The Fiat CR.42 'Falco' (eng: 'Falcon') 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. It was modern enough for several air forces around the world at the time as it was at the pinnacle of biplane design. However, at the beginning of the war, it was outdated.
Development
The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary. With more than 1,800 built, it was the most widely produced Italian aircraft to take part in World War II. Even by 1939 standards, the CR.42 played the role of outdated aircraft by sheer appearance. The system designed by Celestino Rosatelli utilized a sesquiplane biplane approach where the lower wing assembly was shorter in span than the upper. The undercarriage remained fixed and the pilot sat in an open-air cockpit behind the engine and entire wing assembly. A Fiat-brand A.74 R1C 14-cylinder radial piston engine of 840 horsepower powered the type offering up good range and an adequate service ceiling. Armament initially consisted of a pair of synchronized 7.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns but this was later upgraded to a more potent array of 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns. The latter upgrade could also be complimented with an additional 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in underwing fairing positions. A bombload of up to 440lbs could be added underwing for strike sorties. The Fiat CR.42 was the last of the Fiat biplane fighters to enter front line service as a fighter, and represented the epitome of the type.
Into service
The CR.42 was initially fielded in 1939 with over 140 in service by the summer of 1940. CR.42's fared reasonably well as dogfighters and interceptors against French fighters and bombers over Southern France and were adept at bomber escorting and light bombing French ground targets. On 11 and 23 November 1940, CR.42s flew two raids against Great Britain as part of the 'Corpo Aereo Italiano'. Luftwaffe aircraft had difficulty flying in formation with the slower biplanes. Even though slower, with an open cockpit, no radio, and armed with only two machine guns, the CR.42's could easily outturn the Hurricanes and Spitfires and proved difficult to hit.
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In East and North Africa
It was in Africa that the CR.42 performed best. At the beginning of the war in Italian North Africa, there were 127 CR.42 from the 13° Gruppo (2° Stormo) at Castel Benito and from the 10° and 9° Gruppo of 4° Stormo in Benina, including reserve aircraft. Initially, the CR.42 was pitted against the contemporary Gloster Gladiators and Hawker Harts of the South African Air Force. Increasingly evident, the Fiat CR.42 was unable to operate effectively against modern aerial opposition, relying only on manoeuvrability and Regia Aeronautica piloting skills. However, on 8 August 1940, in an aerial duel between comparable rivals, 16 Fiat CR.42s from 9° and 10° Gruppi of 4° Stormo were 'bounced' by 14 Gladiators of 80 Squadron over Gabr Saleh (about 65 kilometres southeast of El Adem and 35 kilometres east of Bir El Gobi). Four CR.42s were shot down while four more force-landed (later recovered). The Italian pilots claimed five Gladiators in the dogfight (three shared amongst the pilots of 10° Gruppo and two shared by the 73a Squadriglia pilots) and two probables (the 90a Squadriglia's Diary reported six victories). That air combat highlighted the advantages of the Gladiator over the CR.42, especially radio equipment that could permit coordinated attacks, four machine guns versus two on the CR.42 and the Gladiator's superior low altitude overall performance, with a markedly superior horizontal manoeuvrability over the CR.42.
Other Airforces
The CR.42's first foreign purchaser was the Royal Hungarian Air Force '(MKHL)', which placed orders for 52 aircraft in mid-1938. The Hungarians, while aware that the CR.42 was conceptually outdated, considered the rapid re-equipment of their fighter component vital, the Italian government having expressed its willingness to forgo CR.42 delivery positions in order to expedite the re-equipment of Hungarian units. By the end of 1939, 17 CR.42s had reached Hungary. Although typically outclassed by more modern types, the Hungarian CR.42s scored 25 destroyed, one probable, one damaged and one aircraft destroyed on the ground, losing two planes to Soviet fighters. The surviving CR.42s were relegated to training roles. In spring 1944 a night assault CR.42 Squadron was formed.
In 1939 a mission from Belgium's Aéronautique Militaire purchased 40 CR.42s. The first operational squadron, IIème Group de Chasse (Fighter Group) based at Nivelles, south of Brussels, received its full complement of 15 while other units still awaited further deliveries. The exact quantity of CR.42s delivered to Belgium before the German attack on 10 May is estimated by historians to be between 24 and 27, the last being transported to France and lost in the railway station at Amiens.
From 1940 to 1941, Sweden received 72 CR.42s, which were equipped with radios, 20-millimetre (0.79 in) armour plate behind the pilot and ski landing gear. The Swedish aircraft were designated J 11.
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Final battles
After the Italian armistice the Luftwaffe took over the majority of Regia Aeronautica aircraft. Among these aircraft were a number of CR.42s. German Rüstungs-und-Kriegsproduktion Stab took control of Italy's northern aircraft industry, and ordered 200 CR.42LW (LW=Luftwaffe) from Fiat for the Luftwaffe, to use in night harassment and anti-partisan roles. Some of the captured Fiats were allocated to training divisions as well. The CR.42 was nicknamed Die Pressluftorgel or 'The Pneumatic Organ' by Luftwaffe trainee pilots, presumably because of its profusion of pneumatic systems. Due to Allied raids over the Fiat factory in Turin, only 150 CR.42LWs were completed, with 112 becoming operational. Another unit to use them in Southern Italy and the Balkans was Jagdgeschwader (JG)107 which flew them as night fighters, fighter-bombers and fighter-trainers. On 8 February 1945, 10 Luftwaffe CR.42LWs of Stab and 2. Staffel of Nachtschlachtgruppe 7, took off from their base in Agram-Gorica, Croatia, bound to strafe the airfield of Grabovica, used by partisan forces. But at the last moment they were sent to attack partisans northwest of Sisak. They were attacked by P-38 'Lightnings' of the 14th Fighter Group. The American fighters shot down three Fiat biplanes, but two P-38s did not return to base. This was the last recorded claim of a CR.42 in battle, to an unknown Luftwaffe pilot.
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Fiat CR.42 'Falco'
