Unit: 352 Squadriglia, 20 Gruppo at Pantelleria 1941 - later transferred to Libya
The FIAT G.50 Freccia (Freccia means Arrow in English) was first flown in February 1937. The G.50 was Italy's first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production. Pilots disliked the sliding cockpit canopy, which was not easy to open quickly. So, in later production series, an open cockpit was adopted.
The first operative aircraft were delivered to the Regia Aeronautica in 1938. Very maneuverable, it was one of the best fighters during the Spanish Civil War. But by the time World War II began it was becoming obsolescent, being too slow because it was underpowered and underarmed with only two Breda-SAFAT 12,7mm machine guns.
The G.50 bis version was developed in 1940, but the changes were mostly to improve ease of maintenance and performance was unchanged.
It was employed in all the Regia Aeronautica area operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa for fighter defense, convoy escort and bomber escort missions. In the Greek campaign, it performed adequately against opposing obsolescent types like the Gladiator and Blenheim. After that it was clear it was not a match for more modern Allied aircraft and was eventually used more for ground attack.
About 780 were built, 35 of which were exported to Finland where they served with success against the Russians. Ten Fiat G.50's were also transferred to the Croatian Air Force.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, VC, paint textures, aircraft flight files, and .dp.
Kelticheart: Prop blurred texture.
Gauges, as far as I know, credit goes to kelticheart, mvg3d, Chalachew, Beepee, and Gius for their WWII Italian gauges.
The panel, much modified, is based on an IL-2 panel.
The FIAT G.50 Freccia (Freccia means Arrow in English) was first flown in February 1937. The G.50 was Italy's first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production. Pilots disliked the sliding cockpit canopy, which was not easy to open quickly. So, in later production series, an open cockpit was adopted.
The first operative aircraft were delivered to the Regia Aeronautica in 1938. Very maneuverable, it was one of the best fighters during the Spanish Civil War. But by the time World War II began it was becoming obsolescent, being too slow because it was underpowered and underarmed with only two Breda-SAFAT 12,7mm machine guns.
The G.50 bis version was developed in 1940, but the changes were mostly to improve ease of maintenance and performance was unchanged.
It was employed in all the Regia Aeronautica area operations in the Mediterranean and North Africa for fighter defense, convoy escort and bomber escort missions. In the Greek campaign, it performed adequately against opposing obsolescent types like the Gladiator and Blenheim. After that it was clear it was not a match for more modern Allied aircraft and was eventually used more for ground attack.
About 780 were built, 35 of which were exported to Finland where they served with success against the Russians. Ten Fiat G.50's were also transferred to the Croatian Air Force.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, VC, paint textures, aircraft flight files, and .dp.
Kelticheart: Prop blurred texture.
Gauges, as far as I know, credit goes to kelticheart, mvg3d, Chalachew, Beepee, and Gius for their WWII Italian gauges.
The panel, much modified, is based on an IL-2 panel.
