Fiat CR.42
| GENERAL DATA | |||
| Other Designation(s) | Falco |
||
| Type |
Fighter |
Crew | 1 |
| Manufacturer(s) | Fiat Aviazione |
||
| Production | 1781, 1819 * (February 1939 –
Late 1943) |
||
| Prototype first flight | 23 May 1938 |
Introduction | 1939 |
(*) most likely estimate, including the 63 (51 according to some sources) produced under Luftwaffe control and the 140 produced for export.
| Variants | |||
| CR.42 | Early CR.42s were armed with one 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine gun and one 7.7 mm (.303 in) machine gun. The CR.42bis replaced the 7.7 mm with a second 12.7 mm. | ||
| CR.42 Egeo | Equipped for service within the Aegean theater, outfitted with an extra 100 L fuel tank in the fuselage. | ||
| CR.42AS | A close air-support version. The two standard 12.7 mm machine guns could be supplemented with two more. There were underwing racks for two 100 kg bombs. AS stands for 'Africa Settentrionale.' There was an additional engine filter to prevent damage from sand which caused a loss in power, a common occurrence in North Africa, since filter-less engines could be damaged after only a few hours use. | ||
| CR.42B | Dedicated 2 seat trainer variant with a lengthened fuselage to accommodate the 2nd cockpit. | ||
| CR.42bis | Standard armament of two 12.7 mm machine guns mounted. | ||
| CR.42CN | Night fighter version sometimes equipped with spotlights mounted under the wings and/or extended engine exhausts. | ||
| CR.42ter | 2 × 12.7 mm (.5 in) machine guns with two additional guns mounted in blisters under the wings. | ||
| ICR.42 | Experimental floatplane version designed by CMASA, top speed decreased by only 8 km/h in spite of the 124 kg increase in weight. | ||
| CR.42LW | Night harassment, anti-partisan aircraft for the German Luftwaffe. The aircraft were equipped with exhaust flame dampers, a pair of 12.7 mm machine guns and underwing racks for four 50 kg bombs. 150 were built, of which 112 were accepted into service by the Luftwaffe. | ||
| CR.42 "Bombe Alari" | (unofficial but widely used name) Modification carried out at SRAMs (repair centers), to allow outdated fighters to be used in the ground attack role. Underwing pylons for 2 × 50 kg bombs were added; often these pylons were loaded with 100 kg bombs. The same modification was carried out on Fiat G.50s and Macchi C.200s. | ||
| CR.42 two-seaters | Several Italian CR.42s were converted into two-seat communications aircraft. | ||
| CR.42DB | One CR.42 was fitted with an early 1200 hp DB 601A inline engine. A speed of 525 km/h was attained. | ||
| DIMENSIONS | |||
| Length | 8.25 m |
Empty Weight | 1782 kg |
| Wingspan | 9.7 m (upper) - 6.5 m (lower) |
Loaded Weight | 2295 kg |
| Height | 3.585 m |
Max takeoff weight | 2415 kg |
| Wing area | 22.4 m² |
Wing loading | 102 kg/m² |
| ARMAMENT | ||||
| Main Gun | Upper
Cowling |
2 × 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT
MG * |
Ammunition Carried |
2 x 400 |
| Secondary Guns | - |
Ammunition Carried | - |
|
| Bombs | 200 kg of bombs on 2 × wing
hardpoints |
|||
(*) early: 1x Breda SAFAT 7.7 mm (0.303 in) and 1x Breda SAFAT 12.7 mm (0.500 in) machine gun, plus 2 × 12.7 mm (0.500 in) machine guns in underwing fairing on some.
| POWERPLANT | |||
| Engine | 1 ×
Fiat A.74 R.C.38 |
Type & Displacement | 14 cylinder air-cooled radial,
31.25 L |
| Horsepower (maximum) | 841 hp at 2400 m |
Power/Weight Ratio | 366.45 hp / ton * |
| Fuel Capacity | ?
|
||
(*) with the loaded weight
| PERFORMANCES | |||
| Maximum Speed | 441 km/h
at 6100 m |
Cruise Speed | 399 km/h |
| Landing Speed | 128 km/h |
Service Ceiling | 10210 m |
| Rate of Climb | 11.8 m/s |
Range | 780 km |
| Sources | |||
| Wikipédia | aviationsmilitaires.net | ||
Drawings |
