Fiat G.50 Freccia

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North Africa


The first 27 Fiat G.50s, belonging to Squadriglie 150a and 152a from 2° Gruppo Autonomo C.T., arrived in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] on 27 December 1940, from the airfields of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

They flew their first combat mission on 9 January 1941 when Capitano Pilota Tullio Del Prato, Comandante of 150a Squadriglia encountered a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] Mk I on the front line that attacked him, forcing the Fiat to crash-land in the desert.

On 25 January 1941, a new unit, 20° Gruppo Autonomo C.T., with 351a, 360a and 378a Squadriglie, commanded by Maggiore pilota Pietro Bianchi, arrived in Libya, with 31 brand new Fiat monoplanes.

On 27 May, 20° Gruppo was reinforced by 151a Squadriglia, equipped with the new Fiat G.50bis version.

Although caught up in the chaotic retreat of Italian army in the winter of 1940–41, the Fiat G.50s saw little action.

One of the few first claims by "Freccias" pilots was on 9 April 1941, when Tenente Pilota Carlo Cugnasca, attacked three Hurricanes Mk Is from No. 73 RAF Squadron, claiming one although this air victory was not confirmed.

In Africa, Italian pilots flying the G.50 managed to shoot down the faster and better armed Hurricane fighter.

In the hands of expert pilots, the Fiat G.50 could score multiple kills in a single action.

On the evening of 9 July 1941, Sergente Maggiore Aldo Buvoli of 378a Squadriglia, 155° Gruppo Autonomo, took off from [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airfield to patrol [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] harbour, and duly intercepted seven [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] that were performing a low-level attack on the ships, already pursued by two Fiat CR.42 biplanes from 151° Gruppo.

Buvoli attacked the bombers shooting at each of them, in sequence.

The Blenheim of Squadron Leader W.C. Searle ditched in the sea while Sgt. W.H. Twist's aircraft was shot down a few miles north of Tripoli.

The Blenheims flown by Flt. Lt. M.E. Poitier and Plt. Officer W.H. Lowe and their crews never returned to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airfield in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and were posted as missing.

For these successes Buvoli was awarded with the Medaglia d’argento al Valor Militare and was subsequently credited with four kills, No. 110 Squadron reporting the loss of a similar number of Blenheims IVs on its very first mission since arriving in Malta from UK in early July.

Aegean theater


After the Italian declaration of war against Greece, the Freccia began operations on 28 October 1940 in the Balkans and Aegean Sea theater. The 48 I^ serie G.50s were from 24° Gruppo (Squadriglie 354 and 355, based at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]) and 54° Gruppo (Squadriglie 361 and 395, based at Devoli).

The 2° Gruppo, commanded by Maggiore Giuseppe Baylon (Squadriglie 150 and 152) with a mixed component of 12 Fiat monoplanes and CR.32s was based on [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]-[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airfield.

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In September 1937, Fiat received a first order of 45 aircraft. Before a larger order was placed, the Air Ministry decided to hold a comparative test with the new [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

On 20 October 1937, Comandante Giuseppe De Briganti, the Chief Test Pilot of the Fiat G.50 program, was killed
on the sixth evaluation flight of the second prototype (M.M.335) when the aircraft did not recover from a high speed dive.

At Guidonia the plane revealed to have the grave defect of easy entry into [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] - uncommanded spinning - highly dangerous at low level, from where recover was impossible. During a visit of the Italian king, re Vittorio
Emanuele III, and of the Chief of Government, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], another tragedy occurred, in Guidonia.

While performing a low fast pass, three G.50s flown by the experienced pilots, Maggiore Mario Bonzano, and Tenenti Beretta and Marasco encountered difficulty.

Beretta entered a autorotazione (spin) and crashed into the munitions laboratory, killing the pilot.

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Despite the crashes, flight tests were satisfactory and the "Freccia" proved to be more maneuverable than the Macchi MC.200, that, anywawy, was faster and on 9 June 1938, was declared the winner of first competition "Caccia I"
(Fighter One).

On account of the G.50 manoeuverability, anyway, the Regia Aeronautica Commission decided to buy the Fiat monoplane as well, while the third plane in competition, the IMAM Ro. 51, was not taken in consideration.

The initial examples were delivered to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in the first months of 1938.

Italian pilots did not like the enclosed [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] because it could not be opened quickly and also because it was constructed from plexiglass of very poor quility, prone to cracking which limited visibility.

Consequently, in the second batch of 200 machines, an open cockpit was installed.

After 1939, the main production was shifted to the CMASA factory, in Marina di Pisa, Tuscany.

In 1938, Regia Aeronautica requested a two-seater trainer G.50 model from Fiat, designated the G.50/B (Bicomando Bc.).

The first G.50/B were built in the second half of 1939.
The student pilot was in the front seat in a closed cockpit with two roll bars.

The first five aircraft were part of the 1a serie (first series).

The successive production was entrusted to C.M.A.S.A who completed 106 G.50/Bs.

A G.50/B was later transformed into a reconnaissance aircraft, equipped with planimetrica camera.

Another G.50/B was adapted with hook to operate as a naval reconnaissance aircraft, from the (never operative) Italian aircraft carrier Aquila.

In September 1940, a slightly improved version, the G.50 bis, appeared.

Its main advantage was extended combat range due to an additional tank of 104 liters, range increasing from 645 Km to 1,000 km.

The last "Freccia" version was the G.50/V (Veloce) equipped with a DB.601 with 1,075 CV.

Built in mid-1941 by CMASA, during tests at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airfield in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], it reached a top speed of 570 km/h, in level flight, and managed to climb to 6,000 meters in 5 minutes 30 seconds.

Nonetheless, Ingegner Gabrielli had already designed the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and Fiat had already obtained the licence to built the Daimler Benz 605 with 1,475 CV so the G.50/V was used for tests with new equipment and then was scrapped.

Total G.50 production was 784 aircraft, 426 built by [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and 358 coming from C.M.A.S.A.

Exports included 58 G.50s:
13 to Spain, 35 to Finland and 10 to Croatia.

Operational history


In 1938, the first operational Fiat G.50 aircraft were delivered to the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

During the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], about a dozen of G.50s were sent to Spain to reinforce Aviazione Legionaria.

The type proved extremely maneuverable, it was one of the best fighters, yet by the time World War II began it was considered to be underpowered and underarmed.

World War II


There were 118 G.50s available when Italy entered World War II (97 in front line duty), most assigned to the 51° Stormo based in Ciampino airport, just outside Rome and in Pontedera, with 22° Gruppo of 52° Stormo.

On 10 June 1940, when Italy declared war against France, 22° Gruppo G.50s went into action, followed by the 48 aircraft of 20° Gruppo.

Appreciated mainly for their strength, G.50s were used primarily for attack roles in the second half of the war.

During the opening phase of the Sicilian invasion of 10 July 1943, the G.50 was the most numerous aircraft used by Regia Aeronautica to counter-attack Allied landings.

Forty-five "Freccias" of 158° and 159° Gruppo Assalto, from Pistoia, attacked ships, landing craft and troops.

By the time of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], only a few were left in Italian service; some were used as part of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], while four others were used by the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] as fighter [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The top scoring Italian pilot in a Fiat G.50 was [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], who was credited with 11 "kills" before the end of 1941 with a final score of 18.

In September 1940, 56° Stormo was formed, to operate during the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] as part of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]
based in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], with 18° Gruppo (Fiat CR.42) and 20° Gruppo (Squadriglie 351/352/353), commanded by Maggiore Mario Bonzano, equipped with Fiat G.50.

Their use was hampered by their slow speed, open cockpits and short range. At the beginning of 1941, the C.A.I. came back in Italy, except for two G.50 Squadriglie that stayed in Belgium with Luftflotte 2, until April.

While with the C.A.I. the Fiats flew 429 missioni-velivoli (missions), 34 escorts and 26 scrambles but could not manage to engage enemy aircraft.

One aircraft was lost and seven more were damaged.

While with Luftflotte 2, 20° Gruppo lost four additional fighters and two pilots were killed, while two G.50s were damaged by German fighters and flak.

North Africa


The first 27 Fiat G.50s, belonging to Squadriglie 150a and 152a from 2° Gruppo Autonomo C.T., arrived in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] on 27 December 1940, from the airfields of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

They flew their first combat mission on 9 January 1941 when Capitano Pilota Tullio Del Prato, Comandante of 150a Squadriglia encountered a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] Mk I on the front line that attacked him, forcing the Fiat to crash-land in the desert.

On 25 January 1941, a new unit, 20° Gruppo Autonomo C.T., with 351a, 360a and 378a Squadriglie, commanded by Maggiore pilota Pietro Bianchi, arrived in Libya, with 31 brand new Fiat monoplanes.

On 27 May, 20° Gruppo was reinforced by 151a Squadriglia, equipped with the new Fiat G.50bis version.

Although caught up in the chaotic retreat of Italian army in the winter of 1940–41, the Fiat G.50s saw little action.

One of the few first claims by "Freccias" pilots was on 9 April 1941, when Tenente Pilota Carlo Cugnasca, attacked three Hurricanes Mk Is from No. 73 RAF Squadron, claiming one although this air victory was not confirmed.

In Africa, Italian pilots flying the G.50 managed to shoot down the faster and better armed Hurricane fighter.

The Fiat monoplanes quickly gained ascendancy over the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and on 20 February 1941, seven
"Freccias" from 54° Gruppo, scrambled from Devoli, attacked formations of bombers with their escorts, shooting down a bomber and a fighter.

In the afternoon of the same day, 15 G.50s engaged a large mixed formation of RAF Gloster Gladiators and Greek [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] shooting down 10 aircraft for the loss of one Fiat.

In the same month, the arrival of the Hawker Hurricane changed things, until the Macchi C. 200 entered the theater.

On 4 March 1941, a Fiat G.50 bis shot down the Hurricane V7288 of Australian DFC ace Flight Lieutenant Richard Nigel
"Ape" Cullen RAF no. 39967 (with 15/16 credited air victories), off [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] coast (Albania), while he was flying as wingman for ace [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

In the Greek campaign, the Fiats losses of 10 fighters included combat losses and others destroyed in accidents
and in the bombing of Italian airfields.

In Finnish service


The G.50 saw its longest and most successful operations in the two Finnish wars against the Soviet Union, the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 1939-1940 and the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 1941-1944.

Before the outbreak of hostilities, Finland ordered 35 Fiat G.50s at the end of 1939.

The first 10 aircraft were to be delivered before February 1940, consequently a group of Finnish pilots arrived in Rome for a training course of 10 hours at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airport and later at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

On a training flight, Lieutenant Tapani Harmaja during a dive from 3,500 meters, reached an estimated speed of 840 km/h, considered excessive for the structural integrity of the aircraft.

Germany hindered the transit of the aircraft, consequently, the Fiats were disassembled and embarked in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] on the Norwegian ship "Braga", that set sail on 20 January, bound for [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], Finland.

Due to this delay the first Fiat fighters did not reach [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], until February 1940 , too late to affect the course of the winter battles that year.

The Fiat fighters saw little action although on 27 February 1940, Lieutenant Malmivuo was the first Finnish pilot to be killed in a G.50 (FA.12), when his fighter crashed after a combat with Soviet aircraft.

At this stage, Finnish pilots preferred the Hurricane, the French [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and even the Brewster
Buffalo (in this order) to the Fiat G.50.

The first demonstration of the Finnish Air Force's effectiveness came on 25 June 1941, thanks to the Fiat G.50
fighters from HLeLv 26, downing 13 out of 15 Soviet SB bombers.

A total of 13 aerial victories were achieved, with Captain O. Ehrnrooth, [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and Sergeant L. Aaltonen being the most successful Fiat pilots with two victories each

During the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], the Fiat fighters were most successful during the Finnish offensive of 1941, after that they became increasingly less effective.

The Soviets were able to bring better, newer fighter types into the front lines during 1942 and 1943, while the Fiats were becoming old and run-down, and the lack of spare parts meant that pilots were restricted to only a minimal number of sorties.

In 1941, the Fiat squadron, LLv 26, claimed 52 victories against the loss of only two fighters.

Nevertheless, between 30 November 1939 and 4 September 1944, HLeLv 26's G.50 shot down 99 enemy aircraft.

In the same period, Finnish squadrons lost 41 planes, including Bulldog IIAs, Fokker D.XXIs, Gloster Gladiators and Brewster B-239s.

The most successful Fiat G.50 fighter pilots were [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (23 victories with G.50s), [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (11), N.
Trontti (six), O. Paronen (four), U. Nieminen (four) and L. Lautamäki (four).

The Finnish Fiats were finally phased out of front line duty in summer 1944.

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