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Special Hobby 1/72 FIAT G.55B Biposto (Two-Seat Trainer) by Philippe Martin |
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The Fiat G.55 Centauro (Centaur) designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli (1903-1987) arguably was the best World War II Italian fighter flown by the Regia Aeronautica Italia (RAI) and Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR). During its short wartime operational service primarily with the ANR this powerful, robust and fast cannon-armed aircraft clashed on equal terms with RAF Supermarine Spitfires, U.S.A.A.F. P-38s, P-47s and P-51s engaged in bomber escort and ground attack missions over Northern Italy during 1944-45 though only a few dozen were operational at any time. No G.55 trainers were available during the war but soon thereafter Gabrielli designed the G.55B (Biposto lit. twin-seat) and G.55A single-seat advanced trainers the former first flying on February 12, 1946 and later on September 5th. Utilizing left over stocks of incomplete G.55 fighter airframes, parts and 1,475hp FIAT RA.1050 R.C.58 Tifone (Typhoon) inverted V-12 license-built Daimler-Benz DB 605A-1 engines presumably as well as converting surviving wartime G.55 fighter aircraft FIAT produced 19 G.55A and 10 G.55B trainers for the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI) as well as 30 G.55A and 15 G.55B for the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA - Argentine Air Force) during 1946. |
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Special Hobby has augumented its 1/72 G.55 fighter into the post-war two-seater variant with a new fuselage, a model that's a little complex to build but which remains the only good model of the G.55 in this scale and which will serve as a base for my four conversion kits that will make it possible to build the whole family of G.59 variants. This is black C-34 Fuerza Aérea Argentina based in El Palomar 1947 - aluminum finish. |
Aircraft: Fiat G.55A Manufacturer: Fiat S.A. Type: Fighter Year: 1946 Engine: FIAT Tifone RA 1050, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled 1,475hp Wingspan: 38 ft 10 1/2 in (11.85 m) Length: 30 ft 9 in (9.37 m) Height: 12 ft 4 in (3.77 m) Weight: 8,200 lb (3,720 kg) (Loaded) Maximum Speed: 385 mph (620 km/h) at 24,300 ft (7,400 m) Ceiling: 41,700 ft (12,700 m) Range: 1,025 miles (1,650 km) Armament: 4 x 12.7mm (0.5 in) SAFAT machine guns Crew: 1 |
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August, 2019 STORMO! © 2019 |