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Italian Kits 1/72 FIAT CR.42 DB Fighter (Prototype) by Richard Mendes |
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Probably the most beautiful and the most powerful biplane ever built and that still holds the speed record for biplanes reaching an impressive 323 mph, and was as fast as the Macchi C.200! This was the Fiat CR.42 DB and was Fiat's attempt to update and augment the performance of the CR.42, and may have even achieved some success as the Harrier would show decades later against much faster and heavily armed Mirages in the Falklands War, however the Regia Aeronautica gave up on the idea, focusing instead its resources on other types - despite evidence that showed the Fiat CR.42 could duel effectively with the Hawker Hurricane in air battles over Greece and Malta. After the first months of war, the Air Ministry, with the intention of obtaining an improvement in the performance of some of its existing fighters asked FIAT to draw up plans for and effect the installation of the DB.601 in-line engine on the CR.42. This brought about considerable modifications in its wake, due to substantial differences involved in the new power unit, with liquid-cooling in respect of the air-cooled A.74.
In view of the urgency, in the space of a few weeks, progress was made from design to prototype, which was able to undertake its first flight in March 1941 with Comandante Cus at the controls. In the case of the DB, just as, at the same time, was proving to be true of the ICR, performance turned out to be good when set alongside those of the basic plane from which it derived. In fact, the top speed of 323 mph (520 km/h), represented an increase of almost 100 km/h over its predecessor, and was exceptional, for a biplane. In the summer, the CR.42 DB was tested at Guidonia, but the Ministry had already given up on the idea of mass producing it as a single-seat fighter, and had requested its transformation into a two-seat reconnaissance plane. Subsequently, this idea was also set aside, again before progressing to the production phase. The CR.42 DB differed from the CR.42 in having the forward and lower parts of the fuselage redesigned and adapted to the arrangement of the DB.601A engine and its relative cooling components. The engine mounting was constructed of longitudinal supports in dural connected with steel tubes. The fuel and lubrification circulation systems were of a new design. Equipment included a two-way radio and a photo-planimetric camera. Armament consisted of two SAFAT 12.7mm cal. machine-guns with 400 rounds each. The engine was an Alfa Romeo RA 1000 (DB.601A) developing 986 H.P. at 5,500m and driving an Alfa Romeo three-bladed electrically adjustable pitch propeller. |
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The 1/72 scale resin Italian Kits Wings IKW7205 + Italeri FIAT CR.42 injected-molded-plastic donor kit conversion build came off remarkably well despite fears of grossly misaligned fuselage joins though the fuselage starboard side is off center, landing gear too high well as wings appearing off center. Near all resin kit castings I've worked with had similar misalignment issues though fortunately these weren’t the worst. Information regarding the FIAT CR.42 DB via the Internet is sparse, two port-side period photographs was all I had available to accomplish the kit build. The MM.469 prototype appears to been painted three-color Giallo-3, Verde-3, Marrone-1 over Grigio RAI Mimetico Schema C1B typical of FIAT-built aircraft of the day Humbrol, Testors and Model Master enamel paints being used to replicate it along with SKY and Tauro Model water decals. The two Internet photographs of MM.469 don’t show the fuselage fascio nor the MM.469 serial on the fuselage so left them off though a House of Savoia crest was applied on the Distintivo di Guerra white rudder cross. |
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Aircraft: Fiat CR.42 DB Manufacturer: FIAT S.A. Type: Fighter Year: 1941 Engine: Daimler Benz DB 601A-1, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled, 1,175hp Wingspan: 31 ft 9 7/8 in (9.70 m) Length: 28 ft 10 15/32 in (8.80 m) Height: 10 ft 11 7/8 in (3.35 m) Weight: 4,299 lb (1,950 kg) (Loaded) Maximum Speed: 323 mph (520 km/h) Ceiling: 34,777 ft (10,600 m) Range: 715 mi (1,150 km) Armament: 2 x 12.7mm SAFAT machine guns Crew: 1 |
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