The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to it being a relatively popular fighter during the 1930s.
The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in Albania, and in the Mediterranean theatre. It was extensively used in the Spanish Civil War, where it gained a reputation as one of the most outstanding fighter biplanes of all time. It also saw service in the air forces of China, Austria, Hungary, Paraguay and Venezuela. It frequently performed impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Italian Pattuglie Acrobatiche.Gunston 1988, p. 246. During the late 1930s, the CR.32 was overtaken by more advanced monoplane designs; by the start of the Second World War, it was considered to be obsolete. While it had been superseded by a number of newer Italian fighters, including the newer Fiat CR.42 Falco which had been derived from the CR.32, the type continued to be flown throughout the conflict.Sgarlato 2005. pp. 10–14.
Development The Fiat CR.32 was designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli. It was derived from the earlier Fiat CR.30, which had received limited production orders from the Regia Aeronautica but, within the space of 12 months, it was superseded by the newer CR.32.Cattaneo 1966, p. 3. The CR.32 had a smaller and more streamlined fuselage than the CR.30, resulting in a more compact aircraft.
On 28 April 1933, the prototype CR.32, which was designated the MM.201, made its maiden flight from the Fiat company airfield at Turin. By the end of the year, the first production examples were already arriving with front line units of the Regia Aeronautica. Mass production of the type took place between 1933 and 1938. Four variants of the CR.32 were developed: the standard, bis, ter, and quater.Cattaneo 1966, p. 8. The CR.32 bis had a more powerful Fiat A.30R V12 engine and two additional machine guns, while the ter and the quater retained the original armament, differing in the use of improved gunsights and instrumentation.
By 1938, the CR.32 had been rendered obsolete by advances in the field of aviation, including the arrival of a new generation of monoplane fighters, which were capable of superior performance. The CR.32 was directly succeeded by the Fiat CR.42 Falco, which was derived from the CR.32.Cattaneo 1966, p. 4. During the development of this design, four CR.32s were converted to serve as prototypes.
Design
The Fiat CR.32's fuselage had the same structure as the earlier CR.30, using aluminium and steel tubes covered by duraluminium on the nose up to the cockpit, on the back, in the lower section under the tail, while a fabric covering was used on the sides and belly. According to Cattaneo, the fuselage was very robust for the time. The CR.32 had a fixed undercarriage with hydraulic shock absorbers; the wheels were housed in fairings and braking was pneumatically activated.
The wings and tail used a mixed composition, similar to the fuselage, composed of a pair of aluminium alloy tubular spars and square tubes, which were covered by fabric. It was a sesquiplane, the lower wing being shorter than the upper wing. The interplane struts were arranged to form a pair of Warren trusses on either side. Ailerons were only present upon the upper wings, which were balanced by out-rigged tabs mounted on steel struts. The empennage, which was largely composed of aluminium tubes, had a variable incidence tailplane and an aerodynamically-balanced elevator.
The cockpit of the CR.32 had an adjustable seat and a parachute, the latter of which was stored within the squab. Although it was considered to be fully instrumented for the era, the RA.80-1 radio set was only an optional piece of equipment. Other equipment included a fire extinguisher, gun camera, and an oxygen system for the pilot; both an optical gunsight and survey camera could also be installed as optional item.Cattaneo 1966, p. 5. The armament initially included a pair of 7.7 mm (.030 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns (which was later replaced with a pair of 12.7 mm (.5 in) Breda-SAFAT guns), which were fitted on top of the engine cowling; each gun had an ammo capacity of 350 rounds. Later examples were also furnished with a pair of hard points, which could accommodate up to twelve 5lb bombs, a pair of 100lb bombs, or a single 200lb bomb.
The CR.32 was powered by a single water-cooled Fiat A.30 R.A. V12 engine. Designed in 1930, it was a 60° V 12, producing up to 447 kW (600 hp) at 2,600 rpm, reportedly inspired by the American Curtiss D-12. It drove a 2.82 meter (9 ft 4 in) two-blade metal propeller with pitch only adjustable on the ground, not in flight. The engine did not use the usual aviation gasoline, but instead ran on a mixture of petrol (55%), ethanol (23%) and benzol (22%). The main fuel tank, which was located between the engine and cockpit, carried 325 litres (85.9 US gal). There was another small 25 liter (6.6 US gal) auxiliary tank positioned in a streamlined fairing in the center of the upper wing.
Operational history Early operations The new biplane proved to be an instant success. After a brief period of testing, the first production orders for the CR.32 were received during March 1934. Within a short amount of time, the type soon equipped the 1°, 3° and 4° Stormi of the Regia Aeronautica. The CR.32 was commonly well liked by its crews, being very maneuverable and benefitting from a relatively strong fuselage structure.
The Fiat biplanes were used for many aerobatic shows, in Italy and abroad. When foreign statesmen visited Rome, the 4° Stormo, Regia Aeronautica élite unit put on impressive displays with formations of five or ten aircraft. During 1936, air shows were organized above various other European capitals and major cities, and, during the following year, in South America. When the team returned, a brilliant display was put on in Berlin.Mondey 2006, p. 56. Further overseas tours by Italian display teams, such as a South American expedition in 1938, were performed using the type. The CR.32's tight turning circle and excellent handling made the type ideal for aerobatic displays.Cattaneo 1966, pp. 7-8.
The CR.32 was noted for high maneuverability and gained widespread popularity among its pilots. Aviation historians argue that it's combat success contributed to the Regia Aeronautica's continued commitment to biplane development, delaying the adoption of more modern monoplane fighters.
Spain
During 1938, Spain acquired a license to build the CR.32. Spanish manufacturer Hispano Aviación established a production line and constructed at least 100 examples, which were locally known under the designation HA-132-L Chirri. Some of these aircraft remained in military service as C.1 aerobatic trainers up until as late as 1953.
The Fiat CR.32 was used extensively in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the Fascist military rebellion against the Spanish Republic.Cattaneo 1966, pp. 5-6. At least 380 examples took part in the air battles fought over Spain, proving formidable adversaries to the Soviet Polikarpov I-15 biplane and Polikarpov I-16 monoplane that formed the backbone of the Spanish Republican Air Force.Mondey 2006, p. 27. During 1936, the type had its baptism of fire. On 18 August, the first 12 CR.32s arrived in Spain and formed the Squadriglia Gamba di Ferro, Cucaracha, and Asso di Bastoni of 3° Stormo; three days later Tenente Vittorino Ceccherelli, a Gold Medal of Military Valor winner, shot down the first enemy aircraft, a Nieuport 52, over Cordoba.De Marchi, Italo and Enzo Maio (tavole). Macchi MC. 200 "Saetta: / Pietro Tonizzo Gianfranco Munerotto Fiat CR. 32. Modena: Stem Mucchi Editore, 1994. In total, the Italian government dispatched between 365 and 405 C.R.32s to Spain while between 127 and 131 were delivered directly to Nationalist aviation units. During the conflict, six aircraft were captured by Republican forces, according to Nico, one of these was shipped to the Soviet Union, where it underwent a detailed evaluation.Sgarlato, Nico. Fiat CR.42, CR.32 Gli ultimi biplani. Parma: Delta Editrice, 2005.Cattaneo 1966, p. 6.
Thanks to the agile CR.32, the Italians managed to achieved air superiority over their Fuerzas Aéreas de la República Española opponents, who flew a motley collection of very different and often obsolete aircraft. The Fiat biplane proved to be effective in the theatre, the Aviazione Legionaria claiming 60 (48 confirmed) modern Russian Tupolev SB bombers, which were once believed to be impossible to intercept, as well as 242 Polikarpov I-15 biplane fighters, and 240 Polikarpov I-16 monoplane fighters, plus another hundred aircraft that were not confirmed. In exchange, C.R.32 losses were reportedly only 73. According to other sources, of the 376 Fiat shipped to Spain, 175 (43 Spanish operated and 132 Italian) were lost, including 99 (26 Spanish and 73 Italian) shot down, while, by January 1939, the number of I-15s shot down was just 88.Maslov 2010, p. 24.Cattaneo 1966, p. 7.
Spanish aces The top scoring CR.32 ace was Spaniard Joaquín García Morato y Castaño, who was the leading Nationalist fighter pilot of the Spanish Civil War. He achieved 36 of his 40 victories while flying the Fiat biplane. He used the same aircraft, which carried the number 3-51 on the fuselage, until his death. During April 1939, shortly after the war had finished, Morato fatally crashed his faithful 3-51 while performing low aerobatics.Shores 1983, p. 49.
Another Nationalist CR.32 ace was Capitán Manuel Vázquez Sagastizábal, who claimed 21 victories with Grupo 2-G-3, before he was shot down and killed on 23 January 1939. Comandante Angel Salas Larrazabal, after one kill flying a Nieuport-Delage 52, flew multiple CR.32s, shooting down, on 29 October 1936, the first of the fast Soviet monoplane Tupolev SB-2 bombers to fall to Nationalist fighters. He shot down four more aircraft with the CR.32 before moving to a Heinkel He 51 unit. After two more victories, he joined the new Grupo 2-G-3. With this unit, again flying CR.32s, he raised his score to 16, including three SB-2s and an I-16 in a single sortie on 2 September 1938. Capitán Miguel Guerrero Garcia achieved nine of his 13 victories flying the Fiat biplane: four I-15s, three "Papagayos" (R-5s and Polikarpov-RZs assault bombers), and two I-16s.Shores 1983, p. 47.
Second World War
The aerobatic characteristics of the CR.32 and its success in Spain misled the Italian air ministry, which was convinced that a biplane fighter still had potential as a weapon of war. Consequently, during May 1939, prior to Italy entering the Second World War, CR.32 fighters, in bis, ter, and quater versions, represented two-thirds of all fighters in the Regia Aeronautica. A total of 288 were based in Italy and North Africa, while 24 were stationed in East Africa.
North Africa When Italy declared war on Britain and France on 10 June 1940, 36 CR.32s together with 51 Fiat CR.42s formed the operational fighter force of the Regia Aeronautica in Libya.Shores, Massimello and Guest 2012, p. 17. The first combat between CR.32s and British aircraft came the following day. Six CR.32s intercepted a formation of Bristol Blenheim bombers attacking the airfield at El Adem, claiming two Blenheims shot down and the remaining four damaged (compared with actual British losses of two Blenheims lost and two damaged), for no losses.Shores, Massimello and Guest 2012, p. 23.Cattaneo 1966, pp. 8-9. According to Cattaneo, instead of focusing on air-to-air dogfighting, CR.32 pilots typically engaged in strafing ground targets, acting as light attack aircraft instead; he stated these activities to have been of "limited effectiveness" in the campaign.Cattaneo 1966, p. 9.
East Africa