Fiat CR.42 Falco

Fiat Aviazione · Italy · first flew 1938 · fighter

The Fiat CR.42 Falco was the last Italian biplane fighter and one of the last biplanes of any nation to see large-scale combat service in World War II. Despite being outclassed by contemporary monoplanes, it was highly manoeuvrable and remained in production and service through 1943.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.3 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Last biplane fighter to see widespread combat service in WWII
Sesquiplane layout with smaller lower wing
Fixed spatted undercarriage with open cockpit

A classic biplane fighter with sesquiplane layout (smaller lower wing), a large Fiat A.74 radial, fixed gear with wheel spats, and open cockpit. The more angular wing tips and overall elegance distinguish it from the earlier CR.32.

Specifications

The Fiat CR.42 Falco has a length of 8.3 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 9.7 m (32 ft).
Its maximum speed is 441 km/h (274 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1938 and entering Regia Aeronautica service in 1939, the CR.42 fought in the Battle of Britain (with the Italian Corpo Aereo Italiano), East Africa, the Western Desert, and the Greek campaign. It was also exported to Belgium, Hungary, and Sweden.

Variants

Variants include the CR.42 AS (Africa Settentrionale) with desert equipment, the CR.42 CN night-fighter with exhaust dampers, and the CR.42bis with additional armament.

Where you'll see it

Served with the Regia Aeronautica and exported to Belgium, Hungary, and Sweden; the Swedish Air Force used theirs (J 11) as trainers after the war.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.