J11 Fiat CR.42 Falco in Sweden

Shortly after the beginning of the Second World War the US decided to stop the delivery of 264 ordered fighters to Sweden. The fighters were the Seversky-Repubplic EP-1-106 (Swedish designation: J9)(J=Jaktplan which means fighter) and the Vultee Vanguard (Swedish designation: J10). These fighters was to be delivered to F8, F9, F10 (F=Flottilj, approx. Wing), but only 60 was delivered. The problem was now what to do, because new (and hopefully modern) equipment was urgently needed.

Earlier there had already been contacts with governments around Europe for possible purchase of aeroplanes. These contacts had been coldly meet even though Sweden was allowed to buy Junkers Ju86 bombers (Swedish designation: B3)(B=Bombplan which means bomber) from Germany. But more machines were hard to get. There was a war going on! Italy showed some interest. Sweden had recently bought four destroyers to its navy and managed to order 120 fighters of the types Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I and Fiat CR.42 Falco. The order for the Fiat fighters was for 72 aircraft and was the third and largest export order for the CR.42. They Italian aircraft got the Swedish designation J20 (Re.2000) respectively J11 (CR.42).

The J11s were delivered between February 1940 and September 1941, bearing the serials 2501-2572. They were powered by Fiat A74R.1C.38 engines providing a maximum 870 hp. The first dozen machines were flown to Sweden, the initial five leaving Italy on 29 February 1940, and the remaining seven on 15 March. The twelve first plane to arrive in Sweden was used as reconnaissance planes at F3 during the first summer were they were popular substitutes for the old Fokkers. The remainder were crated and delivered to CVM (Centrala Flygverkstäderna Malmslätt) for assembly, these arriving in Sweden five at a time from 20 December 1940 until 11 June 1941, and then in somewhat desultory fashion until the final three were despatched from Italy on 3 September 1941. By November 1941 all the Falcos were in service and they bore the designation of J11 and were assigned to F9 (F=Flottilj approx. Wing) at Säve, Gothenburg. Modifications included 20-mm armour plate behind the pilot, radio equipment and skis for winter service.

The CR.42 was declared obsolete in 1945 and the remaining aircraft were purchased by AB Svensk Flygtjänst.

Civil use of the Fiat CR.42 Falco in Sweden

J11 was a biplane and the last of it kind to be manufactured at the Fiat factory. This meant that the plane was already obsolete when it left the assembly line. Unfortunately was the quality in the Italian war production very bad but the purchase was seen as a short sighted emergency solution before expected domestic production could begin. In spite of this the "Caccia Rosatell" (the Rosatelli fighter) or "Caccia Rapide" (fast fighter) was to do some years of good service in the Swedish Airforce in times of hard military preparedness for Sweden. The plane was nice to fly and was well liked by the pilots. Unfortunately was the armament bad - only two 12.7mm machineguns - and the speed werent much to brag about. But the turning performance was good which many superior opponents were to learn.

The factory claims of a speed of 430 km/h and a service ceiling of 10000m is numbers that in real life was regarded with suspiciousness.

Sources: En flykt genom tiderna - Staten Försvarshistoriska Museer Att flyga är att leva The Fiat CR.42 - Gianni Cattaneo, 1971

Fiat CR-42 J11 used by Sweden RSWAF F9.1Sqn Red 9 Säve Sweden 1941.

Kadett Svante Nordquist in J11 no. 2543 (c/n 921) of Kungliga Göta Flygflottilj F9 at Säve in 1941-42.

 Flight Simulators
 

   IL-2 Sturmovik 'Cliff's of Dover' Blitz

   IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad

   DCS World - has no 3D model

 



Regia Aeronautica Aces (World War II)
Ace No of Kills
Teresio Vittorio Martinoli22 kills
Franco Lucchini22 kills (1 in Spain)
Leonardo Ferrulli21 kills (1 in Spain)
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri19 kills
Luigi Gorrini19 kills
Mario Visintini17 kills
Ugo Drago17 kills
Mario Bellagambi14 kills
Luigi Baron14 kills
Luigi Gianella12 kills
Attilio Sanson12 kills
Willy Malagola11 Kills
Carlo Magnaghi11 kills
Angelo Mastroagostino11 kills
Giorgio Solaroli di Briona11 kills
Mario Veronesi11 kills
Fernando Malvezzi10 kills
Giulio Reiner10 kills
Giuseppe Robetto10 kills
Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa10 kills
Massimo Salvatore10 kills
Claudio Solaro10 kills
Ennio Tarantola10 kills
Giulio Torresi10 kills
Adriano Visconti10 kills

 

 Italy Map

 

    Fiat CR.42 Falco Bibliography:

  • Apostolo, Giorgio. Fiat CR 42, Ali e Colori 1 (in Italian/English). Torino, Italy: La Bancarella Aeronautica, 1999. No ISBN.
  • Apostolo, Giorgio. Fiat CR 42, Ali d'Italia 1 (in Italian/English). Torino, Italy: La Bancarella Aeronautica, 1998. No ISBN.
  • Avions militaires 1919-1939 - Profils et Histoire (in French). Paris: Hachette, Connaissance de l'histoire, 1979.
  • Beale, Nick, Ferdinando D'Amico and Gabriele Valentini. War Italy: 1944-45. Shrewbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-85310-252-0.
  • Boyne, Walter J. Scontro di Ali (in Italian). Milano: Mursia, 1997. ISBN 88-425-2256-2.
  • Carr, John, On Spartan Wings, Barnsley, SY: Pens & Sword Military, 2012. ISBN 978-1-84884-798-9.
  • Cull, Brian and Frederick Galea. Gladiators over Malta: The Story of Faith, Hope and Charity. Malta: Wise Owl Publication, 2008. ISBN 978-99932-92-78-4.
  • De Marchi, Italo. Fiat CR.42 Falco (in Italian). Modena, Italy: Stem Mucchi, 1994. No ISBN.
  • Forslund, Mikael. J 11, Fiat CR 42 (in Swedish with English summary). Falun, Sweden: Mikael Forslund Production, 2001. ISBN 91-631-1669-3.
  • Gustavsson, Håkan and Ludovico Slongo. Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2. Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford /New York, Osprey Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84603-427-5.
  • Gustavsson, Håkan and Ludovico Slongo. GLADIATOR vs. CR.42 FALCO 1940-41. Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford /New York, Osprey Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-1-84908-708-7.
  • Gustavsson, Håkan. "South African Air Force use of the Fiat CR.32 and CR.42 during the Second World War." Håkans aviation page, 9 April 2009. Retrieved: 13 April 2009.
  • Haining, Peter. The Chianti Raiders: The Extraordinary Story Of The Italian Air Force in The Battle Of Britain. London: Robson Books, 2005. ISBN 1-86105-829-2.
  • Kopenhagen, W. Das große Flugzeug-Typenbuch (in German). Stuttgart, Germany: Transpress, 1987. ISBN 3-344-00162-0.
  • Lambert, John W. "The 14th Fighter Group in World War II". Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History, 2008. ISBN 0-76432-921-9.
  • Lucas, Laddie, ed. Wings of War: Airmen of All Nations Tell their Stories 1939-1945. London: Hutchinson, 1983. ISBN 0-09-154280-4.
  • Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. Italian Aces of World War 2. Oxford / New York: Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 978-1-84176-078-0.
  • Neulen, Hans Werner. In the skies of Europe - Air Forces allied to the Luftwaffe 1939-1945. Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-799-1.
  • Pacco, John. "Fiat CR.42" Belgisch Leger/Armee Belge: Het militair Vliegwezen/l'Aeronautique militaire 1930-1940 (in French). Artselaar, Belgium, 2003, pp. 66–69. ISBN 90-801136-6-2.
  • Pagani, Flaminio. Ali d'aquila Duelli Aerei nei Cieli d'Europa 1936-1943 (in Italian). Milano: Mursia, 2007.
  • Punka, George. Fiat CR 32/CR 42 in Action (Aircraft Number 172). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal, 2000. ISBN 0-89747-411-2.
  • "S.C." (in Italian). Il Messaggero Roma, 12 July 1984.
  • Sgarlato, Nico. Fiat CR.42 (in Italian). Parma, Italy: Delta Editrice, 2005.
  • Skulski, Przemysław. Fiat CR.42 Falco. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2007. ISBN 83-89450-34-8.
  • Sutherland, Jon and Diane Canwell. Air War East Africa 1940-41 The RAF versus the Italian Air Force. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword Aviation, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84415-816-4.
  • Taylor, John W.R. "Fiat CR.42." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2.
  • Thomas, Andrew. Gloster Gladiator Aces. Botley, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-84176-289-X.
  • Vossilla, Maggiore. "Pilota Ferruccio, comandante 18° Gruppo C.A.I (in Italian)." Prima Battaglia Aerea Relazione giornaliera Ministero dell'Aeronautica, 11 Novembre 1940.
  • Wheeler, Barry C. The Hamlyn Guide to Military Aircraft Markings. London: Chancellor Press, 1992. ISBN 1-85152-582-3.
  • Winchester, Jim. "Fiat CR.42." Aircraft of World War II (The Aviation Factfile). Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. ISBN 1-84013-639-1.

    Magazine References: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_CR.42
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_CR.42
  • http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/falco.htm
  • http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/falco_belgium.htm The Fiat CR.42 in the Belgian Air Force
  • http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/falco_hungary.htm The Fiat CR.42 in the Hungarian Air Force
  • http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/falco_sweden.htm The Fiat CR.42 in the Swedish Air Force

 

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This webpage was updated 21st December 2021

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