Fiat G.91R/1

Fiat · Italy · first flew 1956 · reconnaissance aircraft

The Fiat G.91R/1 was the reconnaissance variant of the G.91 light tactical jet, replacing the fighter's machine-guns with three cameras for visual reconnaissance in support of NATO ground forces.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, swept
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	10.3 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Light swept-wing jet with three nose cameras replacing guns
Similar silhouette to F-86 Sabre but smaller and lighter
Italian-built NATO light tactical aircraft

Small swept-wing single-engine jet with a camera nose rather than a gun nose; the overall proportions are those of a scaled-down F-86, with a circular intake and a rounded forward fuselage.

Specifications

The Fiat G.91R/1 has a length of 10.3 m (34 ft).
It has a wingspan of 8.56 m (28 ft).
Its maximum speed is 1075 km/h (668 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

The G.91 won the 1953 NATO lightweight fighter competition and entered Italian Air Force service; the R/1 was the first reconnaissance variant, produced from 1956 with three Vinten cameras in the nose. It served with the Italian Air Force and was later exported to Germany.

Variants

The R/1 was followed by the R/3 with improved cameras and the R/4 optimised for German requirements; the basic fighter was the G.91R with guns.

Where you'll see it

The G.91R/1 served as a primary tactical reconnaissance type with the Aeronautica Militare and the Luftwaffe through the 1970s, the last Italian examples retiring in the early 1990s.

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