Fiat C.R. 42, G. 50, Macchi C. 200 what get best result versus Hawker Hurricane?

The Sea Hurricanes did quite well against the Italians in the Malta Convoys of 42 . The two main fighter engagements of Operation Harpoon saw 6 Sea Hurricanes and two Fulmars vs 29 MC 200s plus 19 CR 42s in the first clash. In fighter vs fighter combat 1 Hurricane was lost and 2 Fulmars for the loss of 1 MC 200 and 1 Cr42. Additionally the Italians lost 8 bombers . In this combat Sub Lt Godfrey Parish(Sea Hurricane) reported out turning an MC 200 on his tail and shooting it down(confirmed).

In the second major fighter clash saw four Hurricanes vs 15 Re 2001s resulting in 1 loss for each side.

From" Malta The Spitfire Years" , Shores and Cull
Slaterat

Joe, what book would you recommend, " Malta, The Hurricane Years" or the smaller but more recent " Hurricanes Over Malta" ?

Slaterat

Well I prefer the Fiat CR.42 for its looks but i know it was past its time. Plus wiki said that CR.42s could have an additional 2 12.7mm MGs in underwing fairings so that might help a little with the weak armament issue, but i havent heard or seen anything like that anywhere else other than specifications for the CR.42. But perhaps it was just stupidy, perhaps just luck. The Fiats didnt score just 3 or 4 victories over the hurricanes. so the fiat must have something going for it. I dont want to overstate the value and capabilities of the CR.42, but for a biplane fighter with weak armament, no armour, no radio, no closed cockpit, and no capability to continue to fight more advanced monoplanes, the Fiat CR.42 made a respectable career in the early war years. However i think the Macchi C.200 had the best chance against the Hurricane.

I quote from Håkan Gustavsson and Ludovico Slongo, "Desert Prelude", vol. 2, "Operation Compass", Stratus – Mushroom, Sandomierz, 2010

"Italian fighters... while able to retain numerical superiority, were also able to shoot down a good number of Hawkers without suffering crippling losses in the air. On the contrary, from the analytical analysis of the dogfights of 1940 over North Africa it appears that the Hurricane was even less effective than the Gladiator in the air superiority role against the Italian biplanes" (page 171).

"Hurricanes were fighting, although in small numbers, from the beginning of Mediterranean war and the studies of Brian Cull and Christopher Shores permit us to fully appreciate the impact of their presence. From this research it emerges that, up to the start of "Compass", in fighter versus fighter combat the Hawkers in the Mediterranean were unable to show any real superiority over the CR.42s. Surely, it was not strictly the case, but from a purely numerical point of view it actually seems that up to December 1940, the Fiat biplanes demonstrated a slight superiority over the Hurricane in dogfight (7 Fiat shot down for the loss of 9 Hurricanes in the whole Mediterranean, North African, East African areas)" (pages 176-177).