STORMO! SEM Model 1/72 I.M.A.M. Ro.63 by Harvey Low

SEM Model 1/72 I.M.A.M. Ro.63
Italian Storch
by Harvey Low

SEM Model 1/72 I.M.A.M. Ro.63

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Interest in a STOL aircraft was raised by the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch acquired from Germany, and in June 1939 the Regia Aeronautica asked Italian aircraft companies to design a similar machine.

The IMAM Ro.63 was of mixed construction with wood, fabric and metal used for the fuselage and wings. It first flew in June 1940, just at the outbreak of World War II. It was put into competition with another Italian aircraft, but clearly proved superior. The plane could take-off within 200ft and land in 180ft.

It had STOL capabilities similar to the Fi.156, but the larger fuselage held up to four people, and the wings held more fuel. The 280 hp Hirth engine and constant speed propeller helped to give it a maximum speed of 240 km/h and almost 1,000 km endurance. However there was no defensive armament, as the Fi 156 had from the C version onwards.

The aircraft, designed by Giovanni Galasso, and tested by Aldo Ligabò was a successful design, 150 were ordered, although only six were produced from mid-1940 to 1941, mainly because of the shortage of available engines, as German engines were no longer available, and the Italian aero industry were unable to produce enough Isotta-Fraschini 'Beta' engines.

The Ro.63 was a good design although produced in limited numbers despite the fact that development was completed pre-war. The design was hampered by the lack of Italian-built engines. The performance was better than the Fi 156, with a superior speed and endurance and only slightly inferior in STOL capabilities.

The aircraft was deployed in the North African Campaign, together with 30 Fieseler Fi 156 imported from Germany, even though this was insufficient to replace the IMAM Ro.37 and older reconnaissance aircraft. By 1943, after two years of hard service, only one Ro.63 survived.

In 1948 it was proposed to resume production, but lack of capacity and data (records and drawings were lost after Meridionali factories were destroyed in WWII) about the aircraft meant that the project was eventually abandoned.

Operational Service:
The aircraft was deployed in the North African Campaign, together with 30 Fieseler Fi 156 imported from Germany, even though this was insufficient to replace the IMAM Ro.37 and older reconnaissance aircraft. By 1943, after two years of hard service, only one Ro.63 survived.

This is IMAM Ro 63 MM.11592. This was the second of only six built between the summer 1940 and May 1941. Four aircraft were intended to be delivered from 28 September for initial training of maintenance personnel of 132a Squadriglia, 76° Gruppo OA. In the event this aircraft did not arrive until 23 October, only to be written off on 11 November as a result of bomb splinter damage. It had completed 24 hours and 20 minutes of flying time. Ref [1].

IMAM Ro 63 132-1, 132a Sq., 76° Gr. OA in Libya in 1942 and the subject of this build. The pilot, cap. Aldo Gasperi, wears a natty white flying suit. The Italian Fieseler Storch, by which it was clearly inspired, only 6 found their way into service before the Armistice. Ref [1].

132a, 30a Squadriglie, 76o Gruppo, Stormo Autonomo
This unit started the war in Sicily under the control of XII Corpo d'Armata, with six Ro 37bis. 132 Sq was detached to Catania, then left on 24 June for 69 Gruppo at Levaldigi.

40a Sq joined in 1941, only to become Autonomo again in May 1942. The Gruppo briefly joined 19o Stormo in that month. By July 1942 30a Sq was at Venaria Reale and 115a Sq at Novi Ligure. The latter exchanged with 127a Sq from 73o Gruppo in September, replacing its Ca 313s with Ca 314s in November. The Gruppo now rejoined 19o Stormo and moved to France when the Italians occupied their portion of that country in 1943. 30a Sq used two Ca 164s for liaison duties.

Source:

Construction

Building Tips
Released in 2013, this kit is unfortunately out of production but may be found online in auctions or at model shows. Here are the basic mods I did to build this kit:

A new cockpit floor was made of .015” styrene cut to shape.
The seats required styrene rod to slightly elevate them to the right height.
I refined the cockpit seats with a pin-vise and small drill bit.
A simple instrument panel and yoke stick was procured from my spare-parts box. No sidewall detail was added as not much can be seen in this enclosed.
The cockpit paint used was Tamiya Cockpit Green (XF-71), with a dark brown oil wash to add depth.
Note that the most difficult part of this kit is the cockpit canopy! Take your time to repeatedly fit and measure it! It is very thin! They give you two in the kit thank goodness! Scribe with the No.11 X-Acto to remove.
The Ro63 had large side windows to aid in observation duties. I prefer to use “white glue” (e.g., canopy glues such as Evergreen) to fill them after painting.
The rear stabilizers were “pinned” to provide more strength.
The kit’s struts were very fragile so I replaced them with new scratch-built ones using styrene strip shaped and cut to size.
I drilled tiny holes in the lower wings to facilitate the aileron counter-balances and struts.

Painting
The Grigio Mimetico undersides were then painted first using Tamiya Sky grey (XF-19). Painting the IMAM Ro.63 required some artistic license, particularly with respect to what the mimetico pattern might have looked like. Based on photos, I chose to spray a more tightly woven pattern and with two colours - the olive green (Verte Mimetico 3) over the base sand colour (presumably Giallo Mimetico 3). The red-brown (Bruno Mimetico) was also my interpretation.

Markings
The markings were from the kit and are that of the 132nd Squadriglia, 76 Gruppo Observazione Aerea (Air Observation Group) in Zuara Libya 1941. They went on no problem with Micro Sol and Set decal solution.

For a complete and more detailed description of this model, please refer to the April 2026 Issue (Volume 48, Issue #2) of (click the image below), from Guideline publications.

Technical Data

Aircraft: Meridionali Ro.63
Manufacturer: S.A. Industrie Meccaniche & Aeronautiche Meridionali (I.M.A.M)
Type: Reconnaissance
Year: 1939
Engine: Hirth HM 508D inverted V-8 air-cooled piston engine, 190 kW (250 hp)
Wingspan: 44 ft 3 1/2 in (13.5 m)
Length: 31 ft 6 in (9.6 m)
Height: 7 ft 8 2/3 in (2.35 m)
Weight: 3,267 lb (1,482 kg) (Loaded)
Maximum Speed: 126 mph (203 km/h)
Range: 560 miles (901 km)
Crew: 2-3

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