Fiat CR.32

The main fuel tank located between the engine and cockpit, carried 325 liters.

There was another small tank (25 liters) in the "torpedo" fairing in the center of the upper wing.

Although fully instrumented, the RA.80-1 radio was optional.

Operational history


The new biplane was an instant success. After a period of testing.

The first production order were received in March 1934, and the type soon equipped the 1°, 3° and 4° Stormi
of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The CR.32 was well liked by its crews, being very maneuverable and having a strong fuselage structure.

It was used extensively in the Spanish Civil War.

At least 380 took part in the air battles fought over Spain, proving formidable adversaries to the Soviet [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] monoplanes that formed the back bone of the Republican air force.

It had its [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] of fire in 1936. On 18 August 1936, the first 12 CR.32 Freccias arrived in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and formed the Squadriglia "Gamba di Ferro", "Cucaracha" and "Asso di Bastoni" of 3° Stormo.

Three days later, Tenente Vittorino Ceccherelli, Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare (Golden Medal to Military Valour) shot down the first enemy aircraft, a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], over [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

In total, the Italian government sent 365–405 C.R.32s to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] while 127–131 were delivered directly to the Nationalist Aviation units. Six aircraft were captured by Republican FARE, with one sent to [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] for evaluation.

Dessin chez airwar.ru

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Thanks to the agile CR.32, the Italians managed to obtain air superiority against its [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien](Republican) opponents, that mainly flew a motley collection of very different aircraft.

The Fiat biplane proved to be effective with [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] claiming 60 (48 confirmed) modern Russian bombers [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien],
once believed impossible to intercept, 242 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] biplane fighters and 240 [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] monoplane fighters, plus another hundred not confirmed. Fiat C.R.32 losses were only 73.

The Fiat biplanes were used for many aerobatic shows, in Italy and abroad.

When foreign statesmen visited the Holy City, the 4° Stormo, Regia Aeronautica élite unit, based in Rome, put on impressive displays with formations of five or 10 aircraft.

In 1936, air shows were organized in other European capitals and major cities, and, during the following year, in South America.

When the team returned a brilliant display was put on in Berlin.

The aerobatic characteristics of the CR.32 and its success in Spain misled the Italian air ministry, which formed the view that a fighter biplane still had potential as a weapon of war.

Consequently, in May 1939, prior to Italy entering World War II, the CR.32 fighters in “bis”, “ter” and “quarter”
versions, represented two thirds of all fighters in the Regia Aeronautica.

A total of 294 were based in Italy and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], while 34 were stationed in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

When Italy declared war on 10 June 1940, the CR. soldiered on into World War II. About 40 "Freccias" in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] were the first to see action, flying escort missions over [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The first combat with British aircraft came the following day; six CR.32s intercepted a formation of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] bombers, shooting down two and damaging the other four, for no losses.

The greatest wartime successes achieved by CR.32 were in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

Here, 410a and 411a Squadriglia CR.32s (that represented half of all the fighters operative in the Italian colony) destroyed a number of British and South African aircraft.

Their opponents included Blenheims and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], 410a Squadriglia managed to shot down 14 enemy aircraft before being disbanded.

The Fiats had their baptisme of fire on 17 June, when the Cr. 32s of 411a Squadriglia, flown by Tenente Aldo Meoli and Maresciallo Bossi, attacked three[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] from 12 SAAF squadron (bound to bomb Wavello), escorted by two Hurricanes of 1 SAAF Squadron.

The Fiats shot down one of the Ju 86s and then pounced the Hurricanes, shooting down the one flown by 2/Lt B.L. Griffiths that was killed in the crash.

Fourteen CR.32s of 160° Gruppo and nine of 2° Gruppo from 6° Stormo saw action against [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] in the first weeks after the attack of 28 October 1940.

Eight more from 163a Squadriglia, based in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] airport, on [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] island, took part in the occupation of [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]. CR.32s of 3° Gruppo operated in [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] but in the period July-December 1940, their number had fallen from 28 to seven serviceable aircraft.

The last front line CR.32 survived until mid-April 1941 when the "Freccias" were sent to the Scuola Caccia (Schools for fighter pilots).

By 1942, the type was relegated to only night missions as newer fighters were put into service.

The first international buyer of the CR.32 was [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] for China that already in 1933 ordered 16 (according to other sources 24) CR.32s of the first series.

The aircraft had Vickers 7.7 mm machine guns instead of the Breda-SAFAT, electric headlights, the little cooling fins on the oil tank in the nose were removed and some were equipped with radios.

They were based at Nangahang airport, near Shanghai.

Some officers of the Chinese high command disliked the Fiat, but Chinese pilots appreciated that the Italian biplanes in comparative tests proved superior to American [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The Chinese Government did not order more Fiats as it was difficult to import alcohol and benzole to mix with petrol for the engines.

In May 1936 only six "Freccias" were still operational.

In August 1937, the remaining CR.32s were used with some initial success in Shanghai against the invading Japanese.

By late 1937 when the Chinese capital at Nanjing fell, all Fiats were lost.

In spring 1936 45 CR.32s were ordered by Austria to equip Jagdgeschwader II at [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

But in March 1938 the Austrian units were absorbed into Luftwaffe.

After a brief period the 36 remaining aircraft were handed over to Hungary.

In 1938, Venezuela acquired nine (according to other sources, 10 aircraft ) CR.32s (Quater series).

Modifications included a larger radiator to assist engine cooling in tropical climate conditions.

The aircraft were delivered to Maracay in the second half of 1938 and equipped the 1° Regimiento de Aviación Militar del Venezuela.

These aircraft were struck off in 1943 when five were still in use.

A small number, estimated at four , went to Paraguay in 1938. Five CR.32quarter fighters
(registered 1-1, 1-3, 1-5, 1-7 and 1-9) were assigned to 1.a Escuadrilla de Caza of the Fuerzas Aéreas del Ejercito Nacional del Paraguay.

They did not arrive in time for military operations against Bolivia, but were in service for several years.

In 1938 Spain acquired a license to build the CR.32. [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] built 100 examples under the designation [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien], some of these remaining in service as C.1 aerobatic trainers up to 1953.

Variants


The Regia Aeronautica ordered 1,080 CR.32s (including the two prototypes and 23 aircraft rebuilt by SCA factory in Guidonia, near Rome, plus 52 without military registry numbers for Hungary).

With 100 more CR.32quaters licence-built in Spain (as the Hispano Ha. 132L Chirri), the total CR.32 production numbers range from 1,306 to 1,332 examples.


CR.32

Armed with twin 7.7 mm (.303 in) or 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns and powered by 447 kW (600 hp)[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] engine.
Delivered to the Regia Aeronautica between March 1934 and February 1936.


CR.32bis

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] fighter version armed with twin Breda-SAFAT Mod.1928Av. 7.7 mm (.303 in) (a common field modification was to discard the 7.7 mm armament to reduce weight) and twin 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns.

Bomb racks with ability to carry 100 kg (220 lb) bombload possible: 1 × 100 kg (220 lb) or 2 × 50 kg (110 lb).


CR.32ter

Revised CR.32bis with many improved features.


CR.32quater

Revised CR.32ter with reduced weight, added radio and max speed 356 km/h (221 mph) at 3,000 m (9,843 ft);
337 built for the Regia Aeronautica.

Le Fiat A 30 RA bis

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CR.33

Only three prototypes were built.


CR.40

One prototype powered by a [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] IV [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].


CR.40bis

One prototype only.


CR.41

One prototype only.


HA-132L Chirri

Spanish version; 100 were built and 49 more of those used during the war were re-built.

A total of 40 were transformed into two-seaters and kept in service as an aerobatic [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] till 1953.