Fiat G.50
Encyclopedia

The Fiat G.50 Freccia ("Arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...

") was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...

  with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...

 to go into production. Pilots disliked the sliding cockpit canopy, which was not easy to open quickly and interfered with vision, so in later production series, an open cockpit was adopted. In early 1938, the Freccias served in the Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...

 including with the Aviazione Legionaria
Aviazione Legionaria
The Legionary Air Force was an expeditionary corps from the Italian Royal Air Force. It was set up in 1936 and sent to provide logistical and tactical support to Francisco Franco's Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War, alongside its German equivalent, the Condor Legion, and the Italian ground...

 in Spain, where they proved to be fast and, typical of most Italian designs, very manoeuvrable, however, the aircraft had inadequate armament (two Breda-SAFAT 12,7 mm machine guns). The Fiat G.50 was also used in small numbers by the Croatian Air Force and 35 were flown to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 where they served with distinction.

Design and development

The Fiat G.50 was designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli
Giuseppe Gabrielli
Giuseppe Gabrielli was an Italian aeronautics engineer. He is famous as designer of numerous Italian military aircraft, including the FIAT G.50 and G.55 World War II fighters....

, who started design of a single-engined monoplane fighter in April 1935. Production started in mid-summer 1936. Construction was entrusted to the workshops of CMASA (Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche S.A.) at Marina di Pisa
Marina di pisa
Marina di Pisa is a seaside resort of Tuscany, in central Italy.It is a frazione of the provincial capital of Pisa, which lies about 10 km to the east.-Geography:...

. The prototype first flew on 26 February 1937, with Comandante Giovanni de Briganti at the controls. In his first flight, de Briganti reached a top speed of 472 km/h and managed to climb to 6,000 meters in 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
The G.50 was the first front line Italian monoplane fighter with retractable undercarriage, and with these improvements, its maximum speed was 33 km/h (21 mph) faster than its contemporary, the biplane Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...

. Both types were powered by the 626 kW (840 hp) Fiat A.74 RC38
Fiat A.74
-See also:-References:*...

, 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...

.

In 1937, along with the first pre-series machines, a Gruppo sperimentale was formed. The first versions could have different armament: one or two 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Breda-SAFAT was a series of machine-guns mounted on Italian aircraft during World War II. The weapon came in 7.7mm and 12.7mm variants. The 7.7mm model was similar to the M1919 Browning machine gun and could use some types of .303 British ammunition. The 12.7mm version could fire a...

s on the nose and two more 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT in the wings. Later versions were also distinguished by a larger rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...

.

In September 1937, Fiat received a first order for 45 aircraft. Before a larger order was placed, the Air Ministry decided to hold a comparative test with the new Macchi MC.200. On 20 October 1937, Comandante Giovanni de Briganti, 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, flight tests showed the aircraft easily entered into autorotation
Autorotation
In aviation, autorotation refers to processes in both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. The term means significantly different things in each context....

 (uncontrolled spinning), a highly dangerous trait especially at low level, where recovery was impossible.

During a visit by Italian King Victor Emmanuel III and Prime Minister Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....

, another tragedy occurred in Guidonia. While performing a low, fast pass, three G.50s flown by the experienced pilots, Major Mario Bonzano and Lieutenants Beretta and Marasco encountered difficulty. Beretta's aircraft spun uncontrollably and crashed into the ammunition laboratory, killing the pilot. Despite the crashes, flight tests were satisfactory and the "Freccia" proved to be more maneuverable than the faster Macchi MC.200 which was declared the winner of the Caccia I ("Fighter One") competition on 9 June 1938. On account of its maneuverability, the Regia Aeronautica Commission decided to order the Fiat as well, while the third participant aircraft, the IMAM Ro. 51, was rejected.

In early 1938, the first examples were delivered to the Regia Aeronautica. Italian pilots did not like the enclosed canopy because it could not be opened quickly and because it was constructed from plexiglass of very poor quality prone to cracking, limiting 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, the Regia Aeronautica requested a two-seater trainer which was designated the G.50/B (Bicomando Bc.). The first were built in the second half of 1939. The student pilot sat in the front in a closed cockpit with two roll bars. The first five aircraft were part of the 1a serie ("first series"). Successive production was entrusted to CMASA who completed 106 G.50/Bs. A G.50/B was later transformed into a reconnaissance aircraft, equipped with planimetric
Planimetrics
-In Concept:Planimetrics has two roots: “planar” and “metrics,” which is a form of the suffix “-metry.” Essentially, the word refers to two-dimensional space, and the art of measuring, respectively.-In Geography:...

 camera. Another G.50/B was adapted with a hook to operate as a naval reconnaissance aircraft intended for the aircraft carrier Aquila
Italian aircraft carrier Aquila
Aquila was an Italian aircraft carrier converted from the trans-Atlantic passenger liner during World War II. Work on Aquila began in late 1941 at the Ansaldo shipyard in Genoa and continued for the next two years. With the signing of the Italian armistice on 8 September 1943, however, all work...

, which was never completed . In September 1940 a slightly improved version appeared, the G.50 bis. Its main advantage was extended combat range due to an additional tank of 104 litre, increasing range from 645 km to 1,000 km.
The last version was the G.50/V (Veloce) built in mid-1941 by CMASA, equipped with a DB.601 engine of 1,075 CV. During tests at Fiat Aviazione's airfield in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

, 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, Gabrielli had already designed the Fiat G.55
Fiat G.55
The Fiat G.55 Centauro was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica and the A.N.R. in 1943-1945. It was designed and built in Turin by Fiat. The Fiat G.55 was probably the best type produced in Italy during World War II, but it did not enter...

 and Fiat had already obtained the licence to build the 1,475 CV Daimler Benz 605, 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 Fiat Aviazione and 358 coming from CMASA. 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 Regia Aeronautica. During the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...

, about a dozen G.50s were sent to Spain to reinforce the Aviazione Legionaria. The type proved extremely maneuverable, it was one of Italy's 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.

Battle of Britain

In September 1940, 20° Gruppo (Squadriglie 351/352/353), commanded by Maggiore Mario Bonzano, equipped with Fiat G.50 was part of the 56° Stormo formed to operate during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...

 as part of the Corpo Aereo Italiano
Corpo Aereo Italiano
The "Italian Air Corps" was an expeditionary force of the Italian Royal Air Force that participated in the Battle of Britain during the final months of 1940 during World War II. The CAI supported the German Air Force and flew against the British Royal Air Force...

 based in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, with 18° Gruppo (Fiat CR.42). 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 (Roncali (13 February 1941) and Meneghini (3 April), both of 352a Squadriglia), while two G.50s were damaged by German fighters and flak.

The experiences of the early series G.50s over Britain showed the inadequacies of the type. Its operations were almost useless in the campaign because they were too short-ranged and stationed too away from England. The G.50s had limited endurance, with missions rarely exceeding one hour. The G.50bis with larger fuel tanks was already in production, but it was not sent to 20° Gruppo in time. Performance was also lacking; when 22 Fiat G.50s intercepted several Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...

s on 5 November 1940, the RAF fighters easily escaped. On 21 November, when a Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...

 attacked the Medgelem airfield two G.50s scrambled, but lost the bomber in the clouds. On 23 November, G.50s followed four Hurricanes, but were unable to close on them. Another fruitless intercept took place on 31 January, when G.50s lost a Blenheim that escaped into the clouds. The last sighting of enemy aircraft (fighters) occurred on 8 April 1941, when, once again, the elusive targets were not intercepted.

The G.50s were early models with an open canopy, useful in Mediterranean climes, but the pilots suffered heavily in the bad weather of northern Europe. The aircraft was also under-equipped, with a mediocre radio set (powered by batteries, prone to freeze at altitude) and lacking any armour protection. In Belgium, 20° Gruppo had the opportunity to see the Bf 109 in action with several G.50 pilots trained to fly the type with two Bf 109Es sent to the Gruppo in mid-January 1941.

The G.50s returned to Italy and later the 20° Gruppo had the G.50bis that had the endurance required for operational missions utilizing an extra fuel tank in the internal fuselage section originally configured as a bomb bay, but this series was primarily utilized over Africa. In the second half of the war, the G.50 operated as a multirole fighter/ground attack aircraft, with external bombs only. During the opening phase of the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...

, the G.50 was the most numerous aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica to counter attack the Allied landings. Just before the invasion, the Regia Aeronautica moved to Southern Italy. 50° Stormo Assalto, a specialized ground attack unit was equipped with Fiat G.50bis fighter-bombers. As soon the invasion started, on 10 July 1943, further units were rushed to the area. With other Italian and German ground attack units, 45 Fiat G.50bis of 158° and 159° Gruppi Assalto, from Pistoia were committed to attack ships, landing craft and troops. On 11 July, 10 of them were in action with Re.2002s (escorted by five Re.2005s of 362a Squadriglia), when they were intercepted by an overwhelming fighter “umbrella”. Three G.50s were shot down, including Tenente Colonnello Guido Nobili, commander of 5° Stormo Assalto. The remainder landed on an airfield but were destroyed by an incoming air attack.

By the time of the Italian Armistice with the Allies
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...

, only a few G.50s were left in Italian service. Some were used as part of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force , or Air Force of the South , was the air force of the Royalist "Badoglio government" in southern Italy during the last years of World War II. The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September...

, while four others were used by the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
thumb|250px|Wing emblem of the A.N.R. from 1944 to 1945.The National Republican Air Force was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force in northern Italy.-Description:This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of...

 as fighter trainer
Trainer (aircraft)
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...

s.

The top scoring Italian pilot in a Fiat G.50 was Furio Lauri, who was credited with 11 "kills" before the end of 1941 with a final score of 18.

North Africa

The first 27 Fiat G.50s, belonging to Squadriglie 150a and 152a from 2° Gruppo Autonomo C.T., arrived in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....

 on 27 December 1940, operating from Brindisi
Brindisi
Brindisi is a city in the Apulia region of Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea.Historically, the city has played an important role in commerce and culture, due to its position on the Italian Peninsula and its natural port on the Adriatic Sea. The city...

 and Grottaglie
Grottaglie
Grottaglie is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, Puglia, southern Italy.-Geography:Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, a whole rock of limestone dividing Adriatic sea from Ionian sea. The countryside around the city is scattered with vast and deep ravines that open the ground...

 airfields. They flew their first combat mission on 9 January 1941 when Capitano Pilota Tullio Del Prato (already known to have been a Reggiane Test pilot), Comandante of 150a Squadriglia encountered a Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...

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

In Africa, although the G.50s were mainly outperformed, G.50 pilots sometimes managed to shoot down the faster and better armed Hurricanes and P-40s. G.50s were faster than biplanes, as showed in 1939 air exercises, so they could be useful against British bombers, even if their armament was relatively weak and often insufficient to shot down their target. At that time, the G.50s were the better -bis version, that was also heavier although the extra fuel provided almost two hours of flight time. The G.50s did not carry bombs, but used HE and incendiary bullets. Their usual tactic with the G.50 was to dive from 1,500 meters but the type never flew very high over Africa, with the usual ceiling not exceeding 4,500 m. The aircraft were still lacking radios and the desert sand, despite their air filter, could cut the engine lifespan to only 70–80 hours.

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 Castel Benito airfield to patrol Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...

 harbour, and duly intercepted seven Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...

 light bombers 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. One Blenheim ditched in the sea while another was shot down a few miles north of Tripoli. Two more Blenheims flown never returned to Luqa
Luqa
Ħal Luqa is a village located in the south east of Malta. It is an old town that has a dense population, typical of the Maltese Islands. The population of Ħal Luqa is 6,028 . There is a church in its main square dedicated to St. Andrew. The traditional feast of St...

 airfield in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

 and were posted as missing. For these successes Buvoli was awarded with the Medaglia d’argento al Valor Militare
Silver Medal of Military Valor
The Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...

 and was subsequently credited with four kills, No. 110 Squadron RAF
No. 110 Squadron RAF
-Formation and World War I:No. 110 Squadron RFC was formed on 1 November 1917, at Rendcomb, Gloucestershire and was equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. The squadron moved to Kenley the following year and re-equipped with the DH.9A - the first squadron to employ this aircraft. Its original complement of...

 reporting the loss of a similar number of Blenheims IVs on its very first mission since arriving in Malta from UK in early July.
One of the units fielded by the Regia Aeronautica was the 155° Gruppo, based at Derna airfield. One of the few first claims by "Freccias" pilots was on 9 April 1941, when Tenente Pilota Carlo Cugnasca (an expert pilot, and the first one that delivered a G.50 in Finland), attacked three Hurricanes Mk Is from No. 73 Squadron RAF
No. 73 Squadron RAF
-World War I:It was initially a unit of the Royal Flying Corps and was formed out of the Central Flying School, based at Upavon, Wiltshire. Eight days after, the new unit moved to Lilbourne, near Rugby....

, claiming one although this air victory was not confirmed. In return, he was forced to crash-land his G.50, flipping over the airstrip, but remaining unharmed. At low level, the clashes were often confused and with unpredictable effects, and the tactical surprise was often what made the difference, as the next battle showed. Cugnasca was still in action 14 April; that day, 66 Axis aircraft attacked Tobruk. They were mainly Ju.87 Stukas (42 from Lutftwaffe III./StG 1 and II./StG 2, and seven from 96° Gruppo), escorted by eight G.50s (155° Gr), four C.R.42s (18° Gr) and five Bf 110 (III.ZG 26). The defenders were too few, being only those of 73° Sqn. RAF Hurricanes had to attack the bombers without much care about Axis fighters. But Stukas were too dangerous to leave free, being so precise and lethal machines. Cugnasca and Marinelli attacked H.G. Webster, when he was shooting to a Stuka. Hurricanes with Stokes air-filter were only marginally faster than a G.50, so Webster was followed and finally shot down and killed (Hurricane V7553) over Tobruk. "Smudgeon" Smith, a Canadian ace (with five victories) saw what was going on, and attacked both Cugnasca and Marinelli, shooting down and killed them. Finally, Smith attacked and damaged another G.50, but commander Fanello saw him and saved the third G.50, surprising and shooting down Smith. That day was a draw, with two G.50 and two Hurricane lost. Both Smith and Cugnasca were well known and respected, so it was also a human heavy loss for both sides.

G.50s operated from Martuba airfield with the first attack over Sidi el Barrani airfield made seven days later. On 4 July 1941, six G.50s attacked again, strafing aircraft and ground equipment. G.50s continued in operations, with the worst day for them during 'Operation Crusader'. On 18 November, the Desert Air Force destroyed 13 aircraft on the Ain el Gazala airfields; 10 of them were G.50s. On 19 November, 20° Gruppo was based at Sid el Rezegh. That day, British armoured forces (40 Crusaders of 6th RTR and several units of 3rd Brigade, South African Regiment, both part of 7th Armoured Brigade) suddenly attacked the airfield. Of the 19 G.50s, only three escaped from the airfield, where 80 pilots and ground crew were taken as POW. In only two days, Regia Aeronautica lost 34 aircraft. In total, G.50s losses were no less but 26, and the 20° Gruppo was almost destroyed, since it had only 36 G.50s with 27 of them serviceable. Tente Col Mario Bonzano, commander of 20° Groupo, was among the captured, while his vice, Furio Niclot Doglio
Furio Niclot Doglio
Furio Niclot Doglio, MOVM was an Italian test pilot and World War II fighter pilot in the Regia Aeronautica. Doglio set nine world aviation records in the 1930s during his time as a test pilot. During the war, he claimed seven kills , flying FIAT G. 50s and Macchi C. 202s, establishing himself as...

, was almost shot down since he was not aware of the British operation. Several G.50s were captured almost intact and at least one was taken from No. 260 and later passed to No. 272 Sqn.

After 1941, G.50s played a minor role in the Regia Aeronautica. In June 1942, British intelligence estimated the 12° Gruppo having 26 G.50s (10 serviceable), while the backbone of 5a Squadra Aerea were 104 C.202s, 63 C.200s, 32 Z.1007 and 31 S.79s.

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 Berat
Berat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...

) 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 Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...

-Grottaglie
Grottaglie
Grottaglie is a town and comune in the province of Taranto, Puglia, southern Italy.-Geography:Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, a whole rock of limestone dividing Adriatic sea from Ionian sea. The countryside around the city is scattered with vast and deep ravines that open the ground...

 airfield.

During the Greece campaign, adverse weather conditions hampered the air operations for the most part of the time; but nevertheless, there were several days in which fierce battles were fought, often with a large amount of overclaiming made by both sides. Early on 20 February 1941, Hawker Hurricane fighters were engaged in their first aerial combat over the Balkans when seven 54° Gruppo G.50s scrambled from Devoli to intercept a formation of RAF bombers with their Hurricane escorts. A few days earlier, a British cargo ship had delivered six Hurricanes and several Wellingtons to Paramythia and these few aircraft boosted the RAF power in the region. "Freccias" claiming a bomber and a fighter while the British claimed four G.50s. On the same day, in the afternoon, 15 G.50s engaged a large mixed formation of RAF Gloster Gladiators claiming 10 aircraft for the loss of one Fiat. RAF claimed three G.50s without any losses. Postwar records showed only a Bristol Blenheim and a G.50 lost for the day. On 28 February 1941 another massive air battle had RAF units intercepting Italian bombers and escorts, claiming five BR.20, three Sm.79s, 13 CR.42s and six G.50s, plus several others damaged. Italians claimed six Gladiators and one Spitfire. The recorded losses were one Gladiator (No.112 Sqn) and eight Italian aircraft, included two G.50bis (24o Gruppo) and four BR.20s (many more were damaged). After this aerial battle, the Regia Aeronauticawas no longer effective in the theatre.

On 4 March 1941, a Fiat G.50 bis shot down the Hurricane V7288 of Australian RAF ace Flight Lieutenant Nigel "Ape" Cullen
Nigel Cullen
Richard Nigel Cullen DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War II. Serving with the Royal Air Force , he was credited with sixteen aerial victories before being killed in action during the Battle of Greece...

  (credited with 15/16 victories) off Valona
Valona
The valona is a popular narrative song- and poetry-form of the Mexican state of Michoacán. Its main characteristics are: a bitter sense of humor, mainly with reference to erotism and social concerns; its lyrics are composed as groupings of ten-line strophes, each line made up of eight syllables;...

 coast (Albania), while he was flying as wingman for ace Marmaduke "Pat" Pattle
Marmaduke Pattle
Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St. John "Pat" Pattle DFC & Bar was a South African-born Second World War flying ace for the Royal Air Force. Pattle was a fighter ace with a very high score, and is sometimes noted as being the highest-scoring British and Commonwealth pilot of the Second World War...

. In the Greek campaign, the Fiat 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 service in the two Finnish wars against the Soviet Union, the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...

 1939-1940 and the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...

 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 Guidonia airport and later at Fiat Aviazione
Fiat Aviazione
Fiat Aviazione was an Italian aircraft manufacturer, at one time part of the Fiat group, focused mainly on military aviation. After the World War I, Fiat consolidated several Italian small aircraft manufacturers, like Pomilio and Ansaldo. Most famous were Fiat biplane fighter aircraft of the 1930s,...

 in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

. On a training flight, Lieutenant Tapani Harmaja during a dive from 3,500 meters, reached an estimated speed of 780 km/h, considered excessive for the structural integrity of the aircraft (the windscreen was damaged in the process)

Germany hindered the transit of the aircraft, consequently, the Fiats were disassembled and embarked in La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...

 on the Norwegian ship Braga, that set sail on 20 January, bound for Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...

, Finland.
Due to this delay the first Fiat fighters did not reach HLevLv 26 at Utti
Utti
Utti is a village in Kouvola, Finland. In 1789 the Battle of Utti took place there between Swedish and Russian forces. In 1918 General Carl Gustaf Mannerheim set up the first Finnish Air Force base in the village. Today, Utti is best known for the Utti Jaeger Regiment, a helicopter base and a...

, until February 1940, too late to affect the course of the winter battles that year. The first kill was achivied on 26 February.

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 Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
The M.S.406 was a French Armée de l'Air fighter aircraft built by Morane-Saulnier starting in 1938. Numerically it was France's most important fighter during the opening stages of World War II....

 and even the Brewster Buffalo
Brewster Buffalo
The Brewster F2A Buffalo was an American fighter aircraft which saw limited service early in World War II. Though the Buffalo won a competition against the Grumman F4F Wildcat in 1939 to become the US Navy's first monoplane fighter aircraft, it turned out to be a big disappointment...

 to the Fiat G.50. Overall, HLeLv 26 archivied 11 kills vs one loss (plus another in an accident, as there were two Finnish pilots killed). Freccia's were numbered FA-1/FA-35, but it seems that only 33 were delivered (13 in February, 17 in March an one in June). The G.50s were taken from the 235 made by CMSA, both Serie I and Serie II aircraft but all had the open cockpit of the Serie II, a feature that Finnish pilots didn't like, especially in the winter. There were some attempts to improve the aircraft; one was tested with an enclosed cockpit, another with a D.XXI ski-undercarriage, but none of the modifications were accepted in service. Better protection for the propellers (with problems at extremely low temperatures) and few other changes were introduced. The speed of the Finnish G.50s was around 430–450 km/h, much lower than the standard series could achieve.

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, Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

 Olli Puhakka
Olli Puhakka
Risto Olli Pekka Puhakka was born on 11 April 1916 in Sortavala and died on January 28, 1989. He was one of the top scoring aces in the Finnish Air Force with 42 confirmed victories....

 and Sergeant L. Aaltonen being the most successful Fiat pilots with two victories each.

During the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...

, the Fiat fighters were most successful during the Finnish offensive of 1941, after that they became increasingly less effective. In 1941, the Fiat squadron, LLv 26, claimed 52 victories against the loss of only two fighters. 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. Nevertheless, between 30 November 1939 and 4 September 1944, HLeLv 26's G.50s shot down 99 enemy aircraft, shooting down more modern aircraft, such as the British fighters sent to URSS. In the same period, Finnish squadrons lost 41 aircraft (12 were G.50s and 10 more lost flak and non combat causes), including Bulldog IIAs
Bristol Bulldog
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. The Bristol Bulldog . Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1965.* Barnes, C.H. Bristol Aircraft Since 1910. London: Putnam, 1964....

, Fokker D.XXI
Fokker D.XXI
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* De Jong, Peter. Le Fokker D.21 . Outreau, France: Éditions Lela Presse, 2005. ISBN 2-914017-26-X....

s, Gloster Gladiators and Brewster B-239s. The most successful Fiat G.50 fighter pilots were O. Tuominen
Oiva Tuominen
Oiva Emil Kalervo Tuominen was a Finnish fighter ace and a Mannerheim Cross knight of the second class. He flew over 400 flights and shot down 44 Soviet aircraft...

 (23 victories with G.50s), Capt Risto O. Puhakka
Olli Puhakka
Risto Olli Pekka Puhakka was born on 11 April 1916 in Sortavala and died on January 28, 1989. He was one of the top scoring aces in the Finnish Air Force with 42 confirmed victories....

 (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. They were not more than 10-12 and, even as trainers, they lasted not too long, since lacked spare parts. Differently than the older MS.406, there was no effort to change their engine making them better and faster, and probably at the end of the war they were already phased-out.

In Croatian service

In October 1941, the Croatian Air Force Legion
Croatian Air Force Legion
The Croatian Air Force Legion , or HZL, also known as the Croatian Legion, was a military unit of the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia which fought alongside the Luftwaffe on the Eastern Front from 1941 to 1943 and then back on Croatian soil...

 requested military aid from Italy and Italy agreed to deliver 10 Fiat G.50s (nine single seaters and one two seater) along with ancilliary equipment. On 12 June 1942 the Fiat G.50bis fighters took off from Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...

-Fiat Aviazione
Fiat Aviazione
Fiat Aviazione was an Italian aircraft manufacturer, at one time part of the Fiat group, focused mainly on military aviation. After the World War I, Fiat consolidated several Italian small aircraft manufacturers, like Pomilio and Ansaldo. Most famous were Fiat biplane fighter aircraft of the 1930s,...

 for Croatia, but before they reached the border were stopped by an order from Capo di Stato Maggiore Ugo Cavallero, who feared that the Croatian pilots would defect. The G.50s had to wait until 25 June before being delivered to the Croatian Air Force. and were then allocated to the 16th Jato at Banja Luka and were intensively used until 1945 against Yugoslav Partisans, at first in Bosnia and Herzegovina, then in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

 and Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....

. During 1942, a Croatian G.50bis squadron was transferred from Northern Yougoslavia to the Ukrainian Front, flanking the 4th Luftflotte.
On 25 June 1943, the Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Drzave Hrvatske (ZNDH), the Air Force of Independent State of Croatia, received nine G.50bis fighters and one G.50B. In October while based at Zaluani airfield, Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...

 they flew many strafing mission against partisans for nearly a year.

After the Italian armistice of 8 September 1943, the Luftwaffe supplied the Croatian Air Force Legion with 20 to 25 Fiat G.50s captured on Regia Aeronautica airfields in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...

. These equipped two Croatian fighter units. but by the end of 1943 only 10 remained. Three G.50s captured after the Armistice were loaned to Kro JGr 1 at the beginning of 1944.
In 1944 some of the G.50s were operated at the Brezice
Brežice
Brežice is a city and municipality in eastern Slovenia in the Lower Sava Valley, near the Croatian border. The area was traditionally divided between Lower Styria and Lower Carniola...

 training school until 1945, when they were captured by Yugoslav Partisans. Postwar, the Fiat G.50s were used for some time by the newly formed Yugoslav Air Force
Yugoslav Air Force
The Yugoslav Air Force may refer to:Kingdom of Yugoslavia*Yugoslav Royal Air Force, active from 1918 to 1941.Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia*SFR Yugoslav Air Force, active from 1945 to 1991....

 (SFR), the last G.50s in active service.

Variants

G.50
First production version.

G.50 bis
Development of the G.50 version with extended range, 421 built.

G.50ter
More powerful version with a 746 kW (1,000 hp) Fiat A.76 engine, one built.

G.50V
Liquid-cooled V12 variant with a Daimler-Benz DB 601
Daimler-Benz DB 601
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Mankau, Heinz and Peter Petrick. Messerschmitt Bf 110, Me 210, Me 410. Raumfahrt, Germany: Aviatic Verlag, 2001. ISBN 3-92550-562-8.* Neil Gregor Daimler-Benz in the Third Reich. Yale University Press, 1998-External links:...

 engine, one built.

G.50bis A/N
Two-seat fighter-bomber prototype, one built.

G.50B
Two-seat trainer version.

G.51
Projected production version of the G.50V, abandoned infavour of the Fiat G.55
Fiat G.55
The Fiat G.55 Centauro was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica and the A.N.R. in 1943-1945. It was designed and built in Turin by Fiat. The Fiat G.55 was probably the best type produced in Italy during World War II, but it did not enter...

.

G.52
Projected version of the G.50, powered by a Fiat A.75 R.C.53 engine. The engine never materialised so the G.52 was never built.

Operators

 Independent State of Croatia
  • Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia
    Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia
    The Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia, the Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske was the national air force of the Independent State of Croatia during World War II, founded under German authority in April 1941...

     received 15+ aircraft.

  • Finnish Air Force
    Finnish Air Force
    The Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions...

     received 35 aircraft.
    • No. 26 Squadron, Finnish Air Force

 Nazi Germany
  • Luftwaffe
    Luftwaffe
    Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....


 Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic)
  • Regia Aeronautica
    Regia Aeronautica
    The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...


 Italian Social Republic
  • Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
    Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
    thumb|250px|Wing emblem of the A.N.R. from 1944 to 1945.The National Republican Air Force was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force in northern Italy.-Description:This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of...


 Spain
  • Ejército del Aire
    Spanish Air Force
    -The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...


  • SFR Yugoslav Air Force
    SFR Yugoslav Air Force
    The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslav Air Force , was the air force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Formed in 1945, it was preceded by the Yugoslav Royal Air Force which was disbanded in 1941, following the German occupation of Yugoslavia...

     1 ex-Croatian.

Survivors

Currently, the only known G.50 bis still in existence is undergoing restoration in the Museum of Aviation, in Surčin
Surcin
Surčin is a neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is the youngest of Belgrade's 17 municipalities, as it split from the municipality of Zemun in 2003. Surčin municipality has 38,695 residents while Surčin town itself has 14,292...

, at Nikola Tesla Airport, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...

.

Specifications (G.50)

See also

External links

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