Fiat G.12

Fiat G.12
Fiat G.12
General information
Type	Civil airliner & military transport
Manufacturer	Fiat
Designer	Giuseppe Gabrielli
Primary users	Regia Aeronautica Luftwaffe Royal Hungarian Air Force
Number built	104 [1]
History
Manufactured	1941-1944
Introduction date	1941
First flight	15 October 1940
Retired	1956 [2]

The Fiat G.12 was an Italian transport aircraft of World War II.

Design and development

The G.12 was an all-metal low-wing cantilever personnel transport aircraft. It had three radial engines, one mounted on the nose and the other two in wing-mounted nacelles. The engines drove three-blade feathering metal propellers. The mainwheels of its landing gear retracted into the nacelles; the tailwheel was fixed. The flight deck and cabin were fully enclosed. Access was via a portside access door aft of the wing.

The G.12 was designed as a civil aircraft, but served mainly in military roles during the war. Only a limited number were built, some as late as 1944, after the Italian armistice. The G.12 inspired the postwar G.212 "Flying Classroom", the last Italian three-engine transporter. It had a crew of four.

Variants

G.12C

14-passenger transport aircraft, powered by three 574 kW (770 hp) Fiat A.74 R.C.42 radial engines.

G.12 Gondar

Long-range cargo transport aircraft.

G.12GA

Long-range transport aircraft, fitted with extra fuel tanks. Three built.

G.12RT

Special long-range version, built to fly between Rome and Tokyo. One built.

G.12RTbis

One built.

G.12T

Troop and cargo transport aircraft.

G.12CA

18-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 radial engines.

G.12L

22-passenger commercial airliner.

G.12LA

22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 radial engines.

G.12LB

22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three 604 kW (810 hp) Bristol Pegasus 48 radial engines.

G.12LP

22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three 793 kW (1,065 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3-G Twin Wasp radial engines.

Operators

Military operators

Germany

• Luftwaffe

Hungary

• Royal Hungarian Air Force operated 12 aircraft

Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Aeronautica

  Italy

• Italian Air Force operated some aircraft until 1956 ^[2]

Civil operators

Kingdom of Italy

• Avio Linee Italiane ^[3]

  Italy

• Ali Flotti Riunite ^[4]
• Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane ^[4]

Specifications

Data fromWorld Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft ^[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Capacity: 14 troops or 24 civilians
• Length: 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in)
• Wingspan: 28.6 m (93 ft 10 in)
• Height: 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 113 m² (1,220 sq ft) ^[6]
• Empty weight: 9,420 kg (20,768 lb) ^[6]
• Gross weight: 15,000 kg (33,069 lb)
• Powerplant: 3 × Fiat A.74 R.C.42 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 574 kW (770 hp) each
• Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 390 km/h (240 mph, 210 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
• Cruise speed: 303 km/h (188 mph, 164 kn) ^[6]
• Range: 2,300 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,900 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 2 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns

See also

Related development

• Fiat G.212

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Junkers Ju 52
• Douglas DC-3
• SM.79 Sparviero
• Savoia-Marchetti SM.81

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II

References

1. Fiat G.12
2. aeroflight
3. Stroud 1966, p. 417.
4. Stroud 1966, p. 418.
5. Angelucci 1981, p.349.
6. Stroud 1994, p.68.

Bibliography

• Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London:Jane's Publishing, 1981. ISBN   0-7106-0148-4.
• Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, London, 1987.
• de Marchi, Italo (Oct 1982). "Les Fiat G. 12: 1^re période: avant et pendant la guerre" [Fiat G. 12: The 1st Period before and during the War]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (155): 50–59. ISSN   0757-4169.
• Stroud, John. European Transport Aircraft since 1910. London: Putnam, 1966.
• Stroud, John. "Post War Propliners : Fiat G.12 and G.212". Aeroplane Monthly. Volume 23 No. 1, January 1994. London: IPC. Page 64-68.

External links

• picture of Fiat G.12