti (2) and 22 production F.N.333s by SIAI Marchetti. Of these aircraft a number have been remanufactured. The production and remanufactured aircraft were designated F.N.333 Riviera. Details of the listed aircraft will be posted in a future update.
The data below is referring to FN-333 No.1.
