Before the Second World War, IMAM occupied a position comparable to Supermarine: a relatively small firm kept active by a navy's demand for specialized floatplanes. Royal Navy orders supported Supermarine within Vickers as it pursued racing and aerodynamic work. The Regia Marina likewise turned to IMAM for niche aircraft that larger Italian priorities did not reliably supply. Such orders bought an immediate capability while preserving engineering experience and industrial options for later designs.
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How naval orders sustained specialist aircraft firms
The IMAM and Supermarine comparison shows how modest naval floatplane orders could keep specialist design teams working between larger projects.