Modern-Aviation

The Fiat G.50 Freccia (meaning "Arrow") series provided the Italian Air Force with a then-modern monoplane fighter featuring a retractable undercarriage, all-metal construction and an enclosed cockpit. During this period in aviation history, these three design features alone were strong distinguishers between older generation 1920/1930-era fighters and the new breed appearing almost monthly across the globe. The G.50 fought on from 1938 through to the end of the war in 1945 - the latter years to a lesser extent - being utilized in a variety of roles and by a handful of very different operators. An impressive total of 791 G.50's were produced.

Design of the G.50 began as soon as 1935 to which the prototype was made available for first flight two years later on February 26th. Despite the aircraft's relatively modern design, it did not prove to be a substantial leap when compared to other previous modern Italian attempts. Despite this, the aircraft was well accepted for her speed and maneuverability and put into production. In its early form as with an enclosed cockpit, the G.50 received its baptism of fire as part of the Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War. The aircraft - at least by 1938 standards - proved a worthy success and became a mainstay of the modern Italian Air Force, or Regia Aeronautica. Pilot reaction to the aircraft was generally good, though the Italian flyboys were not as fond of her greenhouse framed canopy. As such, the follow-up production models were actually built with an open-air cockpit instead - effectively advancing Italian aviation by a two steps forward, one step back philosophy.

Design-wise, the G.50 was a standard low-wing monoplane with rounded edges, a smooth yet stout-looking fuselage and a conventional empennage. The radial engine was housed in a characteristically Fiat cowl, sporting a three-bladed propeller and conical spinner. Wings were positioned just below and ahead of the cockpit position. The canopy featured a framed forward section and a "razorback" style rear section, integrating into the tail section. The main gear systems of the undercarriage were fully retractable while the tail wheel was not.

Compared with her contemporaries, the G.50 lacked firepower to a degree, being armed with two synchronized 12.7mm heavy caliber machine guns provided for by Breda-SAFAT. Beyond this arrangement, the G.50 carried no other armament. Power for the Freccia came in the form of the single Fiat A.74 RC38 series radial engine, delivering upwards of 838 horsepower. Performance specifications were adequate, sporting a top speed of 301 miles per hour, a range of 418 miles and a service ceiling of 32,258 feet. A rate-of-climb of 44.9 feet per second was also reported.

A handful of variants existed beginning with the base G.50 production model. The G.50 bis followed with improved range and was produced to the tune of 421 examples. The G.50ter was a single example model featuring the Fiat A.76 engine of 1,000 horsepower. Similarly, the G.50V existed in a single form, this one being fitted with a German Daimler-Benz DB 601 series engine. A prototype two-seat fighter-bomber was produced as the G.50bis A/N. The G.50B would have been the designation afforded to a two-seat trainer model of the base G.50. Experimentation with the Daimler-Benz DB 601-powered G.50 led to the development of the off-shoot G.55 fighter series fitted with DB 605 engines.

Operators of the aircraft included Germany and Italy along with Croatia, Finland, Spain and Yugoslavia. The G.50 was the design brainchild of Italian engineer Giuseppe Gabrielli.

Role: Fighter aircraft
Manufacturer: Fiat
Designer: Giuseppe Gabrielli
First flight: 26 February 1937
Introduction: 1938
Retired: 1946 Finnish Air Force
Status: Retired
Primary users: Regia Aeronautica
                          Finnish Air Force
                          Ejército del Aire
                          Luftwaffe
Produced: 1935–1943
Number built: 683 + 5 prototypes
Variants: Fiat G.55

Operators
NDH - Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia received 15+ aircraft.
Finland - Finnish Air Force 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 in the spring of 1940.
No. 26 Squadron, Finnish Air Force
Germany - Luftwaffe
Kingdom of Italy - Regia Aeronautica
Gruppo Sperimentale da Caccia Spanish Civil War 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 12 aircraft
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Italian Social Republic - Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
Spain - Ejército del Aire
Yugoslavia - SFR Yugoslav Air Force one ex-Croatian