Fiat CR.42 Enlarged Oil Cooler Fairings

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Cjohn62
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Fiat CR.42 Enlarged Oil Cooler Fairings

Post by Cjohn62 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:54 am

A feature missing from the Italeri Fiat CR.42 kits, both 1/72 and 1/48 as well as all other kits of this aircraft, is the second oil cooler inlet below the origional wing root oil cooler inlet and its associated fairing extending aft to an exhuast duct, parallel to the wing trailing edge and slightly foreward of the origional oil cool exhaust duct on the trailing edge of the wing fairing. The second inlet can be seen in several photos of CR.42 AS/CN/LW aircraft. The fairing for what I think were enlarged oil coolers can be seen in a photo (Italeri photographic reference manual, page 3) behing the main landing gear struts. The exhaust can be seen in another photo (SS CR.32/CR.42 in action, page 32 and Mushroom Pub CR.42, page 45). I have been unable to find any clear photos that show this feature in detail, nor any drawings. Most photos that show this area tend to be in deep shadow, have poor resolution, or have some standing in the way thus preventing a clear view. Perhaps someone else can shed some light on this glaring omission.

Rick
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Oil cooler

Post by Rick » Fri Nov 07, 2008 10:45 am

For the photos I need time to look for; what I have available at the moment is this image from the Catalogo Nomenclatore which, in my opinion, shows a double oil cooler, one over the other and this could justify the double fairings visible in the photos.
Image

Riccardo
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Post by Cjohn62 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:01 pm

Riccardo

Thank you for such a prompt response. I would be very interested in any information that you can provide that shed light on this issue. I have delayed starting an Italeri 1/72 scale CR.42 AS, as well as a CA 1/48 scale CR.42 AS (though I may replace/combine this with the Italeri 1/48 CR.42 AS which is in many respects I think a better kit) until I could resolve this issue. It seems that the more I research the Falco, the more questions I come up with.

Chris

Rick
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Cr42 fairings

Post by Rick » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:31 am

I insert two photos where the fairings are visible; what is to highlight is that they are not present on all the airplane; I attach also a photo of the CR42 preserved at Duxford and here it is possible to see that the fairings are not present.
The photos are inserted only in the scope of the discussion

Image

Image

and the subject at Duxford
Image

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Rick
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Addenda

Post by Rick » Sat Nov 08, 2008 8:34 am

I forgot to add that it is important to have the photos of the subject one wanrts to reproduce with the model to avoid errors
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Post by Stefano » Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:49 pm

Another image to add to those by Rick. It shows Mar. Giuseppe Ruzzin at Pantelleria, during a transfer to North Africa (source: Leproni-Lucchini, Dai Biplani agli Aviogetti).

Image

This FIAT shows the double inlet, as well as the louvers to increase engine cooling. All these modifications were made for the NA theatre, so obviously were not present in the Channel area. Strangely, a carburettor sandfilter is missing. RA realized later what kind of mistake it was!

Stefano

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