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Hello everybody,

I am trying to track down a photo of a fiat CR-42 with a broad (temporary) yellow theatre band around the cockpit.
I found at least 4 different profiles from various sources on the net all depicting a 85 Sq. 18 Gr. 56 St. CT FIAT CR-42 , MM4326 coded 9-85
Also I have Tauro sheet 48-559 depicting amongst others the same subject

Thus I bought "regia aeronautica caccia & assalto 1940-1941" wich doesn't repeat this profile but interestingly states on page 25,
"As a further mean to better recognize the Italian types, also a broad yellow fuselage band was painted on Italian aircraft, but it's use on fighter types was quite limited, as pictures with that marking are extremely rare, witnessing that it's operational use, was just experimented for a very limited time, being discarded with in early november."

So according to above mentioned source, however extremely rare, pictures do exist...

Has anybody here ever seen such a picture ?
All help will be most appreciated.

Thanks, Ray

Your omitting some key words in your reference:

"As a further mean to better reconise the Italian types, also a broad yellow fuselage band was painted on the Italian aircraft, but its use on fighter types is quite controversial, as pictures with that marking are extremely rare, witnessing that probably its operational use, if any, was probably just experimented for a very limited time, being later discarded."

In the future please reference exactly what is printed to avoid confusion and wasting peoples time. I have not seen photos of RA Fiat CR.42s or Fiat G.50s deployed to Belgium with the yellow cockpit fusleage band.

I attach this photo, published on the Italian magazine Air Kit News n°23 April-May 2005 where it is possible to individuate the ywllow band around the fuselage, in the zone of the cockpit.



I hope you will like it
Riccardo

Thanks for your swift reply Vince,

I absolutely don't want to add to confusion nor waste anybody's time so I rechecked my reference, However I have copied the text correctly right down to the last dot.
Now this might be far fetched, but I noticed that I've bought the second edition-2009, while the first is copyrighted 2002. Whilst I think it is very unlikely, the text could be slightly modified in the second issue ?

In any case thanks for your response
Ray

You just made my day !!

I'm very intrigued by this scheme but the more I researched, the more confusing it became. I am very happy that you came to the rescue with this picture

Grazie 1000 !!
Ray

Very interesting photo.... I've never seen this one before!

I think it is correct to add that this photo appeared on the site
www.150gct.it
during an interesting discussion about RA in the BoB
Riccardo

Just for information, you can find a photo of a G50 with the cockpit yellow band and some other airplanes in the above mentioned site at the voice Storia dell'Aviazione in the post
CAI-INFO RICHIESTA DA OLEG
expecially in the part 2
The discussion is in Italian, but the photos are very interesting
Riccardo

Now first I have to go and digest the leads and information you supplied!
It is very interesting indeed !

Thanks !!

Yes, you're right, the text is differet in the Second Print of this book. Thank you for the followup.

I agree this is an intersting photo of an 85 Squadriglia, 18 Gruppo CR.42. I cannot recall see a photo previosly of these markings. Also note that it appears that this aircraft has a louvered cowling, and it is possible that this aircraft also featured dual oil coolers.

Cjohn62 wrote:I agree this is an intersting photo of an 85 Squadriglia, 18 Gruppo CR.42. I cannot recall see a photo previosly of these markings. Also note that it appears that this aircraft has a louvered cowling, and it is possible that this aircraft also featured dual oil coolers.

As far as I know, all Cr.42s had louvered cowlings as well as dual oil coolers located underneath the lower wings.