Spanish Civil War: Nationalist Air Force

[vikingBerserker]

This is some really good stuff fellas.

 

[VG-33]

I think you are right concerning the nationalist fury; it sound to me very strange that it wouldnt be operationaly used during the war, so I think your sources are much better than mine. Concerning the republican fury, I have two or three pictures that I have already posted in my thread "Republican fighters of the Spanish Civil War". In any case as sonn as I finish this, I will make a new thread about the F.A.R.E.

I see:

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aircraft-pictures/spanish-civil-war-republican-fighters-23661.html

Thanks

 

[gekho]

The Savoia-Marchetti SM-55 was a double-hulled flying boat produced in Italy beginning in 1924. Shortly after its introduction it began setting records for speed, payload, altitude and range. The SM-55 featured many innovative design features. All the passengers or cargo were placed in the twin hulls, but the pilot and crew captained the plane from a cockpit in the thicker section of the wing between the two hulls. As well, the S.55 had two inline counter-rotating propellers, achieved by mounting the twin engines back to back. The engines were canted sharply at an upward angle. Two wire-braced booms connected the triple-finned tail structure to the twin hulls and wing.

The Italian Air Marshall of the time, Italo Balbo soon became famous for organizing fleets of S.55s for Atlantic crossings, culminating in his 1933 flight with 24 aircraft to Chicago's Century of Progress International Exposition. On 1 July 1933, General Balbo commanded a flight of S-55s from Orbetello, Italy, completing the flight in just over 48 hours, maintaining a tight "V" formation. These large fleets of aircraft became so well known that even today a large formation is sometimes called a "Balbo". Three of these planes were later sent to Spain, arriving to Mallorca in august of 1936. They participated in some raids using hand grenades, but these aircrafts were not suitable for bombing duties, so two of them were sent back to Italy, remaining the last one at the Mallorca´s hidros base. It was destroyed in a republican raid in may 1937 when it was already retired of service.

 

[gekho]

Developed from the Ca.301, a single-seat fighter version of a similar design that was not put into production, the AP.1 was a two-seater version, fitted with a more powerful Alfa Romeo radial. Designed to serve both as a fighter and an attack aircraft, it was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed, trousered (spatted) undercarriage, of mixed construction. Although it was a monoplane at a time when many of the air forces of the world were flying biplanes, the Caproni was still an anachronism with fixed landing gear. The AP.1 prototype first flew on 27 April 1934. An initial series of 12 aircraft was delivered within 1936. In the same year, the Regia Aeronautica ordered a second series with improvements including a more powerful Alfa Romeo engine and more aerodynamic landing gear. In service, the large landing gear spats were often removed for ease of maintenance.

Between october and decembre 1938, ten units of these aircrafts arrived to Spain, receiving the nickname of Apio (celery). It was designed as a ground attack fighter, but due its poor performance it was used as an school aircraft. They were send to Villanubla fighter school first, and later to Reus and Moron, where they received the military code 32-1 to 32-10. They were retired in 1948.

 

[gekho]

The Fiat CR.20 was an Italian biplane fighter used during the 1920s and 1930s. Designed by Celestino Rosatelli, it represented an intermediate step from the early biplane CR.1 and the later, successful series CR.30-CR.32-CR.42. For the new aircraft, Rosatelli used a traditional sesquiplane configuration. The engine was a V Fiat A.20 providing (306 kW/410 hp), with liquid cooling.

Major variants were the CR.20 Idro, a pontoon floatplane, and the CR.20 Asso, using a more powerful (336 kW/450 hp) Isotta-Fraschini engine. CR.20bis, produced from 1930, differed from the original version only for the addition of a more advanced landing gear. At its peak in 1933, the CR.20 equipped 27 squadrons of the Italian Regia Aeronautica. The aircraft was used against Libyan rebels and in the early stages of the Second Italo-Abyssinian War in the attack role. The CR.20s remained in service with the Regia Aeronautica in the aerobatics and training until the 1930s. In 1933, Italy sold five CR.20s to Paraguay, which was fighting the Chaco War against Bolivia, these serving as Paraguay's only fighters through to the end of the war. Several Cr.20s were used by the Aviazione Legionaria, primarily as trainers, and probably mostly the 2-seat version. This example was sent to the Jerez de la Frontera Air base to be used as a trainer.

 

[gekho]

The Breda Ba.25 was an Italian two-seat biplane trainer designed and built by the Breda company. It was the most widely used Italian basic trainer of the 1930s. The first flight took place near Milan in 1931. Initially designed as a single-seat aircraft, the prototype was later converted to a two-seat fuselage. Flight testing of the two-seat variant was successful, and in late 1931 Regia Aeronautica ordered a series of 100 Ba.25 training aircraft. The student and instructor sat in open tandem cockpits, although some versions had a single-bay cockpit. The initial production order was completed by 1935, but demand for the aircraft increased and production for the Regia Aeronautica totalled 719 by the end of 1938. Many others were produced for export or for private use with different radial engines like the Alfa Romeo Lynx or Walter Castor.

Possibly 6 Ba-28 were sent from Italy to Spain during the last months of the war. They were coded 37, as advanced trainers. During the war they served at the Gallur Fighter School and later at Moron and Reus trainning school, being retired in september 1945. This plane was fitted with a Piaggio Stella engine of 370 cv, that provided it a speed of 240 Km/h. It had a very good acrobatic performance, its range was of 400 km and its empty weight of 1.200 kgs.

 

[gekho]

The IMAM Ro.41 was an Italian light biplane fighter aircraft, serving in the Regia Aeronautica in the 1930s-1940s, mainly as a trainer. It was a singular aircraft, being obsolescent as a fighter when it first appeared in 1934, but despite this it was used as such until 1940. The Luftwaffe showed an interest in it as a trainer, even though German first line fighters were completely different. The Ro.41 is almost unknown, compared to many other Italian aircraft, despite being one of the most numerous produced, in its 16-year career. The IMAM Ro.41 had its origins in the aircraft division of OFM (Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali). In 1929 Alessandro Tonini, the chief designer, had serious health problems and was replaced by Giovanni Galasso. This company, based in Naples, was taken over by Breda in 1935, and so Galasso's new aircraft designs received the IMAM designation of this company. One of the first was the Ro.41, flight tested by Niccolò Lana at Capodichino airfield on 16 June 1934.

The first prototype was fitted with a Piaggio P.VII engine, and showed itself to be very agile, with excellent climb performance, and no noticeable vices. The second prototype, MM.281, was tested 31 January 1935, and taken on strength with the Regia Aeronautica. The third prototype had a Piaggio P.VII C.45 with two-stage compressor, giving 390 hp at 4,000 m. This was the definitive version of this aircraft, and fifty aircraft, numbers MM.2907-2956, were ordered. This first series was put in service in July 1935.

The Ro.41 found a role as a trainer aircraft, for which it was well-suited, and a series of 30 two-seat aircraft first flew in 1937. The Ro.41 replaced the Breda Ba.25, and soon another 264 single-seat and 66 two-seat models were ordered. The Ro.41 was also proposed as light fighter. Twenty-eight were sent to Spain where, thanks to their high rate of climb, they acted as point-defence interceptors around Seville, though it appears that they did not score any victories. No Romeos survived to the war, but at the present a replica is being built at Murcia. As you can see by the pictures, the fighter is almost ready. What I dont know is if it will fly or is a displayed replica.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQhZ__rllOk

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o043pOeA66g

 

[gekho]

A well designed and sturdy medium bomber, the Fiat B.R.20 Cicogna (stork) series fell nevertheless into that category which was nearmg obsolescence by the outbreak of World War II. Designed by Ingeniere Celestino Rosatelli, and owing much of its parentage to the sleek Fiat APR.2 commercial transport, the Fiat B.R.20 prototype flew first on 10 February 1936. The first unit of the Regia Aeronautica to receive B.R.20s was the 13° Stormo BT stationed at Lonate Pozzolo: the 7° Stormo BT, also at Lonate, received Fiat B.R.20s in February 1937. Powered by two 745kW Fiat A.80 RC.41 radial engines, the B.R.20 possessed a maximum speed of 430km/h at 4000m, and was armed with two 7.7mm and one 12.7mm machine-guns.

Elements of the 7° and 13° Stormi BT were despatched to Spain in May 1937 for combat experience, while other B.R.20s were exported to Japan, and saw service with indifferent results in China and Manchuria as the JAAF's Army Type 1 Model 100 Heavy bomber. Modified nose contours, increased armour protection and revised armament featured in the B.R.20M, of which 264 were ultimately produced. When Italy declared war on 10 June 1940 the Regia Aeronautica had 162 Fiat B.R.20s and B.R.20Ms in commission with the 7°, 13°, 18° and 43° Stormi BT. The first bombing mission was made on 13 June when 19 B.R.20Ms of the 13° Stormo BT attacked installations at Hyeres and Fayence in southern France. A detachment of 80 B.R.20MS of the 13° and 43° Stormi BT were sent to the Belgian airfields of Chieveres and Melsbroeck in late September 1940 to assist the Luftwaffe in its bombing campaign against England. As part of the Corpo Aereo Italiano the B.R.20Ms suffered losses as a result of crew failings and fighter attacks. The campaign in Greece saw the 116° Gruppo (37° Stormo) in action from bases in Albania, followed by action over Crete, and on a day and night attacks against Malta. In the USSR B.R.20MS of the 38a and 116a Squadriglie operated from August 1942 in the southern sector.

Fifteen of the improved B.R.20bis model were produced. These were powered by two 932kW Fiat A.82 RC.42S engines, had additional 7.7mm machine-guns and a power-operated dorsal turret. Early in 1943 the B.R.20M bomber had been withdrawn from active service with the Regia Aeronautica, units being re-equipped either with CANT Z.1007s or with Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79S/ Production totalled 602 of all marks.

 

[otftch]

The bulk of military Moths however were civilian sportplanes impressed by their countries air forces and used as trainers and liaison aircraft. Like this, civilian Moths ended up flying for both the Nationalist and Republican air forces during the Spanish Civil War. This was repeated on a larger scale during the Second World War where Moths ended up flying, amongst others, for the air forces of Egypt, New Zealand, China (with several captured ex-Chinese aircraft flying for the Japanese), Ireland, Italy, Iraq, Belgian Congo, Dutch East Indies (later taken over by the Indonesian AF), South Africa, New Zealand and the US Navy.[/QUOTE]

Great Photo Collection. Do you by any chance have any photos of USN Moths ?
Ed

 

[gekho]

Great Photo Collection. Do you by any chance have any photos of USN Moths ?

No, sorry, I dont have any

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[gekho]

When the Fiat Br 20 Cicogna – or Stork – became operational a few were tested in the skies over the Spanish Civil War. It was a proficient enough aircraft for that conflict but had many flaws that needed to be sorted out in later versions. Italy deployed six BR.20s to Spain in June 1937 for use by the Aviazione Legionaria to fight in support of Franco's Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War, with a further seven aircraft sent to Spain in July 1938. They took part in bombing raids over Teruel and at the Battle of the Ebro, proving to be sturdy and accurate bombers. The BR.20s were fast enough to generally avoid interception from the Republican Polikarpov I-16s and I-15s. Losses were very low; nine of the 13 BR.20s sent to Spain survived to the end of the war when they were handed over to the Spanish State to serve with the Ejército del Aire (EdA). While the Cicognas were successful, just 13 examples were sent to Spain compared to at least 99 SM.79s, which meant that the Sparviero was almost the Italian standard bomber, especially on day missions.

 

[gekho]

The Fiat G.8 was a military utility aircraft produced in Italy in the mid-1930s. Its design and production were undertaken at the CMASA works in Pisa which became part of Fiat in 1930, hence the type is sometimes referred to as the CMASA G.8 or Fiat-CMASA G.8. It was a conventional biplane design with staggered wings of unequal span braced by struts arranged in a Warren truss. The pilot and a single passenger (or instructor) sat in tandem open cockpits, and the aircraft was fitted with fixed tailskid undercarriage with divided main units. Sixty of these aircraft were purchased by the Regia Aeronautica and used for liaison and training duties.

In january 1938 two units arrived to Spain with the "Aviazione Legionaria", being transfered later to the Nationalist Aviation, where they served at the El Gallur Fighter School. Their operative life is very short, since one of them desapeared of the Air Force files and the other one, coded 30-69, was transfered to the General Staff of the Spanish Army at Getafe. It was withdrawn from service in 1943.

 

[gekho]

In 1927, the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) held a contest for a replacement for the Macchi M.7ter flying boat fighter. In response, Macchi designed the M.41, based on its Macchi M.26 design of 1924. The M.41 was a wooden, single-seat, single-bay biplane armed with two fixed, forward-firing 7.7-millimeter (0.303-inch) machine guns. It had plywood and fabric skinning, and its wings were of equal span and unstaggered. Its engine, a 313-kilowatt (420-horsepower) Fiat A.20 driving a pusher propeller, was mounted on struts above the hull and below the upper wing, and the aircraft was fitted with an oblique frontal radiator. Like the M.26, it was of very clean aerodynamic design for an aircraft of its type. In the 1927 contest, the M.41 prototype competed against the SIAI S.58bis. Macchi received no production order for the M.41 and built only the first prototype. Although plans were made for SIAI to produce 97 S.58bis aircraft, these fell through when the Regia Marina decided to save money by re-engining the M.7ter rather than procure any new replacement aircraft in 1927.

 

[gekho]

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.62 was an Italian single-engine maritime patrol flying boat produced from 1926. It served with the Regia Aeronautica and with a number of foreign users, and was licence-produced in Spain and the Soviet Union. Some of the Spanish aircraft were still in service during the Spanish Civil War. The SM.62 flying boat was one of the main successes of Savoia-Marchetti, evolved from the SM.59 which first flew in 1925. The single-engine, single-spar wing, wooden biplane aircraft was powered by a single Isotta-Fraschini Asso 500RI, 373 kW (500 hp) engine mounted between the upper and the lower wings, and drove a pusher propeller. It had a wingspan of 15.5 m (50.8 ft), a maximum takeoff weight of 3,000 kg (6,610 lb) including fuel, bombs and four crew, and entered production in 1926. Apart from the two machine guns in the aft and forward fuselage, both mounted in uncovered positions, the possibility of fitting an 20 mm Oerlikon cannon was explored, but never put into service.

The progress of the project was almost continuous, and the following year saw the SM.62bis development that had a more powerful engine. This aircraft, with a 16 m (52.4 ft) wingspan, formed the basis of the future SM.78. The new 559 kW (750 hp) Isotta Fraschini Asso engine produced 50% more power, which allowed a maximum take-off weight of 4,000 kg (8,818 lb) with a maximum speed of 220 km/h (140 mph), while the range was 1,200 km (746 mi). For those times, these were respectable performance figures for a single-engine aircraft. The SM.62 was one of the first Italian racing- and world-record attempting aircraft, competing in the 1926 New-York to Buenos Aires air-race and the 10,000 km (6,210 mi) air-race in northern Europe, in addition to setting the speed records of 190.537 km/h (118.394 mph) averaged over 500 km (310 mi) in 1926 – later augmented to 194.237 km/h (120.693 mph) – and the world records flying 500 km (310 mi) while carrying 500 kg (1,100 lb), and finally 100 km (60 mi) and 500 km (310 mi) with 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). This was the most successful Italian flying boat outside Italy, with at least one being acquired by Japan for its naval aviation service, several by Romania, and 40 by Spain, some of which were license-built. The USSR acquired the license to construct the SM.62bis in Tananrog plants as the MRB.4, with many examples built.

Despite their obsolescence, several Spanish examples fought in the Spanish Civil War. Since the aircraft of those times were not capable of great speeds, several were used at the Desenzano "high-speed flying-school" in Italy, as well as continuing to serve as reconnaissance-bombers. The next derivative, the SM.78, with over a ton more weight and 20% more power; could carry a greater fuel load, effectively doubling the range; and was slightly faster than the SM.62bis.

 

[gekho]

In 1935, the SM.81 Pipistrello (Bat) made its debut and marked a definite step forward in the development of military aviation. The excellent overall qualities of this aircraft were first tested in the Ethiopian campaign and then in the Spanish Civil War. The SM.81s success in combat directly transformed into a series of orders that eventually led to the production of 534 SM.81s. However, as in the case of other combat planes produced in that same period, the Spanish Civil War did not provide very reliable proof of what subsequent needs were to be. The SM.81, clearly out of date by the outbreak of World War II, remained in service for the duration of hostilities, operating on almost all fronts, although it was gradually phased out to play a secondary role as a transport. The SM.81′s direct predecessor was the SM.73, a commercial airplane, whose prototype appeared on 6/4/34, and which was an immediate commercial success.

It was this aircraft that provided the basis for the construction formula that was to remain virtually unchanged in SIAI Marchetti's later production, a three-engine, low-wing monoplane with a wood and metal structure and wood and fabric covering. The military version was presented toward the end of the year and was subjected to a whole series of operational tests by the Regia Aeronautica before going into mass production. As in the case of the civilian version, the fitting of several types of engines was also planned for the SM.81, and each of the engines characterized a particular version of the aircraft. These included the 680 hp Piaggio IX, 700 hp Piaggio X, 680 hp Alfa Romeo, 900 hp Alfa Romeo and the 1,000-hp Gnome Rhone 14K engines. Defensive armament consisted of 6 – 7.7mm machineguns, a pair in the retractable ventral position, a pair firing rearward from the back of the cockpit and two in lateral positions in the fuselage. Normal bomb load was 2,000 lbs, but the maximum load was 4,415 lbs of bombs.

The prototype of an experimental version, the SM.81bis was produced with two 840-hp Isotta-Fraschini Asso in-line liquid cooled engines, and with substantial modification to the nose, by which the third engine was occupied by a bombardier. This variant was not followed up. The SM.81 went into service early in 1935 and made its military debut in Africa that same year. At the beginning of World War II, the SM.81 was gradually withdrawn from front-line service in national territory and was used mainly on the African and Russian fronts as transport aircraft. After the Armistice, only four SM.81s were left in southern Italy. The others that remained went in the north to form part of two groups of transport planes in the air force of the pro-axis forces. The SM.81 with the 670 hp Piaggio X engines had a maximum speed of 211 mph at 3,281 ft; a service ceiling of 22,966 ft; and a range of 1,243 miles. With the 680 hp Alfa Romeo engines, the maximum speed was 211 mph at 13,210 ft; service ceiling of 23,000 ft and a range of 1,200 miles.
Article by JDG

 

[gekho]

The Savoia-Marchetti S.M.81 Pipistrello (bat) was a development of the Savoia-Marchetti S.M.73 18-pagsenger airliner which had first flown in prototype form on 4 June 1934. Like the airliner from which it was derived, the S.M.81 was a three-engine cantilever low-wing monoplane with fixed tailwheel landing gear. First flown in early 1935, it was available in some numbers by the time that Italy invaded Abyssinia (Ethiopia) on 3 October 1935. Here in addition to its dedicated bomber role, it was used also for reconnaissance and transport. The next operational use of the type came during the Spanish Civil War, with S.M.81s being among the first aircraft provided in support of General Franco, and others served in Spain a little later as components of the Aviazione Legionaria.

 

[gekho]

By the time Italy became involved in World War II about 100 remained in service with the Regia Aeronautica, but although it was already completely outdated the S.M.81 was to be found wherever Italian forces were fighting. Because of its low speed and vulnerability to attack, it was used primarily for second-line duties, but with the protection of darkness many found important use as night bombers, particularly in North Africa. Some remained in service at the time of the Italian surrender, continuing in operation with the Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud, and a few survived the war to serve for five or six years with the post-war Aeronautica Militare Italiana. A total of approximately 534 S.M.81s had been built and flown with a variety of powerplants including the 650 hp (485 kW) Gnome-Rhôene 14K or similarly powered Alfa Romeo 125 RC.35, the 900 hp (671 kW) Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34, and the 700 hp (522 kW) Piaggio P.X RC.35. Under the designation S.M.81B a single experimental twin-engine prototype had been flown under the power of two 840 hp (626 kW) Isotta Fraschini Asso XI RC engines, but no production examples followed.

 

[gekho]

More pics

 

[gekho]

The Fiat G.50 Freccia (meaning "Arrow") series provided the Italian Air Force with a then-modern monoplane fighter featuring a retractable undercarriage, all-metal construction and an enclosed cockpit. During this period in aviation history, these three design features alone were strong distinguishers between older generation 1920/1930-era fighters and the new breed appearing almost monthly across the globe. The G.50 fought on from 1938 through to the end of the war in 1945 - the latter years to a lesser extent - being utilized in a variety of roles and by a handful of very different operators. An impressive total of 791 G.50's were produced.Design of the G.50 began as soon as 1935 to which the prototype was made available for first flight two years later on February 26th. Despite the aircraft's relatively modern design, it did not prove to be a substantial leap when compared to other previous modern Italian attempts. Despite this, the aircraft was well accepted for her speed and maneuverability and put into production. In its early form as with an enclosed cockpit, the G.50 received its baptism of fire as part of the Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War. The aircraft - at least by 1938 standards - proved a worthy success and became a mainstay of the modern Italian Air Force, or Regia Aeronautica. Pilot reaction to the aircraft was generally good, though the Italian flyboys were not as fond of her greenhouse framed canopy. As such, the follow-up production models were actually built with an open-air cockpit instead - effectively advancing Italian aviation by a two steps forward, one step back philosophy.