Italian aircraft engines during WWII

[Valiant]

I read a few days ago a post about a Fiat 82 radial engine with 1,500 horsepower and the author of the post wondered why this had not been used. It is necessary to know the technical, industrial situation, the availability of raw materials and contract in those years. Technically it was a state-of-the-art product for the aviation industry, there were no suitable cells to receive this unit. The construction techniques of the cells were still based largely on canvas and pylons, structurally limiting to withstand high powers. The fighter built in the largest number of specimens was the CR 42 Falco with a unit of 840 hp. Far from the 1,500 of the Fiat A 82. The unit required a solid, newly designed airframe.However, the Regia Aereonautica seen the merciless comparison with the valivoli hunting the anglo-americans asked Fiat to stop production of the CR 42 and accelerate the development and construction of the Fiat G 50, which is much closer to the standard opponents ( even if the drive units installed were, however, of limited power,; used the stessomotore of the CR 42 ). The industry, bound by a supply contract, enforced the clauses of the contract itself by still supplying CR 42 Falco until the commitment was exhausted. This meant, however, a lengthening of the development times of the later models, technically suitable to accommodate more performing power units. Industrially Italy of that time could not express a constructive potential adequate to the needs ( consider that the CR 42 was the aircraft built in the largest number of examples by the Italian aviation industry; the total remained under 2,000 units), the shortage of raw materials was in the eyes of everyone, in addition to the gift of wedding rings, there was also the collection of iron with the removal of gates, doors, tools, all the iron that the population could deprive themselves of. An indicative picture of material supply difficulties prime.La production of small series of products of excellence could not access industrialization because there was a lack of material availability and finally must be considered the education of a country that enters the Second World War with an illiteracy of almost 20 %. A series of difficulties that accompanied Italy until the epilogue of 1945.

 

[SwampTiger]

I totally agree. The Italian economy and people suffered disproportionately from the losses of the Great War, plus the failings of the Fascist Corporatist economy undermined economic development. A lack of rational planning, coupled with the need to placate all members of the industrial elites resulted in various errors in production, planning, organization and utilization of resources. Four companies produced air-cooled radials in the mid-Thirties. Fiat based their engines on American designs. Isotta Fraschini and Piaggio used Gnome Rhone designs. Alfa Romeo used Bristol designs. The last three should have been combined into one design house.

The aircraft designed and built in the last half of the decade were capable of stronger engines. The lack of better engines resulted in the favored three engine layout. Imagine a reliable 1500+ HP engine available in 1938. You could see useful twin engine bombers with heavier payloads or greater range. Fiat, Piaggio and Alfa Romeo fielded large 18 cylinder engines later. Fuel availability and formulation limited power. The Gnome-Rhone 14 R produced 1590 HP for the MB 155 in 1940. Piaggio got the 14K based P.XIX to 1175 HP. A Re 2002 with 13-1500 horsepower would have been useful in 1941-3.

Too bad the Italians failed to find and develop the Libyan oil fields. Either way, the Italians had no business in the war.