The Fiat CR.32 was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica Italiana before and during World War II. It also served in Spain in their civil war prior to World War 2 and manufactured there as the HA-132-L-'Chirri'. 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 were still a potent weapon of war. Consequently, in May 1939, prior to Italy entering World War II, the CR.32 fighters in bis, ter and quater versions, represented two thirds of all fighters in the Regia Aeronautica with a total of 288 based in Italy and North Africa and a further 24 were stationed in East Africa. It was modern enough for several air forces around the world, being used also in the Sino-Japanese war, in South America and Hungary. It remained in action till being replaced in 1943, relegating it to night time patrols and training.
Development
The Fiat CR 32 was designed by Fiats foremost aircraft designer of the time, Celestino Rosatelli, who would also design the Cr.42 'Falco'. The Fiat CR.32 was a refined version of the CR.30 that was in service, but needed replacing. As soon as the CR.30 was completed Rosatelli began work on an improved version. The CR.32 kept most of the design features of the CR.30, but was smaller in every dimension, where the length was reduced as well as the wingspan. Weight was redistributed to improve manoeuvrability, most significantly by moving the fuel tanks, which now included an auxiliary fuel tank built into the centre of the upper wing. The engine was the water-cooled Fiat A.30 R.A.. Designed in 1930, it was a 60° V 12, producing 447 kW (600 hp) at 2,600 rpm, inspired by the American Curtiss D-12. It drove a 2.82 meter two-blade metal propeller with variable pitch ('a passo variabile') but only adjustable on the ground, not in flight. It was originally armed with two Breda SAFAT 7.7 mm (0.303 in) machine guns. The prototype MM.201 first flew the 28 April 1933 from the Fiat company airfield at Turin and was ordered into production in March 1934 and remained in production until 1939.
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Into service
The first production orders were received in March 1934, and the type soon equipped the 1°, 3° and 4° Stormi of the Regia Aeronautica. The aircraft was sturdy, manouverable and well liked by its pilots and crew. Aerobatic dispalys were flown all over Europe and in 1937, the air shows were then flown in South America.
Spain
A total of 377 CR.32s were delivered to Spain during the Civil War, of which 199 were still in service at the end of the war in March 1939. On 18 August 1936, the first 12 CR.32 Freccias arrived in Spain and formed the Squadriglia "Gamba di Ferro", "Cucaracha" and "Asso di Bastoni" of 3° Stormo. The CR.32 quickly outclassed the Polikarpov I-15, possessing more firepower. The Polikarpov I-16 was potentially more dangerous, with a top speed over 60mph faster than that of the CR.32, but the CR.32 had been upgraded and was better armed, with two .5in guns to the four .303in guns of the I-16, had a better turning circle, diving speed and was more manoeuvrable. After a costly first encounter in November 1936 the pilots of the Italian aircraft worked out how to handle the faster Soviet aircraft, and gained an advantage over them. The Fiat biplane proved to be effective with Aviación Legionaria claiming 60 (48 confirmed) modern Russian bombers Tupolev SB, 242 Polikarpov I-15 biplane fighters and 240 Polikarpov I-16 monoplane fighters, plus another hundred not confirmed. Fiat C.R.32 losses were only 73, but according to some sources, of the 376 Fiat shipped to Spain, 175 (43 Spanish operated and 132 Italian) were lost, including 99 (26 Spanish and 73 Italian) shot down, while, by January 1939, the I-15s shot down were just 88. Eventually, the surviving Italian aircraft were handed over to the Spanish Air Force and their Italian crews returned home.
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North Africa
When Italy declared war on Britain and France on 10 June 1940, 36 CR.32s together with 51 Fiat CR.42s formed the operational fighter force of the Regia Aeronautica in Libya. The first combat between CR.32s and British aircraft came the following day. Six CR.32s intercepted a formation of Bristol Blenheim bombers attacking the airfield at El Adem, claiming two Blenheims shot down and the remaining four damaged (compared with actual British losses of two Blenheims lost and two damaged), for no losses.
East Africa
In the opening of hostilities, the 410a and 411a Squadriglia CR.32s (which represented half of all the fighters operational in the Italian colony) destroyed a number of British and South African aircraft. The Fiats received their baptism of fire on 17 June, when CR.32s of 411a Squadriglia flown by Tenente Aldo Meoli and Maresciallo Bossi attacked three South African Air Force Junkers Ju 86 bombers bound for Yavello, escorted by two Hurricanes of 1 SAAF Squadron. The Fiat CR.32s shot down one of the Ju 86s and then pounced on the Hurricanes, shooting down the one flown by 2/Lt B.L. Griffiths, who was killed in the crash. Their opponents included Bristol Blenheims and Hawker Hurricanes. This was their greatest wartime success achieved by the CR.32 in Italian East Africa. 410a Squadriglia managed to shoot down a total of 14 enemy aircraft before being disbanded. The CR.32s obtained other kills, despite having to face an ever increasing number of more modern aircraft. But the impossibility of obtaining replacements and spare parts from the motherland caused the gradual thinning of the rows of CR.32s. On 10 January 1941 there were still 22 CR.32s in service, on 31 January there were 14, on 10 February 11 and on 5 March just eight. The last CR.32 survived until mid-April 1941.
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Mediterranean
Fourteen CR.32s of 160° Gruppo and nine of 2° Gruppo from 6° Stormo saw action against Greece in the first weeks after the attack of 28 October 1940. Eight more from 163aa Squadriglia, based at Gadurrŕ airport on Rhodes, took part in the invasion of Crete. CR.32s of 3° Gruppo operated in Sardinia, but in the period of July-December 1940 their number fell from 28 to seven serviceable aircraft. Fourteen CR.32s of 160° Gruppo and nine of 2° Gruppo from 6° Stormo saw action against Greece in the first weeks after the attack of 28 October 1940. Eight more from 163aa Squadriglia, based in Gadurrŕ airport, on Rhodes island, took part in the occupation of Crete. CR.32s of 3° Gruppo operated in Sardinia but in the period July-December 1940, their number had fallen from 28 to seven serviceable aircraft. Italian ground crews lacked the fuel, ammunition, and spare components to properly maintain their aircraft, often resulting to improvisation due to the poor supply situation, which severely impacted the fighter's operational effectiveness.
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International Purchases
China
The first international operator of the CR.32 was Chiang Kai-shek 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. Problems with spare parts and the aircraft's fuel mixture of alcohol, benzole and petrol stopped China from ordering more aircraft. By May 1936, only six CR.32s were still operational. In August 1937, the remaining CR.32s were used with some initial success in Shanghai against the invading Japanese.but by late 1937 when the Chinese capital at Nanjing fell, all Fiats had been lost.
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Hungary
Even though Hungary gained her independence from Austria after World War One, it was not allowed to have an independent air force. Not unlike Germany, it created an air force in secret. In 1935 Italy and Hungary signed the Rome Protocol. This was followed by an order for either 52 or 76 CR.32s, armed with two .303in machine guns. The Magyar Királyi Honvéd Légiero, the Royal Hungarian Air Force (MKHL), acquired a total of 76 CR.32's in 1935 and 1936. MKHL Fiat biplanes had their baptism of fire in 1939, during the short conflict with the new state of Slovakia. In June 1941, the kingdom of Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union, the CR.32 fighter equipped two of the units that supported the Hungarian Army on the Eastern Front: 1./I Group of 1st Fighter Wing, based in Szolnok, and 2./I Group, of 2nd Fighter Wing, based at Nyíregyháza. On 29 June, the first aerial combat over Hungary took place, when seven Tupolev SB-2 bombers attacked the railway station at Csap and were intercepted by the Fiat CR.32s from 2/3 Fighter squadron. The Fiat biplanes claimed to have shot down three of the raiders, however this has been disputed, with some sources saying the CR.32s failed to intercept the bombers at all.
Retirement
By 1942, the type was relegated to only night missions as newer fighters were put into service. Some 1052 CR.32's of all variants were built from 1934 to 1939. The last front line CR.32 survived until mid-April 1941 when they 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.
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Cr.42 Falco
G.50 Freccia
G.55 Centauro
C.200 Saetta
C.202 Folgore
CZ.1007 Alcione
SM.79 Sparviero
Fiat CR.32
