From the time Italy entered the Second World War on 10 June 1940, until the signing of the armistice of 8 September 1943, the C. 200 flew more operational sorties than any other Italian aircraft.

The Saetta saw operational service in Greece, North Africa, Yugoslavia, across the Mediterranean, and in the Soviet Union (where it obtained an excellent kill to loss ratio of 88 to 15).

[6][7] The plane's very strong all-metal construction and air-cooled engine made the aircraft ideal for conducting ground attack missions; several units flew it as a fighter-bomber.

[9] In 1936, in the aftermath of Italy's campaigns in East Africa, an official program was initiated with the aim of completely re-equipping the Regia Aeronautica with a new interceptor aircraft of modern design.

The 10 February 1936 specifications,[10] formulated and published by the Ministero dell'Aeronatica, called for an aircraft powered by a single radial engine, which was to be capable of a top speed of 500 km/h (310 mph) and a climb rate of 6,000 meters in 5 minutes.

[11] Additional requirements were soon specified: the aircraft was to be capable of being used as an interceptor with a flight endurance time of two hours and armed with a single (later increased to two) 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine gun.

[9] On 24 December 1937, the first prototype (MM.336) C.200 conducted its maiden flight at Lonate Pozzolo, Varese, with Macchi chief test pilot Giuseppe Burei at the controls.

Officials within the ministry and Macchi's design team fought over the retention of the characteristic hump used to enhance cockpit visibility; after a protracted argument, the feature was ultimately retained.

[9] The C.200 benefitted greatly from preparations that were being made for major expansion of the Italian Air Force, known as Programme R.[9] In 1938, the C.200 was selected as the winner of the tender "Caccia I" (Fighter 1) of the Regia Aeronautica.

[9] The G.50, which during the same flight tests held at Guidonia airport had out-turned the Macchi,[12] was also placed in limited production, because it had been determined that the former could be brought into service earlier.

[9] In order to improve the rate of output, the C.200 remained almost unchanged throughout its production life, save for adjustments to the cockpit in response to pilot feedback.

However, the C.200's service life was extended because Alfa Romeo proved to be incapable of producing enough of the RA.1000 (license-built DB 601) engines needed by the newer aircraft.

[16][18] A total of 1,153 Saettas were eventually produced, but only 33 remained operational by the time armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces in September 1943.

[19] The distinctive "hump" elevated the partially open cockpit to provide the pilot with an unusually wide field of view over the engine.

Under a direttiva (air ministry specification) of 1932, Italian industrial leaders had been instructed to concentrate solely on radial engines for fighters, due to their superior reliability.

[25] The C.200 was typically armed with a pair of 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns;[19] while these were often considered to be insufficient, the Saetta was able to compete with contemporary Allied fighters.

[27] Early production C.200 aircraft showed autorotation problems similar to those found in the Fiat G.50 Freccia, IMAM Ro.51, and the Aeronautica Umbra Trojani AUT.18.

Aircraft production and deliveries were halted while the Regia Aeronautica evaluated the potential for abandoning use of the type, as the skill involved in flying the C.200 was considered to be beyond that of the average pilot.

Castoldi soon tested a new profile, but a solution to the autorotation problem was found by Sergio Stefanutti, chief designer of SAI Ambrosini in Passignano sul Trasimeno, based on studies conducted by German aircraft engineer Willy Messerschmitt and the American National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).

Armour plating was incorporated when frontline units were going to replace the Saettas with the new Macchi C.202 Folgore (Thunderbolt) but in only a limited number of aircraft.

Gladiator No.5519, piloted by Flight Lieutenant George Burges, jumped the bombers but was in turn attacked by a C.200 flown by Sergente Maggiore Lamberto Molinelli of 71a Squadriglia over the sea off Sliema.

[33] In September 1940, the C.200s of the 6th Gruppo conducted their first offensive operations in support of wider Axis efforts against the Mediterranean island of Malta, escorting Junkers Ju 87 dive-bombers.

[38] After intense training, on 1 April 1941, the 10th Gruppo (4th Stormo) moved to Ronchi dei Legionari airport and started active service.

[12] North African and Italian-based units were routinely rotated to relieve war-weary crews, aiding the resumption of an Axis offensive in the region during early 1942.

[41] During this offensive, which led to Italian and German forces reaching the outskirts of Alexandria, Egypt, the C.200s were heavily engaged in bomber escort and low-altitude attack operations, while the newer C.202s performed high-altitude air cover duties.

[44] During September 1942, the type was responsible for sinking the British destroyer Sikh, as well as several smaller motor vessels, near Tobruk, during Operation Agreement, an attempted amphibious assault by Allied forces.

[45] However, operations by the type in the theatre were curtailed around this time by increasing shortages of spares, fuel, and components; losses in the face of numerically superior Allied air power also played a role in the rapid decline of deployable C.200s.

A total of 66 Italian aircraft had been lost on the Eastern Front – against, according to official figures, 88 victories claimed during 17 months of action in that theatre.

[54] A summary of the Italian expeditionary force operations included 2,557 offensive flights (of which 511 with bombs drops), 1,310 strafing attacks, and 1,938 escort missions, with the loss of 15 C.200s overall.

The top-scoring unit was 362a Squadriglia, commanded by Capitano Germano La Ferla, which claimed 30 Soviet aircraft shot down and 13 destroyed on the ground.