Difference between revisions of "G.50 AS serie 7"

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{{Specs-Card|code=fiat_g50_seria7as_italy}}
+
{{About
 +
|about= Italian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
|usage= other versions
 +
|link= G.50 (Family)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=fiat_g50_seria7as_italy
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], though a variant existed in the [[G.50_AS_serie_7_(Germany)|German tech tree]] prior to the update.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
−
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
−
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, maneuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 +
In general, its decent rate of climb means it is easy to ensure you have proper altitude to play around with first. Generally for low tier planes like the G.50 3,000-4,000 m is generally enough, from there, the way of flying should be dedicated by the situation and opponents. Its good acceleration in dives and respectable dive speeds means it can be used as a Pure Boom & Zoomer, especially when you realize its energy retention is better then that of many other planes at its battle rating. However, it is a decent turn-fighter, barring the poor acceleration, so it can be used as such as well. Be warned on regular biplanes and Japanese monoplanes. Both of which are considerably better, bar high speeds, where the stiffness of controls on the G.50 are less than on either biplanes or Japanese planes.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 +
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 5,000 m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 +
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 +
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
 +
|-
 +
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 +
|-
 +
! Stock
 +
| 450 || 434 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 15.9 || 16.6 || 7.4 || 7.4 || rowspan="2" | 318
 +
|-
 +
! Upgraded
 +
| 494 || 470 || 14.1 || 15.0 || 14.1 || 10.3
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Details ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | Features
 +
|-
 +
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
 +
|-
 +
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | Limits
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
 +
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 +
|-
 +
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 +
|-
 +
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 535 || 450 || 260 || ~13 || ~5
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 +
|-
 +
| < 360 || < 270 || < 500 || > 300
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* No armour
 +
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 underneath gun barrels, 1 behind ammo, 1 behind pilot and 1 in each wingroot)
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
−
''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 +
 
 +
* 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
−
''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)}}
 +
 
 +
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 +
 
 +
* Without load
 +
* 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (100 kg total)
 +
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
The Fiat G.50 Freccia is a typical Italian pre-war design, its fairly sturdy, has modest speed and poor armament consisting of 2 Breda SAFAT 12.7 mm guns mounted in the upper cowling, which means it has the distinctive low rate of fire (roughly 400 rounds per minutes). However it does have its merits as well, its fairly agile, it has no trouble dogfighting Hurricanes it will commonly face, and if things become too hectic, the G.50 can quickly escape by going into a dive, and exploit its surprisingly good dive acceleration to gain separation. Furthermore it pays to be aware of its modest acceleration and overheating, as such, its generally advised to maintain an eye on your speed and use WEP sparingly.
  
−
=== Defensive armament ===
+
For the armament, the same applies to all other Italian aircraft; generally you want to use Tracers, Anti-air or Stealth since they are the belts that deal the most damage. Shell velocity is low, hence they suffer above 300 m, so only fire at or below that range for best effects. Furthermore, much like the other Italian fighters the armament is woefully inadequate to deal with bombers, hence it is best to avoid them entirely, or focus on taking out the engines. Only exception are the very early biplane bombers, such as [[Swordfish_Mk_I|Swordfish]], [[Po-2]] and the like.
−
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
=== Manual Engine Control ===
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
 +
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
 +
! colspan="3" | Radiator
 +
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
 +
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 +
|-
 +
! Oil !! Water !! Type
 +
|-
 +
| Controllable || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Good visibility from the cockpit
 +
* Decent rate of climb
 +
* Good acceleration in a dive
 +
* High maximum dive speed
 +
* Decent high speed handling
 +
* Good dogfighter
 +
* Can carry 100 kg of bombs
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
 
  
−
== Historical part ==
+
* Modest armament
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
* Open cockpit
 +
* No armour
 +
* Poor acceleration in level flight
 +
* Overheating is a issue
 +
* Guns deal very little damage at long range
 +
* Modest speed
 +
 
 +
== History ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The Fiat G.50 "Freccia" ("Arrow") was the first monoplane fighter to be adopted by the Regia Aeronautica. Designed for a 1936 fighter tender, the G.50 competed with a number of contemporary Italian designs like the [[C.200 (Family)|Macchi C.200 "Saetta"]]. It was a clear step above the [[CR.42|CR.42 "Falco"]] biplane fighters that had equipped the Italian military at the time: the all-metal monoplane construction with retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit gave it superior speed to the outdated Falco. The development process was complicated, however, and the G.50 underwent many revisions in response to changing specifications and design flaws uncovered by testing. For example, the enclosed cockpit was abandoned after the first production series. Though it arrived and began production earlier than the C.200, the overall performance of the Freccia was somewhat inferior, especially in terms of speed. It was retained since retooling the Fiat factories to produce Saettas would take too much time, effort, and resources. The basic G.50 was produced from 1937 to 1940. It saw considerable service during World War II, but due to the rapid pace of aircraft technological development, it was outdated even at the start of the war. Slow speed, poor armament, limited range, and a complete lack of armour protection did it no favors. The [[Hurricane (Family)|Hawker Hurricane]], itself not a cutting-edge fighter, easily outclassed the Freccias during their deployment in the Battle of Britain. The G.50 had somewhat more success in North Africa against British aircraft. They were eventually relegated to fighter-bomber roles, which they fulfilled well. Other users of the Freccia included the Independent State of Croatia and Finland. The latter used their G.50s to surprisingly good effect against the Soviet Union, but they were ill suited for the freezing northern climate and were held in lower regard than other foreign aircraft obtained by the Finnish Air Force.
 +
 
 +
The '''G.50 AS''' ('''A'''frica '''S'''ahariana) was a modified variant of the G.50 for use in desert conditions. It appears to have been based on the G.50 bis, an improved mark of the original G.50 that became the production standard from 1940 onwards. The -''bis''  added a fuel tank to the rear fuselage behind the pilot, revised the aerodynamics of the rear fuselage and control surfaces slightly, and made the tail wheel retractable. This fixed the Freccia's issue with range, the flight time being extended to two hours, but performance was very similar. The issues with speed and firepower still remained and it was not quite a satisfactory fighter for 1940-1943. The changes specific to the AS were quite simple: a dust filter was installed on the engine air intake, bomb racks were installed, and the landing gear was tweaked again for better sand resistance. The filter was a very important addition since the G.50 had initially been deployed to Libya without any special modifications and the sand unsurprisingly took its toll on the aircraft. Engine life was still markedly reduced with the filters installed but the improvement was welcome. The bomb racks allowed the Freccia to attack ground targets, leaving most air-to-air combat to higher performing Macchi fighters like the [[C.202|C.202 "Folgore"]].
 +
 
 +
The G.50 was not the greatest of the wartime Italian fighters, being outperformed by most of its opponents, and its rival from Macchi was generally a better aircraft despite having the same engine and a superficially similar design. Its best combat experiences were in ground attack roles or in the hands of the Finnish, who had skilled pilots and largely fought against similarly outdated Soviet aircraft. The G.50 still deserves credit for being the first modern aircraft of its class to enter Italian service. And the Freccia's design heritage would eventually make its way to the [[G.55 (Family)|Fiat G.55 "Centauro"]], a superb design deemed by the Luftwaffe as "the best fighter in the Axis" that arguably snatched the crown back from Macchi.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Skins
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fiat_g50_seria7as_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|V2grV9sYBfE|'''The Shooting Range #7''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:09 discusses the G.50.}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
* [[G.50 (Family)]]
 +
** [[G.50 AS serie 7 (Germany)]]
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 +
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on the Wikipedia;''
 
−
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
 +
 +
{{AirManufacturer Fiat}}
 +
{{Italy fighters}}

Latest revision as of 00:24, 15 February 2024

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the Italian fighter G.50 AS serie 7. For other versions, see G.50 (Family).
G.50 AS serie 7
fiat_g50_seria7as_italy.png
GarageImage G.50 AS serie 7.jpg
ArtImage G.50 AS serie 7.png
G.50 AS serie 7
Italy flag.png Italy
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.0 1.7 2.0
Class:
Research:3 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:6 300 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The G.50 Freccia AS serie 7 is a rank I Italian fighter with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/SB) and 1.7 (RB). It was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica", though a variant existed in the German tech tree prior to the update.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 5 000 m470 km/h
Turn time15 s
Max altitude8 200 m
EngineFiat A74
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight3 t

In general, its decent rate of climb means it is easy to ensure you have proper altitude to play around with first. Generally for low tier planes like the G.50 3,000-4,000 m is generally enough, from there, the way of flying should be dedicated by the situation and opponents. Its good acceleration in dives and respectable dive speeds means it can be used as a Pure Boom & Zoomer, especially when you realize its energy retention is better then that of many other planes at its battle rating. However, it is a decent turn-fighter, barring the poor acceleration, so it can be used as such as well. Be warned on regular biplanes and Japanese monoplanes. Both of which are considerably better, bar high speeds, where the stiffness of controls on the G.50 are less than on either biplanes or Japanese planes.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 5,000 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 450 434 8200 15.9 16.6 7.4 7.4 318
Upgraded 494 470 14.1 15.0 14.1 10.3

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
✓ ✓ ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
0 300 535 450 260 ~13 ~5
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 360 < 270 < 500 > 300

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear300 km/h
  • No armour
  • Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 underneath gun barrels, 1 behind ammo, 1 behind pilot and 1 in each wingroot)

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB242 → 325 Sl icon.png
RB464 → 623 Sl icon.png
SB591 → 794 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications5 970 Rp icon.png
4 500 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost410 Ge icon.png
Crew training1 800 Sl icon.png
Experts6 300 Sl icon.png
Aces80 Ge icon.png
Research Aces135 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
20 / 50 / 90 % Sl icon.png
106 / 106 / 106 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
380 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
380 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
640 Rp icon.png
Cost:
480 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
640 Rp icon.png
Cost:
480 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods engine extinguisher.png
EFS
Research:
640 Rp icon.png
Cost:
480 Sl icon.png
105 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
safat12_belt_pack
Research:
400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
300 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
GP50
Research:
450 Rp icon.png
Cost:
340 Sl icon.png
70 Ge icon.png
Mods weapon.png
safat12_new_gun
Research:
500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
380 Sl icon.png
80 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Fire rate700 shots/min
Main article: Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)

The G.50 AS serie 7 is armed with:

  • 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (1)
Setup 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bomb
Main article: GP 50 (50 kg)

The G.50 AS serie 7 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (100 kg total)

Usage in battles

The Fiat G.50 Freccia is a typical Italian pre-war design, its fairly sturdy, has modest speed and poor armament consisting of 2 Breda SAFAT 12.7 mm guns mounted in the upper cowling, which means it has the distinctive low rate of fire (roughly 400 rounds per minutes). However it does have its merits as well, its fairly agile, it has no trouble dogfighting Hurricanes it will commonly face, and if things become too hectic, the G.50 can quickly escape by going into a dive, and exploit its surprisingly good dive acceleration to gain separation. Furthermore it pays to be aware of its modest acceleration and overheating, as such, its generally advised to maintain an eye on your speed and use WEP sparingly.

For the armament, the same applies to all other Italian aircraft; generally you want to use Tracers, Anti-air or Stealth since they are the belts that deal the most damage. Shell velocity is low, hence they suffer above 300 m, so only fire at or below that range for best effects. Furthermore, much like the other Italian fighters the armament is woefully inadequate to deal with bombers, hence it is best to avoid them entirely, or focus on taking out the engines. Only exception are the very early biplane bombers, such as Swordfish, Po-2 and the like.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Separate Not controllable
1 gear 		Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good visibility from the cockpit
  • Decent rate of climb
  • Good acceleration in a dive
  • High maximum dive speed
  • Decent high speed handling
  • Good dogfighter
  • Can carry 100 kg of bombs

Cons:

  • Modest armament
  • Open cockpit
  • No armour
  • Poor acceleration in level flight
  • Overheating is a issue
  • Guns deal very little damage at long range
  • Modest speed

History

The Fiat G.50 "Freccia" ("Arrow") was the first monoplane fighter to be adopted by the Regia Aeronautica. Designed for a 1936 fighter tender, the G.50 competed with a number of contemporary Italian designs like the Macchi C.200 "Saetta". It was a clear step above the CR.42 "Falco" biplane fighters that had equipped the Italian military at the time: the all-metal monoplane construction with retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit gave it superior speed to the outdated Falco. The development process was complicated, however, and the G.50 underwent many revisions in response to changing specifications and design flaws uncovered by testing. For example, the enclosed cockpit was abandoned after the first production series. Though it arrived and began production earlier than the C.200, the overall performance of the Freccia was somewhat inferior, especially in terms of speed. It was retained since retooling the Fiat factories to produce Saettas would take too much time, effort, and resources. The basic G.50 was produced from 1937 to 1940. It saw considerable service during World War II, but due to the rapid pace of aircraft technological development, it was outdated even at the start of the war. Slow speed, poor armament, limited range, and a complete lack of armour protection did it no favors. The Hawker Hurricane, itself not a cutting-edge fighter, easily outclassed the Freccias during their deployment in the Battle of Britain. The G.50 had somewhat more success in North Africa against British aircraft. They were eventually relegated to fighter-bomber roles, which they fulfilled well. Other users of the Freccia included the Independent State of Croatia and Finland. The latter used their G.50s to surprisingly good effect against the Soviet Union, but they were ill suited for the freezing northern climate and were held in lower regard than other foreign aircraft obtained by the Finnish Air Force.

The G.50 AS (Africa Sahariana) was a modified variant of the G.50 for use in desert conditions. It appears to have been based on the G.50 bis, an improved mark of the original G.50 that became the production standard from 1940 onwards. The -bis added a fuel tank to the rear fuselage behind the pilot, revised the aerodynamics of the rear fuselage and control surfaces slightly, and made the tail wheel retractable. This fixed the Freccia's issue with range, the flight time being extended to two hours, but performance was very similar. The issues with speed and firepower still remained and it was not quite a satisfactory fighter for 1940-1943. The changes specific to the AS were quite simple: a dust filter was installed on the engine air intake, bomb racks were installed, and the landing gear was tweaked again for better sand resistance. The filter was a very important addition since the G.50 had initially been deployed to Libya without any special modifications and the sand unsurprisingly took its toll on the aircraft. Engine life was still markedly reduced with the filters installed but the improvement was welcome. The bomb racks allowed the Freccia to attack ground targets, leaving most air-to-air combat to higher performing Macchi fighters like the C.202 "Folgore".

The G.50 was not the greatest of the wartime Italian fighters, being outperformed by most of its opponents, and its rival from Macchi was generally a better aircraft despite having the same engine and a superficially similar design. Its best combat experiences were in ground attack roles or in the hands of the Finnish, who had skilled pilots and largely fought against similarly outdated Soviet aircraft. The G.50 still deserves credit for being the first modern aircraft of its class to enter Italian service. And the Freccia's design heritage would eventually make its way to the Fiat G.55 "Centauro", a superb design deemed by the Luftwaffe as "the best fighter in the Axis" that arguably snatched the crown back from Macchi.

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #7 - Pages of History section at 06:09 discusses the G.50.

See also

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

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Fiat Aviation (Fiat Aviazione)
Fighters  CR.32 · CR.32 bis · CR.32 quater
  CR.42 · Marcolin's C.R.42 CN · ▀Marcolin's C.R.42 CN
  G.50 serie 2 · G.50 AS serie 7
  G.55 sottoserie 0 · G.55 serie 1 · G.55S
  G.56
Jet fighters  G.91 pre-serie · G.91 R/1 · G.91 Y · G.91 YS
  ▄F-86K*
  ▄F-104G* · F-104S* · F-104S.ASA* · ▄F-104S TAF*
Strike aircraft  F.C.20 Bis
Bombers  B.R.20DR · B.R.20M M1
Export/Captured  J11 · ▀CR.42
  ▀G.50 serie 2 · ▀G.50 AS serie 7
  ◄G.91 R/3 · ◄G.91 R/4 · G.91 R/4
  *Licensed
See also  North American Aviation · Lockheed Martin

Italy fighters
Fiat  CR.32 · CR.32 bis · CR.32 quater · CR.42 · Marcolin's C.R.42 CN
  G.50 serie 2 · G.50 AS serie 7
  G.55 sottoserie 0 · G.55 serie 1 · G.55S · G.56
Reggiane  Re.2000 G.A. · Re.2000 serie 1
  Re.2001 serie 1 · Re.2001 gruppo 22 · Re.2001 CB · Re.2001 CN
  Re.2002 Early
  Re.2005 serie 0
Macchi  C. 200 serie 3 · C. 200 serie 7
  C. 202 · C. 202D · C. 202EC
  C. 205 serie 1 · C. 205 serie 3 · C. 205N2
IMAM  Ro.44
  Foreign:
Germany  ▄Bf 109 G-14/AS
USA  ▄P-47D-30
Britain  ▄Spitfire Mk Vb/trop
Hungary  ◐Bf 109 F-4 · ◐Bf 109 G-2 · ◔Yak-9P
Romania  He 112 B-1/U2 · IAR-81C

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