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I would think a G.56 would be a lot more maneuverable than a Fw 190D or any late model Bf 109. So that's one reason - if you have two fighters with similar performance and one has a 17 second turn circle and the other has a 21 second turn circle I think I'm going to go with the first one all things being equal.
This is just from English language Wikipedia so needs confirming in another source, but on the surface it looks like the G.55 would be considerably more maneuverable.
G.55
Wingspan 38'
wing area 227.2
Wing loading 32 lb / sq ft
Fw 190D
Wingspan 34' 5"
Wing area 197 sq ft
Wing loading 47.7 lb / sq ft
The Fw 190D9 is considerably faster than the G.55 (426 mph vs. 390) but that is with MW-50 or water injection and WEP right? English wikipedia claims the G.56 with the DB 603 would equal that speed though I would have some doubts. However it might be close, a Ta -152 was much faster with that engine.
If they were close to the same speed then the edge seems to be with the Fiat.
I assume the DB 603 would make the G.56 heavier than the G.55 but it would still have an edge in turn rate. Roll would be a big question.
So wait they didnt have those barrel oil coolers?
This particular C.205 Veltro appears from the non-retractable tail wheel to be a conversion of a C.202 airframe.
So wait they didnt have those barrel oil coolers?
Is that a Sparviero next to the G.55
Thanks for that Ivan, did not know it was a C.202 converted. It certainly is different from the C.202, of which I'll post a few pics, and it is so modified to be externally indistinguishable from an actual C.205. On the C.205 the tailwheel wasn't fully retractable like on the Fiat; it was semi-retractable and protruded from the bottom of the fuse, so on that aircraft, the tailwheel layout is accurate.
Yup. I understand Ivan; taking a look at a book I bought from the museum, it appears that C.202s were converted to resemble C.205s either on the productionline or in service, which is peculiar. Egypt received C.202s, which had been converted to C.205s and thus share the same fairing on the tailwheel, as did the AMI, but I can't find a picture of an AMI one. Here's an Egyptian one with a description:
http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/908/pics/198_3.jpg
So, whilst the museum aircraft might appear to be inaccurate, it isn't, as it is indeed a C.202 converted to a C.205 as it appeared in service, not just a difference brought about by the conversion carried out for the museum. Nonetheless, the C.205's tailwheel was semi retractable, unlike the Fiat's. Here's a Luftwaffe one clearly showing the tail wheel hanging out.
Macchi C.205 - Wikipedia
Here's what Wiki says about these conversions:
"During 1948–1949, Egypt received 62 refurbished C.205Vs, of which 41 were converted from C.202 airframes. In May 1948, eight C.205V and 16 C.202 were upgraded and in February 1949, three brand new and 15 ex-MC.202, and in May another 10 MC.205 and 10 MC.202 were upgraded. This last contract was not finalized and, given the end of the Israeli War of Independence (1948–49), the fighters were delivered to Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI). Egypt also ordered 19 G.55s and Syria another 16, all new-built.
The new Veltros were fully equipped, while the Folgore conversions were armed with only two 12.7 mm Breda machine guns. They were the lightest series of the entire production, and consequently had the best performance, but were seriously under-armed. A total of 15 Macchis were delivered to Egypt before the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, seeing brief combat against the Israeli Air Force."
Here is the C.202 in the museum. The tail wheel has no fairing!
View attachment 553948C.202 tail
From the front it shows the neater nasal features.
View attachment 553949C.202 nose
And for you, Schweik, the museum's S.79 - a real beauty.
View attachment 553950S.79
What museum is that, is it in Italy?
This photograph is of the one in the NASM in Washington DC.
Yes, Ivan, you could be right regarding the C.202, although I haven't looked at the two closely. It's common for museums to do this. The RAF Museum's sole surviving complete Hawker Typhoon's spinner is originally from an Avro Shackleton, which has four blades, so the holes were blanked out and new ones cut! I've been to the NASM and seen their Macchi. great place, too.
Ineffective?? They were some of the best fighters of the war. They were used by countries until the early 60s. The Germans wanted to mass-produce them to replace the 109 and 190. They were heavily armed with two cannons and two machine guns. Some had three cannons. They could reach altitudes of 37,000 feet and the G55 top speed was 426 mph. When the late series fighters came to the front, numbers were limited. Squadrons would typically takeoff with 8 to 10 planes into formations of 60 to 80 allied airplanes. The odds are simply against you but the bravery unquestionable. In documented battles one particular one comes to mind where four Macchi's tangle with eight Spitfires. Two against one is not easy. The Macchi's down two spitfires with the loss of one Macchi. But instead of comparing one battle, let's compare some real numbers and stats with some records.
RSI Adriano Visconti
Combat sorties: 72
Confirmed kills: 26
Probable: 18
RAF Johnnie Johnson
Combat sorties: 515
Confirmed kills: 34
Probable: 13
Those are astonishing numbers considering they would takeoff with 10 to 12 airplanes against an armada. Or maybe Visconti was just a better pilot or had a superior aircraft or both. Considering he accomplished 26 confirmed kills in 72 sorties being the underdogs shows how effective the series three fighters of Italy were.
Afaik no Italian fighter excelled at rate of roll (which might be possible to rectify). That is where the Fw 190d is better, which is a factor of agility like turn rate. While the G.56 was said to be as good a turner as the Spitfire, the Dora is no slouch either, at least at high speed combat late war. The Dora should dive better because of higher weight and wing load.
Don't know for sure about climb. The G.56 would be in the vicinity of the Spitfire Mk XIV but the D-9 is also a very good climber, not much behind.
So I would rate the Fw 190D and G.56 fairly even in a fight.
Here is some data of G.55 and G.56.
View attachment 554229
G.55 - 1
View attachment 554230
G.55 - 2
View attachment 554231
G.56
IMO, this plane has great potential but DB605A engine has not been enough to pull it out.
G.56 with DB603A show us great performance even it's engine doesn't used ADI or Take off power.
Only thing I know about it's roll rate is rechlin test on 27 feb 1943 and it seems already mentioned. Germans evaluate roll rate of this plane is little lower than Bf109G-4.Do you have any information on roll rate?