Fiat Falco CR42 in Burma or Singapore?

[GHWW2]

Hello everybody!

I recently came across a trove of WW2 photos taken by my Great Uncle who served with the Gordon Highlanders in Burma during WW2. There are several photos of a Fiat Falco CR42 which he must have taken somewhere in Burma or possibly Singapore during a stopover there. Rather unusually has a two blade prop and no wheel spats, but all other features are CR42. But the real mystery to me is how a CR42 ended up in the Far East. As far as I have been able to find on the internet, none were ever deployed by Italians or allies to the region and none were ever sold to any air forces in the area. Does anybody have any idea how it might have ended up there?

 

[SaparotRob]

Could you post some of those pictures?

 

[Wurger]

Yep.. these would be helpful. Actually the lack of spats for the Falco was nothing unusual. It happened quite often. Contrary to that the two-blade prop sounds strange though.
Are you sure the plane was the CR.42 but not the CR.32 for instance?

the pic source: the net.

 

[cammerjeff]

I agree posting the photo's would be a great help. Keep in mind the Nationalist Chinese AF did operate some CR-32's in the 1930's.

 

[Wurger]

True.

 

[GHWW2]

Thanks for the information - I do not have the photos with me right now but have asked them to be scanned and sent to me and will post as soon as I have them.

It does seem that it could be a CR32 given the two blade prop and possible Nationalist China collection. But I examined the photos carefully and discounted that it was a CR32 because it appeared to have a radial engine. Also, according to Wikipedia all the Chinese CR32s were destroyed by 1937, and my relative was in the Burma campaign much later than that.

There was also an Auster V in the same batch of photos.

Anyway, standby for the photos - will post as soon as I have them.

 

[Wurger]

I see. If the radial engine ... it would be the CR.42 rather. Let's wait for these images then.

BTW ... welcome to the site.

 

[SaparotRob]

Welcome to the Forum, GHWW2!

 

[Snautzer01]

hi and welcome

Thanks for the information - I do not have the photos with me right now but have asked them to be scanned and sent to me and will post as soon as I have them.

It does seem that it could be a CR32 given the two blade prop and possible Nationalist China collection. But I examined the photos carefully and discounted that it was a CR32 because it appeared to have a radial engine. Also, according to Wikipedia all the Chinese CR32s were destroyed by 1937, and my relative was in the Burma campaign much later than that.

There was also an Auster V in the same batch of photos.

Anyway, standby for the photos - will post as soon as I have them.

There are people here that will identify a piece of junk to an airframe. Just let someone make a photo of the picture and you will know.

 

[glennasher]

I wonder if it could have been shipped there from the North African campaigns, captured by the Brits and re-purposed to the RAF, they would already be halfway there, after all? That is pure conjecture, of course (or Wild Ass Guess, take your pick).

 

[MikeMeech]

Thanks for the information - I do not have the photos with me right now but have asked them to be scanned and sent to me and will post as soon as I have them.

It does seem that it could be a CR32 given the two blade prop and possible Nationalist China collection. But I examined the photos carefully and discounted that it was a CR32 because it appeared to have a radial engine. Also, according to Wikipedia all the Chinese CR32s were destroyed by 1937, and my relative was in the Burma campaign much later than that.

There was also an Auster V in the same batch of photos.

Anyway, standby for the photos - will post as soon as I have them.

Hi

Auster Vs only arrived in Burma from February 1945 with 656 Sqn. Other units had them in India after the end of the war. That may give you some dating evidence.

Mike

 

[buffnut453]

We really need to see the picture. I have huge doubts about it being a CR42 but I really want to see the pic so we (self included) can get beyond guessing and speculation.

 

[cammerjeff]

I agree we need to see the pictures in question, biplane, radial engine, 2 bladed prop? It could also be a National CAF Henschel 123?

 

[SaparotRob]

And we like looking at pictures of airplanes.

 

[buffnut453]

And we like looking at pictures of airplanes.

That'll be plane porn.

 

[mjfur]

Gloster Gladiator perhaps?

 

[Admiral Beez]

I see. If the radial engine ... it would be the CR.42 rather. Let's wait for these images then.

BTW ... welcome to the site.

Could it be a CR.32 with a radial, essentially the CR.40?

 

[Wurger]

Rather no. The CR.40 stayed the protoype only IIRC. Regarding the CR.32 with the radial .. I didn't hear about a such attempt to change the engine.

 

[GHWW2]

OK I finally got the photos. On closer examination, it is not a CR42 - but I have no idea what it is. It is a radial engined sesquiplane, and wing struts resemble CR42 hence my original wrong guess. But looking closer, the aircraft is smaller, the undercrarriage leg are on the fuselage and not on the lower wing as CR42, and it only has a small fixed pitch two blade prop.

The other aircraft is an Auster, probably of 656 Squadron who were in Burma at the time

Here's some more photos with a more side on view of the mystery aircraft showing a "humpback" fuselage which is also made me think CR42 at first glance.

Also, anybody like to guess where the photos were taken? I don't think Singapore, given hills in background. Burma more likely.

 

[Snautzer01]

Waco AQC-6 ?