The new wing entered production in 1939/1940 at SAI Ambrosini and became standard on the aircraft manufactured by Aermacchi and Breda, a licensed manufacturer. After the modified wings of the "Saetta" were introduced, the C.200 proved to be, for a time, the foremost Italian fighter. As a weight-saving measure, the first production C.200 series did not have armour fitted to protect the pilots. Armour plating was incorporated when the units were going to replace the "Saettas" with the new Macchi C.202 "Folgore" (Thunderbolt) and often in only a limited number of aircraft. After the armour was fitted, the aircraft could become difficult to balance, and during aerobatic manoeuvres could enter an extremely difficult to control flat spin, forcing the pilot to bail out. On 22 July 1941, Leonardo Ferrulli, one of the top-scoring "Regia Aeronautica" pilots, encountered the problem and was forced to bail out over Sicily.