Difference between revisions of "CR.42"

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{{Specs-Card|code=fiat_cr42_italy}}
 
{{Specs-Card|code=fiat_cr42_italy}}
 +
{{About
 +
| about = Italian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| other
 +
| usage-1 = the German version
 +
| link-1 = CR.42 (Germany)
 +
| usage-2 = other uses
 +
| link-2 = C.R.42 (Family)
 +
}}
  
 
== 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.''-->
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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{{break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]] along with the initial Italian aviation tree, though a variant existed in the Germany aircraft tech tree prior to the update.
  
[[File:GarageImage_CR.42.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The CR.42 possesses exceptional manoeuvrability, speed, and durability, especially for a biplane. Its armament is quite good as well, due to the Breda-SAFAT .50 calibre MGs. However, due to its BR, the majority of aircraft the CR.42 will engage is faster, and more heavily armed. The best bet for survival, and getting scores, is to climb to about medium altitude and lure fighters into turning combat. An overwhelming majority of pilots are unwilling to run from a lowly biplane, allowing you to score critical damage before they realize that they have expended all their energy and must extend away from you. By that time, the damage is usually severe enough that they cannot accelerate away from you quickly enough to escape further damage.
{{break}}
 
The '''C.R.42 Falco''' is a Rank I Italian biplane with a battle rating of 1.3. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], though a variant existed in the Germany aircraft tech tree prior to the update.
 
  
The C.R.42 possesses exceptional maneuverability, speed, and durability, especially for a biplane. Armament is quite good as well, due to the Breda-SAFAT .50 calibre MGs. At 1.7 battle rating, the CR.42 gets thrown with the likes of P-36's and LaGG-3's. As such, the majority of aircraft the CR.42 will engage are faster, and more heavily armed. The best bet for survival, and securing kills, is to climb to about medium altitude, and lure fighters into turning combat. The overwhelming majority of pilots are unwilling to run from a lowly biplane, allowing you to score critical damage before they realize that they have expended all their energy and must extend away from you. By that time, the damage is usually severe enough that they cannot accelerate away from you quickly enough to escape further damage.
+
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 meters, 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. The only exception is the very early biplane bombers, such as the [[Swordfish Mk I|Swordfish]], [[Po-2]] and other light bombers.
  
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 meters, 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 other light bombers.
 
 
== 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.''-->
+
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
 +
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
 
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at ?,000 m)
+
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 5,200 m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run<br>(meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! AB
 
! AB
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! RB
 
! RB
 
|-
 
|-
| ? || ? || ?,000 || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ???
+
| 413 || 402 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.6 || 14.2 || 14.2 || 294
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
 
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at ?,000 m)
+
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 5,200 m)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
+
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
+
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
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! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! AB
 
! AB
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! RB
 
! RB
 
|-
 
|-
| ? || ? || ?,000 || ??.? || ??.? || ?.? || ?.? || ?
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| 447 || 429 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 18.5 || 19.2 || 21.1 || 17.2 || 294
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
====Details====
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==== Details ====
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
! colspan="5" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
! Combat flap
+
! Combat flaps
! Take-off flap
+
! Take-off flaps
! Landing flap
+
! Landing flaps
 
! Air brakes
 
! Air brakes
 
! Arrestor gear
 
! Arrestor gear
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! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
 
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
 
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
 
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap<br> (km/h)
+
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps<br>(km/h)
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
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! -
 
! -
 
|-
 
|-
| ??? || ??? || ??? || ~?? || ~?
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| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 520 || ~13 || ~5
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
| < ??? || < ??? || < ??? || > ???
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| < 280 || < 240 || < 450 || > 250
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! WEP Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
|-
| ?,??? m || ??? hp || ?,??? hp
+
| 4,300 m || 828 hp || 972 hp
|-
 
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp  
 
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
 
|-
 
! Optimal altitude
 
! 100% Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp
 
|- -->
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== 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.''-->
+
''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 plating
 
* No armour glazing
 
* Critical components located at front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
 
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== 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.''-->
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<!-- ''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 da 12.7 mm (12.7 mm)}}
 
{{main|Breda-SAFAT da 12.7 mm (12.7 mm)}}
  
The CR.42 is armed with:
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
* 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns (400 rpg = 800 total)
+
* 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT da 12.7 mm machine guns, nose-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)
  
The two machine guns are both mounted on the upper fuselage just in front of the pilot and fires through the propeller arc. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.
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The two machine guns are both mounted on the upper fuselage just in front of the pilot and fire through the propeller arc. Each is armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire together until empty.
<!--=== 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.''
 
  
=== Defensive armament ===
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== Usage in battles ==
''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.''
+
<!-- ''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 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).'' -->
-->
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In Arcade Battles (AB), the CR.42 is nothing more than a point-and-shoot arcade-style plane. There is little skill involved at these early rank matches. Therefore turning is the most appropriate tactic. However, due to the high climb rate, BnZ can be effective, as most monoplanes cannot climb nearly as fast.
== Usage in the battles ==
 
<!--''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).''-->
 
In Arcade Battle (AB), the CR.42 is nothing more than a point-and-shoot arcade-style plane. There is little skill involved at these early tier matches. Therefore turning is the most appropriate tactic. However, due to the high climb rate, BnZ can be effective, as most monoplanes cannot nearly climb as fast.
 
  
In Realistic Battle (RB) and Simulator Battle (SB), as in real-life the Falco faces off advanced mono-wing designs. While a grim view at first the CR.42 is the pinnacle of biplane evolution, only rivaled by the up-gunned Chaika series. Common opponents are faster and have superior armament. However, the CR.42 has got traits to counter. It is immensely agile, and can easily out-maneuver any monoplane in Tier 1. Turning is thus an appropriate tactic for the CR.42. Due to it being a biplane, the Falco can also be used to effectively rope-a-dope enemy aircraft. [[Energy fighting|Stall fighting]] is one of the strongest play styles, albeit the slowest and hardest to master.
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In Realistic Battles (RB) and Simulator Battles (SB), as in real life, the Falco faces off advanced mono-wing designs. While daunting at first, the CR.42 is the pinnacle of biplane evolution, only rivalled by the up-gunned [[I-153P|Chaika]] series. This aircraft begins showing the playstyle that Italian pilots will use for the rest of their in-game career, which also co-incidentally carries over well to British tier III aircraft- a situationally dependent switch between Energy-fighting (Boom & Zoom) and turn-fighting.
  
Even [[Boom and Zoom]] is feasible, as altitude can be gained quickly; however, the lack of cannon armament forces the pilot to use significant trigger control as well as aiming when diving and attacking opponents at a lower level.
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Something that applies to this plane in all battle modes is its engine. Unlike most other biplanes and the CR.32 before it, this aircraft has a radial engine. This offers several advantages. First, it is able to offer moderate performance at all altitudes. Second, hits to the cooling system are not as damaging as they are to aircraft that have in-line engines. In-line engines will suffer from hits to their water (fluid) cooling systems- even the slightest of hits at all tiers and BRs will either outright disable the engine or make it overheat very fast, very quickly, and lead to engine death. The engine is well-cooled and has no WEP limit, so beginner pilots will not have to worry about cooling issues or rationing Manual Engine Control.
If booming and zooming, watch your speed in a dive. The CR.42 does have a limit of around 440 ~ 480 km/h (274 ~ 300 mph) before instability and finally failure sets in.
 
  
The Breda SAFAT .50 calibre MGs are actually very effective for their [[BR]]. Tracers are by far the best belt for these main armament, due to the presence of entirely APIT rounds, which easily set fire to enemy planes and provide good penetration and damage capability. Due to the MGs being placed in the centre cowl, they provide heavy damage when fire is focused on your opponent's wings or engines.
+
Monoplane opponents are faster and have a superior armament. You will not be able to face these planes in head-ons, nor will you be able to disengage using a high-speed dash. Once you have engaged- or been engaged- by a monoplane, you '''must''' bring the engagement to an end yourself. It is highly agile, and can easily out-manoeuvre any monoplane it will meet- these primarily being the [[Hurricane (Family)|Hurricane family]], [[LaGG-3-11]]<nowiki/>s, the [[P-36 (Family)|P-36 family]] and the [[M.S.405C1]]. This plane can effectively rope-a-dope these aircraft by remaining outside their reach, while continually staying in a sustained, slow, spiral climb that allows it to preserve its speed while forcing the enemy to constantly lose it. Eventually, the enemy will stall, and you will be able to easily pick it off. Stall-fighting is one of this plane's best tactics.
Unfortunately, MGs in general are ridiculously weak against bombers.
 
  
Another factor when flying in SB, visibility is normal for a biplane. Rearward vistas are nonexistent while frontward vision is hampered by the second strut/wing. The open cockpit does provide decent visibility in general, though.
+
Even Boom & Zoom is feasible, as altitude can be gained quickly; however, the lack of cannon armament forces the pilot to use significant trigger control as well as aiming when diving and attacking opponents at a lower level.
 +
If booming and zooming, watch your speed in a dive. The CR.42 has a speed limit of around 440 - 480 km/h (274 - 300 mph) before the wings begin shaking (i.e. you begin to hear rattling noises, and flashing red text appears on your screen) and eventually completely rip off.
  
===Manual Engine Control===
+
The [[Breda-SAFAT da 12.7 mm (12.7 mm)]] is actually very effective for their battle rating. Tracers are by far the best belt at this BR for fighter-on-fighter combat, due to the presence of only API-T rounds, which easily set fire to enemy biplanes and provide good penetration and damage capability. Due to the MGs being placed in the centre cowl, they provide heavy damage when the fire is focused on your opponent's wings or engine. However, when taking on bigger game, such as monoplanes or bombers, it is better to take the Air Targets belt, since it has a belt composition of API-T-API-IAI that allows it to do high amounts of damage when, again, focused on critical modules such as the engines or wings. Thanks to the relatively high rate of climb and ammo pool, this aircraft is good at intercepting twin-engine bombers that begin appearing- however, it is not recommended to attempt this as a beginner pilot. The 12.7 mms will require some experience to aim at the engines of enemy bombers, and in addition, the open cockpit and lack of armour leave it open to pilot-snipes and lucky shots to critical modules by enemy bombers.
 +
 
 +
When flying in simulator battles, visibility is normal for a biplane. Rearward vistas are non-existent while forward vision is hampered by the second strut/wing. The open cockpit does provide decent visibility in general, though.
 +
 
 +
In summary, the CR.42 Falco is a good introduction to the situational hybrid fighting style of later aircraft. It is a severely underappreciated aircraft that deserves more love and usage by pilots and is a forgiving aircraft for beginners to fly.
 +
 
 +
=== Manual Engine Control ===
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
|-
 
|-
! rowspan="2" |Mixer
+
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" |Pitch
+
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" |Radiator
+
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" |Supercharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" |Turbocharger
+
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Oil
 
! Oil
 
! Water
 
! Water
! Type  
+
! Type
 
|-
 
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable<br>Automatic pitch || Controllable || Not controllable || Combined || Controllable || Not controllable
+
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not controllable<br>1 gear || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
===Modules===
+
=== Modules ===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
+
! colspan="1" | Tier
! Flight performance
+
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! Survivability
+
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! Weaponry
+
! colspan="1" | Weaponry
 
|-
 
|-
 
| I
 
| I
|  
+
| Fuselage repair
|  
+
| Radiator
|  
+
|
 +
| Offensive 12 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
|  
+
|
|  
+
| Compressor
|  
+
| Airframe
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
|  
+
| Wings repair
|  
+
| Engine
|  
+
|
 +
| New 12 mm MGs
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
|  
+
|
|  
+
| Engine injection
|  
+
| Cover
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== 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:'''
 +
 
* High speed for a biplane
 
* High speed for a biplane
 
* Good ammunition count
 
* Good ammunition count
* Maneuverability is sufficient to out turn nearly all non biplane opponents
+
* Manoeuvrability is sufficient to out turn nearly all non-biplane opponents
 
* Well armed for a biplane
 
* Well armed for a biplane
 
* Ammo belts use heavy amounts of incendiary ammo
 
* Ammo belts use heavy amounts of incendiary ammo
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
 +
 
* Poor Energy Retention
 
* Poor Energy Retention
 
* Lightly armed compared to most of the opposition it is faced with
 
* Lightly armed compared to most of the opposition it is faced with
 
* No options for striking heavy targets
 
* No options for striking heavy targets
* Turn rate is worse than of most biplanes
+
* Turn rate is worse than that of most biplanes
 
* Poor armour protection
 
* Poor armour protection
  
 
== History ==
 
== 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 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/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''-->
+
<!-- ''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 CR.42 was Fiat's attempt at modernizing their CR.32 design, which was deployed during the Spanish Civil War with great success. The new fighter would be of all metal construction, with Fiat's new, homegrown A.74 supercharged radial engine. The result, was a fast, accurate, and maneuverable platform, that, while outdated at the onset of World War Two, would be almost the pinnacle of biplane design.
+
The CR.42 was Fiat's attempt at modernising their CR.32 design, which was deployed during the Spanish Civil War with great success. The new fighter would be of all metal construction, with Fiat's new, homegrown A.74 supercharged radial engine. The result was a fast, accurate, and manoeuvrable platform, that, while outdated at the onset of World War II, would be almost the pinnacle of biplane design.
  
Early in the war, CR.42's were used with some success as escorts, night fighters, and even interceptors. Against the early Hurricanes and Spitfires, Italian and German pilots both were delighted to find that the maneuverability of the Falco put it, at the least, on par in a dogfight. However as the war dragged on, and enemy aircraft became faster, the CR.42 was relegated to night harassment, light ground attack, and sparingly used as night fighters.
+
Early in the war, CR.42's were used with some success as escorts, night fighters, and even interceptors. Against the early Hurricanes and Spitfires, Italian and German pilots both were delighted to find that the manoeuvrability of the Falco put it, at the least, on par in a dogfight. However as the war dragged on, and enemy aircraft became faster, the CR.42 was relegated to night harassment, light ground attack, and sparingly used as night fighters.
  
 
The CR.42 is also credited with the world's last aerial combat biplane kill. A group of CR.42's based in Croatia under the command of ''Nachtschlachtgruppe 7'' were directed to Grabovica Airfield for a strafing mission. However, the flight was redirected at the last moment to a harassment mission northwest of Sisak, where they were intercepted by P-38's of the 14th Fighter Group. Three Fiats were lost for two P-38's, one of which was claimed by an unknown German pilot.
 
The CR.42 is also credited with the world's last aerial combat biplane kill. A group of CR.42's based in Croatia under the command of ''Nachtschlachtgruppe 7'' were directed to Grabovica Airfield for a strafing mission. However, the flight was redirected at the last moment to a harassment mission northwest of Sisak, where they were intercepted by P-38's of the 14th Fighter Group. Three Fiats were lost for two P-38's, one of which was claimed by an unknown German pilot.
  
 
== 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.''
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
== Read 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 ==
+
== External links ==
 
''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 aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
{{Italian fighters}}
+
{{Italy fighters}}

Revision as of 10:18, 17 June 2019

Rank VI Israel | Premium | Golden Eagles
Merkava Mk.2D Pack
fiat_cr42_italy.png
CR.42
AB RB SB
1.7 1.3 1.3
Class:
Research:2 900 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:700 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the Italian fighter CR.42. For the German version, see CR.42 (Germany). For other uses, see C.R.42 (Family).

Description

GarageImage CR.42.jpg


The CR.42 Falco is a rank I Italian fighter with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB) and 1.3 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica" along with the initial Italian aviation tree, though a variant existed in the Germany aircraft tech tree prior to the update.

The CR.42 possesses exceptional manoeuvrability, speed, and durability, especially for a biplane. Its armament is quite good as well, due to the Breda-SAFAT .50 calibre MGs. However, due to its BR, the majority of aircraft the CR.42 will engage is faster, and more heavily armed. The best bet for survival, and getting scores, is to climb to about medium altitude and lure fighters into turning combat. An overwhelming majority of pilots are unwilling to run from a lowly biplane, allowing you to score critical damage before they realize that they have expended all their energy and must extend away from you. By that time, the damage is usually severe enough that they cannot accelerate away from you quickly enough to escape further damage.

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 meters, 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. The only exception is the very early biplane bombers, such as the Swordfish, Po-2 and other light bombers.

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed
(km/h at 5,200 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
413 402 8500 20.0 20.6 14.2 14.2 294
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at 5,200 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
447 429 8500 18.5 19.2 21.1 17.2 294

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X X X
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flaps
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
520 ~13 ~5
Optimal velocities
Ailerons
(km/h)
Rudder
(km/h)
Elevators
(km/h)
Radiator
(km/h)
< 280 < 240 < 450 > 250
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
4,300 m 828 hp 972 hp

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, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The CR.42 is armed with:

  • 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT da 12.7 mm machine guns, nose-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)

The two machine guns are both mounted on the upper fuselage just in front of the pilot and fire through the propeller arc. Each is armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire together until empty.

Usage in battles

In Arcade Battles (AB), the CR.42 is nothing more than a point-and-shoot arcade-style plane. There is little skill involved at these early rank matches. Therefore turning is the most appropriate tactic. However, due to the high climb rate, BnZ can be effective, as most monoplanes cannot climb nearly as fast.

In Realistic Battles (RB) and Simulator Battles (SB), as in real life, the Falco faces off advanced mono-wing designs. While daunting at first, the CR.42 is the pinnacle of biplane evolution, only rivalled by the up-gunned Chaika series. This aircraft begins showing the playstyle that Italian pilots will use for the rest of their in-game career, which also co-incidentally carries over well to British tier III aircraft- a situationally dependent switch between Energy-fighting (Boom & Zoom) and turn-fighting.

Something that applies to this plane in all battle modes is its engine. Unlike most other biplanes and the CR.32 before it, this aircraft has a radial engine. This offers several advantages. First, it is able to offer moderate performance at all altitudes. Second, hits to the cooling system are not as damaging as they are to aircraft that have in-line engines. In-line engines will suffer from hits to their water (fluid) cooling systems- even the slightest of hits at all tiers and BRs will either outright disable the engine or make it overheat very fast, very quickly, and lead to engine death. The engine is well-cooled and has no WEP limit, so beginner pilots will not have to worry about cooling issues or rationing Manual Engine Control.

Monoplane opponents are faster and have a superior armament. You will not be able to face these planes in head-ons, nor will you be able to disengage using a high-speed dash. Once you have engaged- or been engaged- by a monoplane, you must bring the engagement to an end yourself. It is highly agile, and can easily out-manoeuvre any monoplane it will meet- these primarily being the Hurricane family, LaGG-3-11s, the P-36 family and the M.S.405C1. This plane can effectively rope-a-dope these aircraft by remaining outside their reach, while continually staying in a sustained, slow, spiral climb that allows it to preserve its speed while forcing the enemy to constantly lose it. Eventually, the enemy will stall, and you will be able to easily pick it off. Stall-fighting is one of this plane's best tactics.

Even Boom & Zoom is feasible, as altitude can be gained quickly; however, the lack of cannon armament forces the pilot to use significant trigger control as well as aiming when diving and attacking opponents at a lower level. If booming and zooming, watch your speed in a dive. The CR.42 has a speed limit of around 440 - 480 km/h (274 - 300 mph) before the wings begin shaking (i.e. you begin to hear rattling noises, and flashing red text appears on your screen) and eventually completely rip off.

The Breda-SAFAT da 12.7 mm (12.7 mm) is actually very effective for their battle rating. Tracers are by far the best belt at this BR for fighter-on-fighter combat, due to the presence of only API-T rounds, which easily set fire to enemy biplanes and provide good penetration and damage capability. Due to the MGs being placed in the centre cowl, they provide heavy damage when the fire is focused on your opponent's wings or engine. However, when taking on bigger game, such as monoplanes or bombers, it is better to take the Air Targets belt, since it has a belt composition of API-T-API-IAI that allows it to do high amounts of damage when, again, focused on critical modules such as the engines or wings. Thanks to the relatively high rate of climb and ammo pool, this aircraft is good at intercepting twin-engine bombers that begin appearing- however, it is not recommended to attempt this as a beginner pilot. The 12.7 mms will require some experience to aim at the engines of enemy bombers, and in addition, the open cockpit and lack of armour leave it open to pilot-snipes and lucky shots to critical modules by enemy bombers.

When flying in simulator battles, visibility is normal for a biplane. Rearward vistas are non-existent while forward vision is hampered by the second strut/wing. The open cockpit does provide decent visibility in general, though.

In summary, the CR.42 Falco is a good introduction to the situational hybrid fighting style of later aircraft. It is a severely underappreciated aircraft that deserves more love and usage by pilots and is a forgiving aircraft for beginners to fly.

Manual Engine Control

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

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Fuselage repair Radiator Offensive 12 mm
II Compressor Airframe
III Wings repair Engine New 12 mm MGs
IV Engine injection Cover

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • High speed for a biplane
  • Good ammunition count
  • Manoeuvrability is sufficient to out turn nearly all non-biplane opponents
  • Well armed for a biplane
  • Ammo belts use heavy amounts of incendiary ammo

Cons:

  • Poor Energy Retention
  • Lightly armed compared to most of the opposition it is faced with
  • No options for striking heavy targets
  • Turn rate is worse than that of most biplanes
  • Poor armour protection

History

The CR.42 was Fiat's attempt at modernising their CR.32 design, which was deployed during the Spanish Civil War with great success. The new fighter would be of all metal construction, with Fiat's new, homegrown A.74 supercharged radial engine. The result was a fast, accurate, and manoeuvrable platform, that, while outdated at the onset of World War II, would be almost the pinnacle of biplane design.

Early in the war, CR.42's were used with some success as escorts, night fighters, and even interceptors. Against the early Hurricanes and Spitfires, Italian and German pilots both were delighted to find that the manoeuvrability of the Falco put it, at the least, on par in a dogfight. However as the war dragged on, and enemy aircraft became faster, the CR.42 was relegated to night harassment, light ground attack, and sparingly used as night fighters.

The CR.42 is also credited with the world's last aerial combat biplane kill. A group of CR.42's based in Croatia under the command of Nachtschlachtgruppe 7 were directed to Grabovica Airfield for a strafing mission. However, the flight was redirected at the last moment to a harassment mission northwest of Sisak, where they were intercepted by P-38's of the 14th Fighter Group. Three Fiats were lost for two P-38's, one of which was claimed by an unknown German pilot.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

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;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
  • other literature.


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