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The Fiat G.50 ''Freccia'' ("Arrow") was a World War II Italian
fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
developed and manufactured by aviation company
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
. Upon entering service, the type became Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal
monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
that had an enclosed cockpit and retractable
undercarriage Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include: *The landing gear of an aircraft. *The ch ...
.Ethell 1995, p. 64. On 26 February 1937, the G.50 conducted its
maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
. During early 1938, the ''Freccias'' served in the ''
Regia Aeronautica The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') 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. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
'' (the Italian Air Force) and with its expeditionary arm, the ''
Aviazione Legionaria The Legionary Air Force ( it, Aviazione Legionaria, es, Aviación Legionaria) was an expeditionary corps from the Italian Royal Air Force that was set up in 1936. It was sent to provide logistical and tactical support to the Nationalist facti ...
'', in Spain, where they compared well in speed and manoeuvrability with their adversaries in the theatre.Gunston 1988, pp. 250–253. The fighter was extensively used on various fronts by Italy, including in
Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe Northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other g ...
,
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
, the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, and the Italian mainland. The G.50 commonly came up against the British
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
, which was fast enough to frequently outrun the Italian opponent, and could also outrange it. In addition, early in the Second World War it became apparent that the G.50 possessed inadequate armament, comprising a pair of Breda-SAFAT
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
s.Gunston 1988, p. 253. Later models of the fighter incorporated improvements, including an increase in fuel capacity that gave rise to a substantial increase in range. The G.50 was exported to several overseas customers, small numbers being flown by the
Croatian Air Force The Croatian Air Force ( hr, Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo or HRZ) is a branch of the Croatian Armed Forces whose primary task is to ensure the sovereignty of the airspace of the Republic of Croatia and to provide aviation support to other branc ...
while 35 G.50 fighters were shipped to
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, where they served with distinction during both the
Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
of 1939–1940 and the
Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...
of 1941–1944 against the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. In Finnish service, the type reportedly achieved an unprecedented kill/loss ratio of 33/1.Arena 1996, p. 483.


Development


Background

The Fiat G.50 had its origins in a design produced by Italian aeronautics engineer
Giuseppe Gabrielli Giuseppe Gabrielli (26 February 1903 – 29 November 1987) was an Italian aeronautics engineer. He is famous as the designer of numerous Italian military aircraft, including the Fiat G.50 Freccia and G.55 World War II fighters. He was born in ...
. This represented a major change for
Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...
, who previously relied on chief engineer
Celestino Rosatelli Celestino Rosatelli (8 April 1885 – 23 September 1945) was an Italian aeronautics engineer. Celestino Rosatelli was born in Belmonte in Sabina, close to Rieti, to Bernardino Rosatelli and Apollonia Santini. His parents noticed his brilliant m ...
. External to Gabrielli's influence, the fighter's design was also shaped by the issuing of a specification during 1936 which sought a modern
interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...
for the ''
Regia Aeronautica The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') 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. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
'' (the Italian Air Force).Cattaneo 1967, p. 3. Gabrielli started work on the design in April 1935.''Avions Militaires 1919–1939 – Profils et Histoire'' 1979, p. 118.''Air International'' May 1988, pp. 251–252. The design was state-of-the-art for the era; on its introduction, it would become the most advanced fighter to be produced in Italy. Construction of two prototypes began mid-summer 1936. Manufacturing was turned over to CMASA (Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche S.A.), a subsidiary of Fiat at
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 Marina di Pisa lies on the left bank of the Arno River, where it flows i ...
. On 26 February 1937, the first prototype performed its
maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
. Flown by Comandante Giovanni de Briganti, the chief test pilot for the G.50 program, it took off from Caselle airfield,
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
. During this flight, the prototype was recorded as having attained a top speed of as well as having climbed to an altitude of in the space of six minutes, 40 seconds.Malizia 2004, p. 17. During October 1937, it was officially unveiled to the public at the
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
International Aeronautical Show. As a consequence of its new design, it was decided to conduct an extended flight evaluation program in order to validate its performance. During 1937, along with the first pre-series machines, a ''gruppo sperimentale'' (experimental group) was formed. Early flying experiences with the G.50 revealed it to possess relatively light controls and to be extremely maneuverable for a monoplane in comparison with prior designs. However, two separate issues were also identified, the limited power output of its
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ca ...
and the lack of firepower, consisting of only a pair of
machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
s.


Initial orders

During September 1937, Fiat received an order for an additional batch of 45 aircraft. In advance of the placement of a larger order, the Italian Air Ministry decided to hold a round of comparative 'fly-off' test flight between the type and the newly developed
Macchi MC.200 The Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italian: "Lightning"), or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Air Force) who used the type throughou ...
. On 8 November 1937, de Briganti was killed during the sixth evaluation flight of the second prototype (M.M.335), when the fighter failed to pull out of a high-speed dive.Malizia 2004, pp. 17–19. Flight tests conducted at Guidonia showed that the aircraft went too readily into an uncontrolled spin, a highly dangerous trait, especially at low level where recovery was impossible. During a visit by the Italian King
Victor Emmanuel III The name Victor or Viktor may refer to: * Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname Arts and entertainment Film * ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film * ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
and Prime Minister
Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
, another tragedy occurred at Guidonia. While performing a low, fast pass, three G.50s flown by experienced pilots, '' Maggiore'' (Squadron Leader) Mario Bonzano and Lieutenants Beretta and Marasco, got into difficulty. Beretta's aircraft spun uncontrollably and crashed into the ammunition laboratory, killing the pilot.Malizia 2004, p. 19. Despite the crashes, overall results from the flight test programme were deemed to be satisfactory and the ''Freccia'' proved to be more manoeuvrable than the faster Macchi MC.200, and the G.50 was declared the winner of the ''Caccia I'' ("Fighter One") competition on 9 June 1938. On account of its manoeuvrability, the ''Regia Aeronautica'' Commission decided to order the G.50 as well, rejecting the competition's third contender, the
IMAM Ro.51 The IMAM Ro.51 was an Italian fighter aircraft that first flew in 1937. It was designed for the 1936 new fighter contest for the Regia Aeronautica, with practically all the Italian aircraft builders involved. Design The aircraft, designed by th ...
. The first production aircraft were delivered to the ''Regia Aeronautica'' in early 1939. Reportedly, Italian pilots did not like the enclosed canopy because it could not be opened quickly and, being constructed from
plexiglas Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, ...
of relatively poor quality, was prone to cracking or abrasion by sand or dust, limiting visibility. In addition, exhaust fumes tended to accumulate in the cockpit, so pilots would often fly the fighter with the canopy locked open.''Air International'' May 1988, p. 255.Malizia 2004, p. 21. Consequently, an open cockpit was installed in the second batch of 200 machines. After 1939, the bulk of production for the G.50 was transferred to the CMASA factory in Marina di Pisa, Tuscany.Gunston 1984, p. 222. The first versions of the G.50 could be outfitted with several different configurations of armaments: either a single, or a pair of, (.5 in)
Breda-SAFAT machine gun Breda-SAFAT (''Società Italiana Ernesto Breda per Costruzioni Meccaniche / Breda Meccanica Bresciana'' - ''Società Anonima Fabbrica Armi Torino'') was an Italian weapons manufacturer of the 1930s and 1940s that designed and produced a range of m ...
s in the nose and an additional pair of (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT in the wings. Later versions of the aircraft could be distinguished by the addition of a larger
rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...
.


Further development

During 1938, the ''Regia Aeronautica'' requested that two-seat trainer variant of the G.50 be developed, designated ''G.50/B'' (''Bicomando'' – dual control). The first of these were constructed during 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"). Further production was entrusted to CMASA, who completed 106 G.50/Bs.Cattaneo 1967, pp. 3–4. A single G.50/B was later transformed into a reconnaissance aircraft, which was equipped with a planimetric camera. Another G.50/B was adapted with a
tailhook A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at sea ...
for the purpose of operating as a naval reconnaissance aircraft from the aircraft carrier ''Aquila'', but this vessel was never completed.Arena 1996, p. 455. During September 1940, a slightly improved version, designated as the ''G.50 bis''. The primary advantage was the extended combat range, which was provided by an additional tank, increasing its range from to . The ultimate version of the fighter was the ''G.50/V'' (''Veloce'' – fast) built in mid-1941 by CMASA and equipped with a
Daimler-Benz DB 601 The Daimler-Benz DB 601 was a German aircraft engine built during World War II. It was a liquid-cooled inverted V12 engine, V12, and powered the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Messerschmitt Bf 110, and many others. Approximately 19,000 601's were pr ...
engine of 1,075 CV. During tests at Fiat Aviazione's airfield in
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
, it reached a top speed of in level flight and climbed to in five minutes 30 seconds. By this time, however, Gabrielli had already designed the
Fiat G.55 The Fiat G.55 ''Centauro'' (Italian: " Centaur") was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft used by the '' Regia Aeronautica'' and the ''Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana'' in 1943–1945. It was designed and built in Turin b ...
, and Fiat had obtained the licence to build the 1,475 CV
Daimler Benz 605 The Daimler-Benz DB 605 is a German aircraft engine built during World War II. Developed from the Daimler-Benz DB 601, DB 601, the DB 605 was used from 1942 to 1945 in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter, and the Messerschmitt Bf 110, Bf 110 and M ...
, so the G.50/V was used to test new equipment and then scrapped.Arena 1996, p. 456. In total, production of the G.50 reached 784 aircraft; 426 of which having been manufactured by Fiat Aviazione and another 358 being built by CMASA. There were 58 fighters that were recorded as export sales: 13 G.50s had been sold to Spain, along with 35 aircraft to Finland and a final 10 to Croatia.Arena 1996, p. 459. Two of the G.50 aircraft to be delivered were destroyed due to a lack of fuel before arriving in Finland. On 7 March, sergeant Asser Wallius forgot to switch the fuel pump to the main tank and the G.50 (FA-8) crashed, injuring the pilot. On 8 March, a Hungarian volunteer pilot, 2nd lieutenant Wilmos Belassy, apparently dived into the Baltic sea, after running out of fuel and failing to cross it from Sweden to Finland. The FA-7 and pilot have not been found. His fellow pilot, 2nd lieutenant Matias Pirity, had turned back and saved both the G.50 and himself.


Design

The Fiat G.50 was a low-wing single-engine
monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
fighter
interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft, or simply interceptor, is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically for the defensive interception role against an attacking enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Aircraft that are cap ...
.Cattaneo 1967, p. 4. It featured all-metal construction, comprising a semi-
monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...
fuselage with an exterior skin composed of light
alloy An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...
s. The structure of the fuselage was formed from four main
longeron In engineering, a longeron and stringer is the load-bearing component of a framework. The term is commonly used in connection with aircraft fuselages and automobile chassis. Longerons are used in conjunction with stringers to form structural ...
s and 17 formers, closing into a load-bearing bulkhead forming the rear of the fuselage. The wings were divided into three separate sections, composed of a steel tube centre-section structure that was paired with
duralumin Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium, duralum, dural(l)ium, or dural) is a trade name for one of the earliest types of age-hardenable aluminium alloys. The term is a combination of '' Dürener'' and ''aluminium''. Its use as a tra ...
outer wings and an alloy skin. The
aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...
s, which were both statically and aerodynamically balanced, had a metal structure covered by
fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
.
Hydraulically Hydraulics (from Greek language, Greek: Υδραυλική) is a technology and applied science using engineering, chemistry, and other sciences involving the mechanical properties and use of liquids. At a very basic level, hydraulics is th ...
-actuated four-piece slotted- flaps were fitted to the aircraft's wings to improve its take-off and landing performance; these would automatically retract upon attaining a certain airspeed. The G.50 was equipped with retractable
landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
, consisting of inwardly-retracting mainwheels and a fixed, castoring tailwheel.''Air International'' May 1988, pp. 253–254. It was the first front-line Italian fighter to be fitted with a retractable undercarriage, an enclosed cockpit, and a constant speed propeller;''Air International'' May 1988, p. 251. these improvements have been credited with enabling the G.50 to achieve a maximum speed that was faster than its contemporary, the
Fiat CR.42 The Fiat CR.42 ''Falco'' ("Falcon", plural: ''Falchi'') is a single-seat sesquiplane fighter developed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione. It served primarily in the Italian in the 1930s and during the Second World ...
biplane. According to aviation author Gianni Cattaneo, the G.50 was a "robust and viceless aircraft which marked the introduction of new concepts and techniques, of design and manufacture". Powered by a single Fiat A.74 R.C.38 14-cylinder air-cooled
supercharged In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ca ...
, rated at for take-off and at , enclosed in a
NACA cowling The NACA cowling is a type of aerodynamic fairing used to streamline radial engines installed on airplanes. It was developed by Fred Weick of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1927. It was a major advance in aerodynamic ...
and mounted upon a chrome-
molybdenum Molybdenum is a chemical element with the symbol Mo and atomic number 42 which is located in period 5 and group 6. The name is from Neo-Latin ''molybdaenum'', which is based on Ancient Greek ', meaning lead, since its ores were confused with lea ...
steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
tubular structure attached with flexible mounts. Access for maintenance of the engine was provided via large cowling doors and panels on the fuselage aft of the firewall gave access for fuel tanks and armament. The engine incorporated a reduction gear which drove the Hamiliton-Fiat 3-bladed all-metal
constant speed propeller In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long axis to change the blade pitch. A controllable-pitch propeller is one where the pitch is controlled manually by the ...
. The pilot sat in an enclosed cockpit under a sliding transparent canopy; the seat was adjustable both in height and angle of inclination to suit the pilot's preferences.Cattaneo 1967, pp. 4–5. Despite the canopy possessing favourable transparency, including a relatively unobstructed rearward view, pilots were unenthusiastic about the enclosed arrangement, leading to various types of open canopies being trialled and eventually a set of hinged transparent side-flaps were standardised upon.Cattaneo 1967, p. 5. A
reflector sight A reflector sight or reflex sight is an optical sight that allows the user to look through a partially reflecting glass element and see an illuminated projection of an aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view. These sig ...
was present for the purpose of aiming the fighter's armament, which comprised a pair of 12.7 mm (.5 in)
Breda-SAFAT machine gun Breda-SAFAT (''Società Italiana Ernesto Breda per Costruzioni Meccaniche / Breda Meccanica Bresciana'' - ''Società Anonima Fabbrica Armi Torino'') was an Italian weapons manufacturer of the 1930s and 1940s that designed and produced a range of m ...
s with 300 rounds of ammunition per gun.''https://docviewer.yandex.ru/?url=ya-disk%3A%2F%2F%2Fdisk%2FFiat_G50.pdf&name=Fiat_G50.pdf&c=53624123f2d6&page=77'' The machine guns, fitted directly forward of the cockpit, were fired using synchronisation gear to fire through the propeller arc; both single-shot and
salvo A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute. As a tactic in warfare, the intent is to cripple an enemy in one blow and prevent them from fighting b ...
-fire modes were available.


Operational history


Introduction

During 1938, the first operational Fiat G.50 fighters were delivered to the ''Regia Aeronautica''. During the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
, about a dozen G.50s were dispatched to Spain to reinforce the ''Aviazione Legionaria'', Italy's contribution to the conflict. The first of these were delivered to the theatre during January 1939. The value of its presence in the Spanish theatre is questionable as none of the fighters sent saw actual combat. At the civil war's end, the G.50s in the region were handed over to Spanish pilots and subsequently saw action in
Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
. Cattaneo summarised of the experience: "Little seems to have been learnt as nothing was done to increase the armament". Upon the G.50's entry to service, it was widely regarded as being an extremely manoeuvrable aircraft and was often considered to be one of Italy's best fighters. However, by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, rapid advancements in the field of aviation had contributed to the type being considered to be both underpowered and underarmed in comparison to competing frontline fighters then in use by the main powers. In spite of this, in the buildup to the Second World War, further units of the ''Regia Aeronautica'' were equipped with newly delivered G.50s; these were heavily used in various exercises and war-games from November 1939 onwards as it became increasingly clear that Italy would likely soon be at war with the Western democracies. Upon Italy's entry into the Second World War in June 1940, the ''Regia Aeronautica'' possessed a total of 118 G.50s that were available for operations; of these, 97 aircraft were available to perform front line duties while others were either in maintenance or awaiting delivery. The majority of these were assigned to 51° ''Stormo'', (group''Stormo'' means "group" in British English; the equivalent in US English is "wing". Conversely, ''Gruppo'' is "wing" in British English and "group" in US English.) which was based at Ciampino Airport (just outside
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
) and at
Pontedera Pontedera (; la, Pons Herae) is an italian comune with a population of 29.270 inhabitants, located in the province of Pisa, Tuscany, Central Italy, central Italy. The town is located 20 km (12 miles) from Pisa and 50 km (31 miles) from Florenc ...
, with 22° ''Gruppo'' (wing) of 52° ''Stormo''. On 10 June 1940, when Italy issued its declaration of war against both France and Great Britain, the G.50s of 22° ''Gruppo'' went into action, followed by the 48 aircraft of 20° ''Gruppo''. Operations during the first few days were sporadic and varied, often serving as escorts for Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers on attack missions against harbours and airfields on the island of
Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...
.Cattaneo 1967, pp. 5–6. These operations were quickly brought to an end when France signed the
Armistice of 22 June 1940 The Armistice of 22 June 1940 was signed at 18:36 near Compiègne, France, by officials of Nazi Germany and the Third French Republic. It did not come into effect until after midnight on 25 June. Signatories for Germany included Wilhelm Keitel ...
, officially capitulating to the Axis powers.Cattaneo 1967, p. 6.


Belgian deployment and the Battle of Britain

During September 1940, the 20°'' Gruppo'' (351/352/353 Squadrons), commanded by ''Maggiore'' Bonzano and equipped with Fiat G.50, was part of 56° ''Stormo'', formed to operate during the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
as part of the ''
Corpo Aereo Italiano The ''Corpo Aereo Italiano'' (literally, "Italian Air Corps"), or CAI, was an expeditionary force from the Italian ''Regia Aeronautica'' (Italian Royal Air Force) that participated in the Battle of Britain and the Blitz during the final months o ...
'' (Italian Air Corps, CAI) based in
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, together with the 18° ''Gruppo'' flying Fiat CR.42s. According to Cattaneo, the Italian government had decided to participate in the German air offensive against the British mainland due to political opportunism and in pursuit of prestige; he alleged that the Air Staff would have rather directed those aircraft towards other fronts where they would have stood a better chance of making a meaningful contribution. In this theatre, the G.50 was normally hampered by its relatively slow speed, open cockpits and short range. Cattaneo also noted that the presence of poor weather conditions and the use of relatively unprepared personnel were additional factors that undermined the fighter's effectiveness. Those G.50s that were deployed were early models and thus furnished with an open canopy, which was useful in a typical
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
climate but led to the pilots suffer heavily in the colder weather of northern Europe. The aircraft was also under-equipped, provided with a mediocre radio set (powered by batteries that were prone to freeze at altitude) and lacking any armour protection. The experiences of the early G.50s over Britain soon showed their inadequacies in combat. Their operations were considered to be next to useless during the campaign, in part because they were too short-ranged and stationed too far from enemy territory. The G.50 possessed relatively limited endurance, thus missions rarely exceeded one hour. The G.50 bis, which was equipped with larger fuel tanks, was already in production, but it was not sent to 20° ''Gruppo'' in time to participate. Its performance was also lacking: during one incident on 5 November 1940, a formation of 22 G.50s intercepted several British
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
s, resulting in the RAF fighters escaping with ease. On 21 November 1940, when a
Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...
attacked
the airfield The Airfield, also known by its sponsored name as the Hollingsworth Group International Airfield, is a football stadium in Broughton, Flintshire, Wales. It is home to Airbus UK Broughton F.C., who play in the Cymru Premier. In 2014, the gras ...
at
Maldegem Maldegem (; vls, Moaldegem), earlier spelled Maldeghem, is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Maldegem, Adegem and . and have always been separate hamlets of Maldegem. On ...
,
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, a pair of G.50s were scrambled, but they lost the bomber in the clouds. On 23 November, several G.50s followed a flight of four Hurricanes, but were unable to close on them. On 31 January 1941, another fruitless interception occurred when a number of G.50s were evaded by a single Blenheim that escaped into the clouds. At the beginning of 1941, the CAI were redeployed back to Italy, leaving behind a pair of G.50 squadrons that stayed in Belgium alongside ''Luftflotte 2'' until April 1941. Overall, the G.50s flew a total of 429 missions, 34 escorts and 26 scrambles for the CAI, but failed to engage any enemy aircraft during these actions. A single aeroplane was lost and seven more were damaged during the deployment. While operating with ''Luftflotte 2'', 20° ''Gruppo'' lost four additional fighters and two pilots were killed. A pair of G.50s were recorded as having been damaged by
friendly fire In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while eng ...
from German fighters and flak.Arena 1996, pp. 489–491. In Belgium, 20° ''Gruppo'' had the opportunity to see the German
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
in action; several G.50 pilots are known to have been trained to fly the type as well. Around the same time, a pair of Bf 109E pilots were attached to the ''Gruppo'' in mid-January 1941. On 8 April 1941, the last sighting of enemy aircraft by the G.50 occurred, during which the targets, identified as fighters, eluded them yet again.


The North African campaign

On 27 December 1940, the first 27 G.50s, belonging to 150ª and 152ª ''Squadriglia'', 2° ''Gruppo Autonomo C.T.'', arrived in
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
, where they operated out of
Brindisi Brindisi ( , ) ; la, Brundisium; grc, Βρεντέσιον, translit=Brentésion; cms, Brunda), group=pron is a city in the region of Apulia in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Brindisi, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Histo ...
and
Grottaglie Grottaglie (; scn, label=Salentino, li Vurtàgghie; la, Criptalium) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto, Apulia, in southern Italy. Geography Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, dividing the Adriatic sea from Ionian ...
airfields. On 9 January 1941, these fighters performed their first combat mission in the theatre when ''Capitano Pilota'' (Flight Lieutenant) Tullio De Prato, commander of 150ª ''Squadriglia'', was attacked by a Hawker Hurricane Mk I on the front line, forcing him to crash-land in the desert.Malizia 2004, pp. 82–83. On 31 January 1941, a new G.50-equipped unit, 155° ''Gruppo Autonomo C.T.'', consisting of 351ª, 360ª and 378ª Squadrons, commanded by ''Maggiore'' Luigi Bianchi, arrived in Libya. Caught up in the chaotic retreat of the Italian Army during the winter of 1940–41, however, the G.50s saw relatively little actual action.Shores, Masimello and Guest 2012, pp. 120, 148. One of the few initial claims of enemy aircraft being downed by ''Freccia'' pilots occurred on 9 April 1941, when ''Tenente Pilota'' Carlo Cugnasca (an expert pilot, and the first to deliver a G.50 to Finland), attacked a flight of three British Hurricane Mk Is from No. 73 Squadron and claimed to have downed one, although this loss was not confirmed.Malizia 2004, pp. 82–84, 85–88. On his return, he was forced to crash-land his G.50, flipping the aircraft over on the airstrip but remaining unharmed. At low level, the aerial clashes were often confused and had unpredictable effects. Tactical surprise was often a decisive factor in a given engagement, as shown on 14 April when a formation of 66 Axis aircraft, including eight G.50s from 351ª ''Squadriglia'', attacked British forces stationed in the vicinity of
Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near th ...
. The RAF defenders of No. 73 Squadron were outnumbered in this engagement, resulting in the Hurricanes, which were only marginally faster than the G.50, having to ignore the Axis fighters and concentrate their efforts upon attacking incoming bombers, which posed the greatest threat. Flying their G.50s, both Cugnasca and Marinelli attacked H.G. Webster's Hurricane while he was shooting at a Stuka dive bomber, resulting in Webster being finally shot down and killed over Tobruk. A Canadian pilot, ace Flight Lieutenant James Duncan ‘Smudger’ Smith (P2652), saw the engagement and subsequently shot down and killed both Cugnasca and Marinelli as well as damaging another G.50 before being shot down himself by the 351ª ''Squadriglia'' commander, ''Capitano'' Angelo Fanello. On 27 May, 20° ''Gruppo'' was reinforced by 151ª ''Squadriglia'', which was equipped with the new Fiat G.50 bis. This new version had almost two hours of flight endurance, due to the addition of an extra fuel tank in the internal fuselage section (which had been originally configured as a bomb bay). The normal tactic with the G.50 was to dive from , but they never flew very high over North Africa, usually not exceeding . The aircraft still lacked radio sets and, despite their
air filter A particulate air filter is a device composed of fibrous, or porous materials which removes solid particulates such as dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria from the air. Filters containing an adsorbent or catalyst such as charcoal (carbon) may als ...
s, the desert sand could reduce the engine's lifespan to only 70–80 hours. Although the G.50s were mainly outperformed by Desert Air Force fighters, their pilots sometimes managed to shoot down the faster and better-armed Hurricanes and P-40s. In the hands of expert pilots, the G.50 was even capable of scoring multiple kills during a single sortie. For instance, 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 or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...
harbour and intercepted a flight of seven Blenheim light bombers, which had been engaged in a low-level attack on the ships. Two Fiat CR.42 biplanes from 151° ''Gruppo'' were already pursuing the Blenheims when Buvoli attacked, shooting at each bomber in sequence. One Blenheim ditched in the sea while another was shot down a few miles north of Tripoli. Two more failed to return to
Luqa Luqa ( mt, Ħal Luqa, , ) is a town located in the Southern Region of Malta, 4.3 km away from the capital Valletta. With a population of 5,945 as of March 2014, it is a small but densely populated settlement which is typical of Malta's old ...
airfield in
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
and were posted as missing. For these successes, Buvoli was awarded the
Silver Medal of Military Valor The Silver Medal of Military Valor ( it, Medaglia d'argento al valor militare) is an Italian medal for gallantry. Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on 21 May 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, ...
and subsequently credited with four kills. No. 110 Squadron reported the loss of a similar number of Blenheim IVs on its first mission since arriving in Malta from the British mainland during early July.Malizia 2004, pp. 107–109. During the
Battle of Sidi Barrani A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
, the first major British offensive of the Western Desert Campaign, a number of G.50s operating out of Martuba Airbase,
Derna District Derna ( ar, درنة ''Darnah'') is one of the districts of Libya. It is in the northeast of the country, in the historical region of Cyrenaica. Its capital is Derna. In 2007 the district was enlarged to include what had been the Al Qubah Dis ...
, attacked the British-held airfield at
Sidi Barrani Sidi Barrani ( ar, سيدي براني  ) is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the Egypt–Libya border, and around from Tobruk, Libya. Named after Sidi es-Saadi el Barrani, a Senussi sheikh who was a head of ...
. On 18 November 1941, during
Operation Crusader Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during the Second World War by the British Eighth Army (United Kingdom), Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) ...
, the Desert Air Force was responsible for destroying 13 aircraft on the Ain el Gazala airfields, 10 of these being G.50s. On 19 November 20° ''Gruppo'', based at Sid el Rezegh, suffered heavy losses when British armoured forces suddenly attacked the airfield. Of the 19 G.50s, only three escaped, with 80 pilots and ground crew taken prisoner. Altogether, 26 G.50s were lost and ''20 Gruppo'' was left with only 36 G.50s, of which 27 were serviceable. Mario Bonzano, now a ''Tenente Colonnello'' and commander of 20° ''Gruppo'', was among the captured, and his deputy,
Furio Niclot Doglio Furio Niclot Doglio, MOVM (24 April 1908 – 27 July 1942) was an Italian test pilot and World War II fighter pilot in the '' Regia Aeronautica''. Doglio set nine world aviation recordsItaly declared war on Greece in October 1940, the ''Freccia'' commenced offensive operations against Greek and Allied forces over the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
and the
Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...
on 28 October, typically operating from airfields at
Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in th ...
, Devoli and
Grottaglie Grottaglie (; scn, label=Salentino, li Vurtàgghie; la, Criptalium) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Taranto, Apulia, in southern Italy. Geography Grottaglie is located in the Salento peninsula, dividing the Adriatic sea from Ionian ...
.Arena 1996, pp. 491–492. During the Greek campaign, adverse weather conditions was often responsible for hampering Axis air operations, however, a number of fiercely-fought aerial engagements were fought on several days, often accompanied by a large amount of overclaiming by personnel on both sides of the conflict. Early on 20 February 1941, a flight of Hawker Hurricane fighters were engaged in their first aerial combat over the Balkans when seven G.50s of ''54 Gruppo'' were 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
Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
bombers to Paramythia, Greece, boosting RAF power in the region. ''Freccias'' claimed to have downed both bomber and a fighter, while the British claimed responsibility for downing four G.50s. That afternoon, 15 G.50s engaged a large mixed formation of RAF
Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Developed private ...
s, claiming the downing of 10 aircraft for the loss of one G.50.Arena 1996, p. 492. The RAF claimed three G.50s with no loss. Postwar records showed one Bristol Blenheim and a single G.50 being lost on that day. On 28 February 1941, RAF units intercepted a formation of Italian bombers and their escorts, claiming 27 aircraft shot down and several others damaged in the ensuing battle. The Italians claimed to have downed six Gladiators and a single
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
. The recorded losses were one Gladiator and eight Italian aircraft; many more were damaged. After this battle, the ''Regia Aeronautica'' was no longer an effective force within the theatre.Gustavsson, Håkan
"Flight Lieutenant Marmaduke Thomas St. John Pattle, D.F.C. (39029), No. 80 Squadron."
''surfcity.kund.dalnet.se''. Retrieved: 15 October 2010.
On 4 March 1941, a single G.50 bis was responsible for the shooting down of Hurricane ''V7288'', piloted by Australian RAF ace Flight Lieutenant Nigel Cullen (who was credited with 15 or 16 victories) off Valona coast (Albania), while he was flying as wing-man for ace
Pat Pattle Marmaduke Thomas St John Pattle, (3 July 1914 – 20 April 1941), usually known as Pat Pattle, was a South African-born English Second World War fighter pilot and flying ace (an aviator credited with the destruction of five or more enem ...
. During the course of the Greek campaign, a flight of 10 G.50 fighters were recorded as having been lost, including both combat losses and others that had been destroyed by a combination of accidents and as a consequence of Allied bombing missions against Italian airfields.


Sicilian and Italian campaigns

During the second half of the war, the G.50 was typically operated as a multi-role fighter and ground attack aircraft, equipped only with external bombs. During the opening phase of the
Allied invasion of Sicily The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers ( Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It bega ...
, the G.50 was the most numerous aircraft used by the ''Regia Aeronautica'' to counterattack the Allied landings.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 25. Just prior to the start of the invasion, a specialised ground attack unit of the ''Regia Aeronautica'', 50° ''Stormo Assalto'', was repositioned to Southern Italy; this unit was equipped with G.50 bis fighter-bombers. As soon the invasion started, on 10 July 1943, additional units were rushed to the area to participate in the Axis counter-attack.Shores 1977, p. 117. Alongside various other Italian and German ground attack units, 45 G.50 bis of 158 and 159 ''Gruppi Assalto'' from Pistoia were committed to attack Allied naval assets, landing craft and troops. Ten of these saw action on 11 July in conjunction with several Re.2002s and escorted by five Re.2005s of 362a Squadron, when they were intercepted by an overwhelming fighter "umbrella". In the ensuing engagement, three G.50s were shot down, including ''Tenente Colonnello'' (Wing Commander) Guido Nobili, commander of 5 ''Stormo Assalto''.Shores 1977, p. 118. The remainder of the Italian air forces returned to their base where, after landing, the fighters were mostly destroyed on the ground by a follow-up air attack. By the time of the Italian Armistice with the Allies, only a handful of G.50 fighters were left in service in Italy. A number of these continued to be operated as part of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, while at least four G.50s were used by the ''
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana The National Republican Air Force ( it, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, ANR) was the air force of the Italian Social Republic, a World War II German puppet state in Italy. Description This air force was tasked with defending the industri ...
'' as fighter
trainers Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used f ...
. The top-scoring Italian pilot to use the G.50 was Furio Lauri, who was credited with 11 "kills" prior to the end of 1941, eventually achieving a final score of 18 enemy aircraft downed.Spick 1999


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 The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...
of 1939–1940 and the
Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...
of 1941–1944. At the end of 1939, before the outbreak of hostilities, Finland ordered 35 Fiat G.50s. The first 10 aircraft were to be delivered before February 1940. A group of Finnish pilots attended a 10-hour training course at Guidonia airport and later at
Fiat Aviazione Fiat Aviazione was an Italian aircraft manufacturer, at one time part of the Fiat group, focused mainly on military aviation. After World War I, Fiat consolidated several Italian small aircraft manufacturers, like Pomilio and Ansaldo. Most famous ...
in Turin. On a training flight, during a dive from , Lieutenant Tapani Harmaja reached an estimated speed of , which was considered excessive for the structural integrity of the aircraft. The windscreen was damaged.Arena 1996, p. 477. Germany hindered the transit of the aircraft, so they were dismantled and embarked in
La Spezia La Spezia (, or , ; in the local Spezzino dialect) is the capital city of the province of La Spezia and is located at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the southern part of the Liguria region of Italy. La Spezia is the second largest city ...
on the Norwegian ship ''Braga'', which set sail for
Turku Turku ( ; ; sv, Åbo, ) is a city and former capital on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River, in the region of Finland Proper (''Varsinais-Suomi'') and the former Turku and Pori Province (''Turun ja Porin lääni''; ...
, Finland, on 20 January.Arena 1996, p. 478. Because of this delay, the first G.50s did not reach
No. 26 Squadron, Finnish Air Force No. 26 Squadron ( fi, Lentolaivue 26 or ''LLv.26'', from 3 May 1942 ''Le.Lv.26''), renamed No. 26 Fighter Squadron (Finnish: ''Hävittäjälentolaivue 26'' or ''HLe.Lv.26'' on 14 February 1944) was a fighter squadron of the Finnish Air Force durin ...
(''HLeLv 26'') at
Utti Utti is a village in Valkeala, since 2009 a part of Kouvola, Finland. 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 t ...
until February 1940.Neulen 2000, p. 201. The G.50s were numbered from FA-1 to FA-35, but it seems that only 33 were delivered. Squadron No 26 received from material command G.50 fighters according to the table below. A day before the truce after the Winter War, they had received 30 Fiat G.50s of the 35 purchased and 33 not damaged during the procurement. Fiat G.50 FA-8 was destroyed during take-off when the pilot, a Hungarian volunteer, second lieutenant Wilhelm Bekasy, in bad flying weather, lost contact with his countryman, lieutenant Matias Pirity, who turned back. The next day sergeant Asser Wallenius took-off with FA-7, having forgotten to switch on the fuel pump of the main tank and as the extra fuel tanks emptied, FA-7 crashed and was damaged. Wallenius survived but he was injured. Because of technical problems in the Finnish airforce itself, only 33 of the 35 Fiat G.50s were delivered to Finland. The Italian fighters had arrived too late to affect the course of that year's winter battles, however, most of them were soon sent to the front. The Fiat pilots found themselves involved in the heavy fighting over the bay of Vyborg in late February and early March. According to some sources, the first kill was achieved on 26 February. The following day, Second Lieutenant Malmivuo became the first Finnish pilot to be killed in a G.50, when his fighter FA-12 crashed after a battle with Soviet aircraft. And on 11 March, the Italian volunteer ''Sergente'' Diego Manzocchi crashed to his death while returning from a combat sortie. The Fiat bases were under constant attack. The
Utti Utti is a village in Valkeala, since 2009 a part of Kouvola, Finland. 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 t ...
airfield was bombed by the Soviet airforce. Consequently, the Fiats were transferred two kilometres to the northwest of Utti proper, onto the ice at Haukkajärvi (''Falcon lake''). As Haukkajärvi became bombed and attacked by fighters, another lake-side base was established near the city of
Lahti Lahti (; sv, Lahtis) is a city and municipality in Finland. It is the capital of the region of Päijänne Tavastia (Päijät-Häme) and its growing region is one of the main economic hubs of Finland. Lahti is situated on a bay at the southern e ...
,
Hollola Hollola () is a municipality of Finland, located in the western part of the Päijänne Tavastia region. The municipality is unilingually Finnish and has a population of () and covers an area of of which is water. The population density Pop ...
, also on the ice of
Vesijärvi Vesijärvi is a lake of near Lahti in southern Finland. It suffered severe effects of eutrophication in the 1960s and a restoration programme began in the 1970s. The Enonselkä Basin is a part of Vesijärvi. The name of the lake means ''Th ...
near Pyhäniemi manor. Overall, ''HLeLv 26'' achieved 11 kills, against one loss in combat and one pilot killed in an accident (the aircraft was repaired and returned to service in 1941). The Finnish G.50 y were taken from the 235 built by CMASA, both ''Serie I'' and ''Serie II'', but all but seven had the open cockpit of the ''Serie II'', a feature that Finnish pilots disliked, especially in 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 put into service. Better protection for the propeller, which had problems at extremely low temperatures, and a few other changes were introduced. The speed of the Finnish G.50s was around , much lower than the standard series could achieve. At this stage, Finnish pilots preferred the
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
, the French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 and the
Brewster F2A Buffalo The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications ...
to the G.50.Arena 1996, p. 479.


Air victories from late February to early March 1940

''Source: Fiat.laivue – Lentolaivue 26 sodassa (The Fiat Squadron – the Squadron n:o 26 in war), pages 152 and 153. appendix Koneluettelo (Aircraft list), Kari Stenman, Maininkitie 14 A, FI-02320 ESPOO, +358 9 8092187, http://www.kolumbus.fi/kari.stenman, printed Otavan Kirjapaino Oy, Helsinki, 2013, '' The first demonstration of the Finnish Air Force's effectiveness came on 25 June 1941, when the G.50s from ''HLeLv 26'' shot down 13 out of 15 Soviet SB bombers.Neulen 2000, p. 217. Thirteen aerial victories were achieved altogether.Keskinen 1977, p. inside back cover. During the Continuation War, the G.50s were most successful during the Finnish offensive of 1941, after which they became ever less impressive. In 1941, ''HLeLv 26'' claimed 52 victories for the loss of only two fighters. The Soviets brought better, newer types of fighter to the front line in 1942 and 1943, while the Fiats were becoming old and run-down and the lack of spare parts meant that pilots were restricted to a minimal number of sorties. Nevertheless, between 30 November 1939 and 4 September 1944, the G.50s of ''HLeLv 26'' shot down 99 enemy aircraft, including aircraft more modern than they, such as the British fighters sent to the USSR. In the same period, Finnish squadrons lost 41 aircraft of several types. But Fiat lost in combat were just three, with a ratio victory/loss of 33/1. The most successful Finnish G.50 pilots were Oiva Tuominen (23 victories),
Olli Puhakka Risto Olli Pekka Puhakka (11 April 1916 in Sortavala – 28 January 1989) was one of the top scoring aces in the Finnish Air Force with 42 confirmed victories. Biography Puhakka served in Fighter Squadrons (LLv's) 26, 30, 28, 24, 32 during the Wi ...
(11Shores 1983, p. 105. or 13), according to other sources, Nils Trontti (6), Onni Paronen (4), Unto Nieminen (4) and Lasse Lautamäki (4). The Finnish G.50s were finally phased out of front-line duty in the summer of 1944. They were no more than 10 or 12, and even as trainers, they did not last long, since they lacked spare parts. Unlike the slightly older MS.406, there was no effort to change their engine to make them better and faster. The last G.50 was struck off the inventory on 13 December 1946, at the FAF flight academy in Kauhava.


In Croatian service

In October 1941, the
Croatian Air Force Legion The Croatian Air Force Legion ( hr, Hrvatska Zrakoplovna Legija), or HZL, was a unit of the Luftwaffe, composed entirely of volunteers drawn from the nazi puppet-state, the Independent State of Croatia. Many of them had previously served in the Ro ...
requested military aid from Italy, that country agreed to deliver 10 Fiat G.50s (nine single-seaters and one two-seater), along with ancillary equipment. On 12 June 1942, the Fiat G.50 bis fighters took off from Fiat Aviazione in Turin for Croatia, but before they reached the border, they were stopped on the orders of
Ugo Cavallero Ugo Cavallero (20 September 1880 – 13 September 1943) was an Italian military commander before and during World War II. He was dismissed from his command due to his lacklustre performance, and was arrested upon the fall of Mussolini's regime. C ...
, Chief of the Italian Supreme Command, 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,Arena 1996, pp. 485–488. which assigned them to the 16th ''Jato'' at Banja LukaNeulen 2000, p. 177. and were intensively used until 1945 against
Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...
, at first in
Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
and Herzegovina, then in
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
,
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
and
Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...
. During 1942, a Croatian G.50 bis squadron was transferred from Northern
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
to the Ukrainian front, flanking the 4th ''Luftflotte''.Malizia 2008, p. 200 On 25 June 1943, the ''Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Drzave Hrvatske'' (Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia, or ZNDH), received nine G.50 bis fighters and one G.50B. In October, while based at Zalužani airfield,
Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the ''de facto'' capital of this entity. I ...
, they flew many strafing missions against partisans for nearly a year.Savic and Ciglic 2002, p. 61 After the Italian armistice of 8 September 1943, the Luftwaffe supplied the Croatian Air Force Legion with 20–25 Fiat G.50s captured on ''Regia Aeronautica'' airfields in the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. These equipped two Croatian fighter units, but by the end of 1943 only 10 aircraft remained. Three G.50s captured after the Armistice were loaned to ''Kro JGr 1'' at the beginning of 1944.Savic and Ciglic 2002, p. 68 In 1944 some of the G.50s were operated at the Brezice training school. ZNDH entered 1945 with seven G.50s (two operational). On 10 March 1945 six of these Fiats were based in Lucko, operated by 2.''LJ'' (''Lovacka Grupa'', Fighter Group). Three were damaged by RAF Mustangs of Nos 213 and 249 Squadrons attacking Lucko airfield with
napalm Napalm is an incendiary mixture of a gelling agent and a volatile petrochemical (usually gasoline (petrol) or diesel fuel). The name is a portmanteau of two of the constituents of the original thickening and gelling agents: coprecipitated al ...
bombs, on 25 March, and the following day one of the last operative ''Freccia'' was flown to a RAF-held airfield by ''vod'' (
Corporal Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...
) Ivan Misulin that defected, together with ''vod'' Korhut (flying a Bf 109 G-10).Savic and Ciglic 2002, p. 69 The last G.50s were captured by Yugoslav Partisans. After the war, the G.50s were used for some time by the newly formed
Yugoslav Air Force The Air Force and Air Defence ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздушна одбрана, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana ; abbr. sh-Cyrl-Latn, label=none, separator=/, РВ и ПВ ...
 – the last G.50s on active service.


Variants

;G.50 :First production version. ;G.50 bis :Development of the G.50 version with extended range; 421 built. ;G.50 bis/A :Two seat carrier fighter modified from a G.50B; one modified. ;G.50 ter :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 The Daimler-Benz DB 601 was a German aircraft engine built during World War II. It was a liquid-cooled inverted V12 engine, V12, and powered the Messerschmitt Bf 109, Messerschmitt Bf 110, and many others. Approximately 19,000 601's were pr ...
engine; one built. ;G.50 bis A/N :Two-seat fighter-bomber prototype; one built. ;G.50B :Two-seat trainer version. 100 aircraft built. ;G.51 :Projected production version of the G.50V, abandoned in favour of the
Fiat G.55 The Fiat G.55 ''Centauro'' (Italian: " Centaur") was a single-engine single-seat World War II fighter aircraft used by the '' Regia Aeronautica'' and the ''Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana'' in 1943–1945. It was designed and built in Turin b ...
. ;G.52 :Projected version of the G.50, powered by a
Fiat A.75 R.C.53 Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiar ...
engine. The engine never materialised and the G.52 was never built.


Operators

; *
Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia The Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia ( hr, Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske; ZNDH), was the air force of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), a puppet state established with the support of the Axis Powers on the territory ...
received 15+ aircraft. ; * ''
Finnish Air Force The Finnish Air Force (FAF or FiAF; fi, Ilmavoimat, , Air forces; sv, Flygvapnet, , Air weapon) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of Finnis ...
'' received 33 aircraft (FA-1 to FA-6 and FA-9 to FA-35)of the 35 ordered. FA-7 and FA-8 were destroyed in accidents before they arrived in Finland; they crossed the
Gulf of Bothnia The Gulf of Bothnia (; fi, Pohjanlahti; sv, Bottniska viken) is divided into the Bothnian Bay and Bothnian Sea, and it is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea, between Finland's west coast ( East Bothnia) and the Sweden's east coast (West ...
in the spring of 1940. **
No. 26 Squadron, Finnish Air Force No. 26 Squadron ( fi, Lentolaivue 26 or ''LLv.26'', from 3 May 1942 ''Le.Lv.26''), renamed No. 26 Fighter Squadron (Finnish: ''Hävittäjälentolaivue 26'' or ''HLe.Lv.26'' on 14 February 1944) was a fighter squadron of the Finnish Air Force durin ...
; * ''
Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...
'' ; * ''
Regia Aeronautica The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') 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. In 1946, the monarchy was abolis ...
'' ** Gruppo Sperimentale da Caccia
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
from January 1939 to March 1939, the aircraft was transferred to the Spanish Airforce, 12 F.50 fighters ** 351st squadron (351ª Squadriglia) ** 352nd squadron (352ª Squadriglia) ** 353rd squadron (353ª Squadriglia) ** 354th squadron (354ª Squadriglia) ** 355th squadron (355ª Squadriglia) ** 357th squadron (357ª Squadriglia) ** 358th squadron (358ª Squadriglia) ** 359th squadron (359ª Squadriglia) ** 360th squadron (360ª Squadriglia) ** 361st squadron (361ª Squadriglia) *
Aviazione Legionaria The Legionary Air Force ( it, Aviazione Legionaria, es, Aviación Legionaria) was an expeditionary corps from the Italian Royal Air Force that was set up in 1936. It was sent to provide logistical and tactical support to the Nationalist facti ...
12 aircraft * Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force ; * ''
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana The National Republican Air Force ( it, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, ANR) was the air force of the Italian Social Republic, a World War II German puppet state in Italy. Description This air force was tasked with defending the industri ...
'' ; * ''Ejército del Aire'' ; *
SFR Yugoslav Air Force The Air Force and Air Defence ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздушна одбрана, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana ; abbr. sh-Cyrl-Latn, label=none, separator=/, РВ и ПВ ...
one ex-Croatian


Survivors

In September 2010, the only known G.50 bis still in existence was undergoing restoration in the Museum of Aviation, in
Surčin Surčin ( sr-Cyrl, Сурчин, ) is a municipality of the city of Belgrade. As of 2011 census, it has a population of 43,819 inhabitants. It is the newest municipality of Belgrade, having split from the municipality of Zemun in 2003. Its most ...
, at
Nikola Tesla Airport Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport ( sr, / ) or Belgrade Airport ( sr, / ) is an international airport serving Belgrade, Serbia. It is the largest and the busiest airport in Serbia, situated west of downtown Belgrade near the suburb of Sur ...
, Serbia.Marinkovic, Vlado
"Air Museum."
''pbase.com,'' 11 September 2010. Retrieved: 26 September 2010.


Specifications (G.50)


See also


References


Sources

* Arena, Nino. ''I caccia a motore radiale Fiat G.50'' (in Italian). Modena: Mucchi editore, 1996. NO ISBN * ''Avions Militaires 1919–1939 – Profils et Histoire'' (in French). Paris: Hachette, Connaissance de l'histoire, 1979. * Cattaneo, Gianni. "The Fiat G.50." ''Aircraft in Profile Number 188''. Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1967. * Colace, Alessandro. "Fiat G.50 Saetta" . Lulu Publications, 2013. * Dunning, Chris. ''Solo Coraggio! La storia completa della Regia Aeronautica dal 1940 al 1943'' (in Italian). Parma, Italy: Delta Editrice, 2000. NO ISBN. * Ethell, Jeffrey L. ''Aircraft of World War II''. Glasgow: HarperCollins/Jane's, 1995. . * Gunston, Bill. ''Fighting Aircraft of World War II''. London: Salamander Book Limited, 1988. . * Gunston, Bill. ''Gli Aerei della Seconda Guerra Mondiale'' (in Italian). Alberto Peruzzo Editore, . * Keskinen, Kalevi, Kari Stenman and Klaus Niska. ''Fiat G.50, Suomen Ilmavoimien Historia 8'' (in Finnish). Espoo, Finland: Tietoteos, 1977. . * Malizia, Nicola. ''Fiat G-50 (Aviolibri Records No. 2)'' (in Italian/English). Roma-Nomentano, Italy: Istituto Bibliografico Napoleone, 2005. . * Malizia, Nicola. ''Ali sulla steppa. La Regia Aeronautica nella campagna di Russia'' (in Italian). Rome: IBN Editore, 2008. . * Massimello, Giovanni. ''Furio Nicolot Doglio Un pilota eccezionale'' (in Italian). Milano: Giorgio Apostolo editore, 1998. * Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. ''Italian Aces of World War Two''. Oxford/New York, Osprey Publishing, 2000. . * Mattioli, Marco. "Il G.50 nella Guerra d'Inverno" (in Italian). ''Aerei nella Storia'' magazine, Parma, January 2000 * Mondey, David. ''The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II''. New York: Bounty Books, 1996. . * Neulen, Hans Werner. ''In the Skies of Europe: Air Forces Allied to the Luftwaffe 1939–1945''. Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press, 1998. . * Rocca, Gianni. ''I disperati'' (in Italian). Milan: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1991. * Santoni, Alberto. "L'Ultra vola in alto" (in Italian). ''Storia Militare'', Albertelli editions, Parma, July 2007. * Savic, D. and B. Ciglic. ''Croatian Aces of World War II (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 49)''. Oxford, UK: Oxford, 2002. . * Sgarlato, Nico. ''G.50/55'' (in Italian). Parma, Italy: Delta editions 2004. * "A Second String Arrow" Part 1. ''Air International'', May 1988, Vol. 34, No 5, pp. 251–258. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll. ISSN 0306-5634. * "A Second String Arrow" Part Two. ''Air International'', June 1988, Vol. 34, No 6, pp. 295–298, 308–311. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. ISSN 0306-5634. * Shores, Christopher. ''Ground Attack Aircraft of World War II''. London: Macdonald and Jane’s, 1977. . * Shores, Christopher, ''Air Aces'', Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. . * Shores, Christopher, Giovanni Massimello and Russell Guest. ''A History of the Mediterranean Air War 1940–1945: Volume One: North Africa June 1940 – January 1942''. London: Grub Street, 2012.978-1-908117-07-8. ISBN * Spick, Mike. ''The Complete Fighter Ace: All the World's Fighter Aces, 1914–2000''. London: Greenhill Books, 1999. . * Taylor, John W. R. "Fiat G.50 Freccia (Arrow)". ''Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the Present''. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. . * * Tonizzo, Pietro. ''Fiat G.50 Freccia (Le Macchine e la Storia 9)'' (in Italian). Modena, Italy: Editore Stem-Mucchi. No ISBN. * Waldis, Paolo. ''Fiat G 50, Ali e Colori 3'' (in Italian/English). Torino, Italy: La Bancarella Aeronautica, 2000.


External links


Fiat G.50 Freccia



World War II aircraft page
{{Authority control 1930s Italian fighter aircraft World War II Italian fighter aircraft G.050 Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1937 World War II aircraft of Finland