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Starting from the C.R. 32 "Freccia" success proved by great reliability and operational efficiency during the Spanish Civil War, the Italian manufacturer Fiat developed, in the late ‘30s, the new C.R. 42 "Falco". The new biplane single-seat fighter had, as its predecessor, the fixed landing gear and the open cabin, but was equipped with important innovations such as the alloy and steel frame covered by canvas and metal paneling. Thanks to its supercharged, air-cooled Fiat A.74 radial engine, the Fiat C.R. 42 was able to reach 400 km/h. It had extraordinary maneuverability, much appreciated by the Italian pilots, but suffered from "biplane" configuration limits. It was able to successfully engage the Gloster Gladiators, but it was soon outclassed by faster and heavily armed monoplanes such as the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. Several Fiat C.R. 42, together with G.50 fighters and BR.20, CANT Z 1007 bombers, have been used by the Italian Regia Aeronautica during the Battle of Britain within the “Corpo Aereo Italiano”.
- Type: Fighter aircrafts
- Period: Second World War
- Country: Italy
- SKILL: 3
- Model Dim.: 11,5 cm
- Box Dim.: 290 x 190 x 45 mm
Starting from the C.R. 32 "Freccia" success proved by great reliability and operational efficiency during the Spanish Civil War, the Italian manufacturer Fiat developed, in the late ‘30s, the new C.R. 42 "Falco". The new biplane single-seat fighter had, as its predecessor, the fixed landing gear and the open cabin, but was equipped with important innovations such as the alloy and steel frame covered by canvas and metal paneling. Thanks to its supercharged, air-cooled Fiat A.74 radial engine, the Fiat C.R. 42 was able to reach 400 km/h. It had extraordinary maneuverability, much appreciated by the Italian pilots, but suffered from "biplane" configuration limits. It was able to successfully engage the Gloster Gladiators, but it was soon outclassed by faster and heavily armed monoplanes such as the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. Several Fiat C.R. 42, together with G.50 fighters and BR.20, CANT Z 1007 bombers, have been used by the Italian Regia Aeronautica during the Battle of Britain within the “Corpo Aereo Italiano”.