King Of The Skies In The Spanish Civil War | Fiat Cr.32 [Aircraft Overview #90]

Today we're taking a look at the short lived Fiat Cr.30 and the much more successful Fiat Cr.32: a nimble biplane fighter that distinguished itself during the Spanish Civil War. It would also served with multiple nations during this period, and it would even see some limited action in the opening stages of the Second World War.
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Sources:
Logosluso, A. (2010). Fiat CR.32 Aces of the Spanish Civil War. Osprey Publishing Limited.
Punka, G. (2000). Fiat CR 32/CR 42 in action. Squadron/Signal Publication, Inc.
Cattaneo, G. (1965). The Fiat CR. 32. Profile Publications.
CR.30 & CR,32 Assembly Manuals

[@RexsHangar]

Sorry for the plosives in this one, forgot to put the pop filter back on my microphone when I was re-organising the office! F.A.Q Section Q: Do you take aircraft requests? A: I have a list of aircraft I plan to cover, but feel free to add to it with suggestions:) Q: Why do you use imperial measurements for some videos, and metric for others? A: I do this based on country of manufacture. Imperial measurements for Britain and the U.S, metric for the rest of the world, but I include text in my videos that convert it for both. Q: Will you include video footage in your videos, or just photos? A: Video footage is very expensive to licence, if I can find footage in the public domain I will try to use it, but a lot of it is hoarded by licencing studies (British Pathe, Periscope films etc). In the future I may be able to afford clips :) Q: Why do you sometimes feature images/screenshots from flight simulators? A: Sometimes there are not a lot of photos available for certain aircraft, so I substitute this with digital images that are as accurate as possible.

[@kyle_mk17]

ju 290?

[@theoneandonlyartyom]

hey rex, can you make a vid on the Pulqui? basically, a relatively obscure early cold war argentine fighter, the usa was like "no" and began throwing sabres at argentina at cheap prices, so the pulqui was cancelled

[@philp8872]

Hi Rex, another great one, thanks! Two suggestions: More on AC used in Spanish Civil War. Please do more videos with Drachinfel about Carriers! -WWII from the technical aspect. I mean the various Battles especially in the Pacific are already covered well by Drachinfel and others, but there is so much else: Evolution of planes and carrier equipment, escort carriers against submarines.... -Jet age and its effect on carriers, Korea, Vietnam, Falklands.... I really enjoyed every second of you and Drach on this great topic. (Watched it on my GFs TV where I´m not able to comment)

[@conradnelson5283]

Never noticed

[@peterkissinger9696]

Avia B-534?

[@rezzoc91]

I met a great man in my life, named Giuseppe Ruzzin. He flew on the CR32 in Spain, France and England. Then he went on the 109, 202 and defended Italy in the Sicilian Sky until 1943. He was the pride of Genoese aviators

[@MarkJoseph81]

On the Axis side in Italy?

[@rezzoc91]

@@MarkJoseph81 yes, but after 43 he didn't join the rsi and decided to become non belligerent by training new pilots

[@loveofmangos001]

I like this story, you can tell it's real because liars usually claim their grandfather flew it

[@rezzoc91]

@@loveofmangos001 you can Google him. His personal plane I think is in Bracciano museum

[@cmbaileytstc]

@@loveofmangos001 My grandfather destroyed five 109s in WWII. Truly the worst mechanic the Luftwaffe ever had.

[@zitko19]

Great video. As a Slovak myself I really appreciate detailed information on short and pretty much unkown conflict between newborn Slovak state and Hungary in March 1939 (this was mistaken for 1938 but thanks to very limited resources it's surely forgivable). Thank you very much. I can't wait for another great story of another great airplane (what about some of the Czechoslovak planes you mentioned here?).

[@egoalter1276]

A completely unnecesseary war that did nothing but bitlrth bad blood .

[@BHuang92]

Arguably one of the best fighter biplanes made.

[@spingebill8551]

Indeed. It’s unfortunate, not only was the Cr.32s legacy robbed by the monoplanes of its era and on top of that it’s more advanced cousin the Cr.42, it’s often overlooked as its from Italy.

[@AndrewGivens]

@Aqua Fyre Didn't the Avia make the last air-to-air kill for a biplane?

[@randomnickify]

"My Fiat has V12 engine" "You mean your Ferrari?" "No, my FIAT" :)

[@JTA1961]

Good one.

[@AgentTasmania]

*Screams past in FIAT 500 with aircraft engine janked in top of it* HO COMMESSO UN ERRORE!

[@copperator6649]

Italy makes some nice Bi-planes. Cr.32 being a personal favorite

[@adrianrutterford762]

Wonderful News! A new video from The Hanger. Thanks

[@hlynnkeith9334]

I enjoy your histories of interwar aircraft. I prefer to study Great War aviation; at the moment, I study German seaplanes and seaplane tenders. Your episodes come as welcome diversions. Always well done, witty, funny (the aerial equivalent of seal clubbing), and thoroughly researched. My compliments.

[@danweyant4909]

To anyone interested in air war over Spain, I recommend "5 down, no glory" - an excellent book above America mercenary pilot Frank Tinker.

[@robertdragoff6909]

Great video as always Looking forward to the next video

[@xpump876]

I always liked the lines on the Cr32.

[@jeffgaboury3157]

Awesome series. I'm really enjoying it!

[@JTA1961]

Same here...

[@szilardtoth8814]

One of my great fave biplane. Thanks for upload.

[@russkinter3000]

Thanks! Fascinating info about a plane that seems to get bad reviews from sources who don't understand the difference between obsolescence and bad design.

[@ingosippel9653]

Super Channel, thank you 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@user-jyanome-daisuki]

今、１/３２で本機のゴキブリ部隊機（スペイン市民戦争中のコンドル部隊機）をモーターライズ仕様で製作中ですが、翻訳機能を活用して動画を視聴し大変勉強に成りました。そして、僕の塗装選定は大正解だったと得心しました。

[@daviddavid5880]

Wow. I take it forward visibility wasn't much of a priority with these guys. That front view is a slot. Another great video. Keep up the good work.

[@ianhartley395]

I get Typhoon vibes from this plane with that chin scoop. Both are intimidating and extremely cool looking airplanes

[@maryclarafjare]

This was cool, I learned so much! Thank you!

[@JTA1961]

Continuing to be impressed by this channels overall levels of excellence without intersecting political bias

[@joseantonioplaza8596]

The cockroach nickname comes from a popular song; that’s the reason behind the cockroach is depicted playing a trumpet

[@NathanDudani]

21:51 they'd use hand signals anyways ;)

[@volters9561]

14:05 It's a Greek PZL P-24,

[@onkelmicke9670]

It would be nice to see the Ar 68

[@OgrabliatorKorovanov]

hmmm. if fiat was "a king of spanish skies"... then who was I-16? no to mention bf-109...

[@IgnatSolovey]

I hope that you used the relevant stuff from Italian aircraft books and technical manuals I sent you last year... Well, it seems that apparently you did ;)

[@jonashellsborn7648]

Great video. Waiting to see a Cr42 in crown markings. But I wonder if "Corboda" in fact was "Córdoba"?

[@yoloman3607]

In warthunder this thing gets explosive 12.7mm ammunition and a jacked climb rate, it is the terror of bottom tier.

[@RonJohn63]

13:41 Sight, luck and the bull. But the roundel looks like chickens.

[@Abdullah-mn6sw]

Best early plane in War thunder.

[@undefined40]

The "Fig. 8" plan shows a small propeller on the upper wing. What is that for? I do not believe it can be used for measuring air speed, as it sits inside the air stream of the main propeller.

[@martijn9568]

Probably to drive a small electrical generator. Though I am not sure if the aeroplane was designed without onboard electronics in mind or that it outgrew the original electrical capacity.

[@dougshiner9180]

​@@martijn9568 I would imagine that it might have been for a radio, not sure what else. Wind generator powered radios started as simple Morse code spark-gap type transmitters and receivers, evolving from there. What was in these aircraft I cannot say.

[@andrewooddotcom]

Hello :) What is the plane visible at 14:05 ? Looks like PZL p.24... Anyway thanks for the video :)

[@JosipRadnik1]

I have no doubt that the CR32 was superior to the I-15 in most aspects - but what about the I-15bis or the I-153? I'm not sure wether the I-153 did see action in Spain though, but the I-15bis certainly did.

[@mogaman28]

The I-16 too, I think.

[@JosipRadnik1]

@@mogaman28 yes, but the I-16 is mentioned in this video. The I-15bis and I-153 aren't. While I'm not sure if CR32's ever met I-153's (exept for Hungarian CR32's maybe), I am pretty confident that CR32's met I-15 bis, which would probably have been a more even match than against the I-15. I'm also wondering against which variant of the I-15/I-15bis/I-153 Family those soviet comparative evaluations were carried out that our dear narrater spoke of.

[@miquelescribanoivars5049]

@@JosipRadnik1 I wouldn't say in most aspects, the I-15 climbed considerably faster and was more maneuveable (slightly larger wing area at 70% of the weight), also Spanish built I-15 received armored head rest, greatly improving pilots survivability. As for the I-15 Bis, they arrived very late in the war and didn't see much combat, with most of it career being postwar, that said people both in the Soviet Union and Spain weren't very thrilled about the I-15Bis, its new wing design decreased maneuverability significantlly.

[@JosipRadnik1]

@@miquelescribanoivars5049 Ok, thanks for the correction. I must admit my knowledge about planes in that theatre of war is rather limited. I assumed that the I-15 would be better in horizontal turns, but I did not know that it could climb faster. Do you have any online sources, you would recommend?

[@miquelescribanoivars5049]

@@JosipRadnik1 Yes, although I can't share the links directly because KZbin deletes comments with links. There are several entry level books such as "Polikarpov I-15, I-16 and I-153 Aces" by Mikhail Maslov and "Fiat Cr-32 Aces of the Spanish Civil War by Alfredo Logoluso. I don't have copies of them but the excerpts I had read are pretty good. Between both you could probably get a pretty balanced outlook. There are more advanced books on Spanish Civil War aviation, including monographs detailing unit histories, but I don't know if those are available in English. Besides that there are short threads in the axishistory and secretweapons forum which provide some entry level information in english and include sources.

[@DukeofBruhington_III]

This thing’s ridiculously good in war thunder

[@Jawst]

4 adverts interrupted me already, and only 15 minutes in!!!

[@karoltomis5704]

Italians, just your personal opinion. Was fascismus better (now I don´t mean foreign policy under Musso after June 1940) for Italy, rather than the system after 1946? Cheers from Slovakia

[@giancarlogarlaschi4388]

Yes , it was Better! No Graffiti - All was Clean ( Naples is a Shame nowadays! ) .Beautiful Advanced Architecture, F1 and Aviation Records , a General sense of Pride and Hope for a Better Future. Grazie Mille Caro Signore.

[@lorenzor2555]

Yes! Mussolini did great things for Italy since 1922 till 1938 (the atrocious idiotic racial law, and alliance with nazi Germany). Entering in war in 1940 was a colossal mistake because Italy in that time suffered the perfect storm and was completely unprepared. But till 1938 Mussolini did great things and for Italy the Ventennio was a golden age

[@carloduroni5629]

Yeah, if you like poverty, widespread corruption (typical of all dictatorships), ridiculous public finance management, delusions of grandeur (throwing the country in a losing and devastating war), cultural regression (to the point of ridicule) and political repression, then it was "better". Oh, and we had graffiti too: those made by fascist.

[@triumphbobberbiker]

No it was worse. The history of Italy's WW2 aviation proves just that! Incompetence and mis- management at the highest decisional levels were ripe and pervasive, and at the very roots of such absurd decisions as ordering aircraft that were obsolete even before entering production stage.

[@karoltomis5704]

@@triumphbobberbiker Grazie amici Italiani, thank you for your opinion/response. As a boy in 1970s I had got an plastic model (1:32) of Fiat Cr.32 by the Czechoslovakian company Směr (in Austrian colours as putting Italo-fascits one due to Munich´38 was not possible, you know the political correctness in the communist system). Anyway, in this YT-report there is an mention on short Magyar-Slovak conflict in late March 1939 (in Slovak "Malá vojna"). If you have a map of an Eastern €Urope: Magyars had made an daring air-raid to Czechoslovakian airport at Spišská Nová Ves (german-speaking city of Zipser Neudorf in Eastern SVK) with Savoia-Marchetti bombers. And in an following 3-day air-and-ground military conflict the Celestino Rosatelli´s CR.32 proved better than our Avia B.534 biplane. Greetings from Bratislava/Pressburg (just for your info the city of Presbourg got into Czechoslovakia on January 1919 thanks to Italian troops under general Piccione liberating our citta from Magyars in December 1918). KT

[@madcat789]

Does Fiat still make aircraft?

[@michaeltelson9798]

The Chinese flew these as well as the Austrians. It’s engine didn’t use regular aviation fuel which was a restriction: “The standard engine of the CR. 32 was a water-cooled 600 hp Fiat A. 30 RA upright V-12 that interestingly ran on an unusual fuel mix of 55% petrol, 23% alcohol and 22% benzol rather than standard aviation fuel” They came back into front line service in North Africa with the failures of the Breda 65 as a close support/dive bomber. The following failure of the Breda 88 kept this aircraft in ground support past the time they needed to be supplanted by Ju 87 Stukas as Italy couldn’t produce an adequate ground support aircraft along with its replacement the C.R. 42

[@thomasmitchell7645]

Joaquin is pronounced Wakeen.

[@pierocaravaggio3392]

Mi piacerebbe risentire il ttt in lingua Italiana e nn della "perfida albione" !!!

[@valdorhightower]

The title of your video is bit misleading. The King of the Skies in the Spanish Civil War would have been either the Russian I-16 or the ME-109. As for the best interwar fighter, I would take the Grumman F-3F over the CR-32 any day.

[@neletg]

The Polikarpov I-15 "Chato" was better. Also the I-153 over the CR-42.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

"...when allied fighters made their appearance, and began the aerial equivalent of seal clubbing." I did not expect a Drachism on Rex's Hangar. A surprise, but a welcome one!

[@auldman]

Ok, I searched… what is Drachism?

[@wrencormier513]

@@auldman there's a youtuber named drachinifel, who does longer form military ship videos, and uses that sort of dry joke in his videos

[@General_Rubenski]

@@wrencormier513Dry humor is everywhere, especially on KZbin, so why does he get it coined after him?

[@wrencormier513]

@@General_Rubenski he's particularly famous in this specific corner of youtube, the long-form video essay on military vehicles of the latter half of the 20th century

[@auldman]

@@wrencormier513 thank you

[@GianUbertoLauri]

My grandfather witnessed CR32 in Italian East Africa. He reported that most where destroyed on the ground, not in dogfights and that the preferred British strategy was low altitude attacks, trying, often successfully, to avoid early detection. But if Blenheims, possibly with Hurricane escort saw CR32 high above, turned back to attempt a surprise attack another day. (BTW, I have the cockpit clock from an Hurricane downed in I.E.A. at home...)

[@WredFawks]

Just as Rex noted, like clubbing baby seals.

[@GianUbertoLauri]

Dangerous seals. I have a working clock from an hurricane dashboard… warprey…

[@sim.frischh9781]

Those biplanes looked really cool, both the 30 and the 32, with that oversized cooling maw. Funny though, them having such a heavy armament at a time when most pilots shot not for the plane but the other pilot. Maked them useful forvlonger, probably, because they could actually damage the newer planes more effectively.

[@fistofthetiger1591]

This Plane looks like it's a biplane trying to become a monowing. It has to be one of my absolute favorite biplanes just on looks alone. The Italians really do know how to style their Automobiles and their aircraft.

[@JTA1961]

& that's a fact & a half.

[@LeeBrasher]

They also know how to put a woman together. 😁

[@deremjool8043]

Wait until you see the Cr.42!

[@thebighurt2495]

The Folgore, Sagittario and Centauro were absolutely *gorgeous* fighters and proof that Italy couldn't design good tanks because they spent their skill points on planes and ships.

[@owen368]

Love the bit of Italians trolling the French.

[@rezzoc91]

It's our national sport

[@JTA1961]

French loaf is breader while pizza is the upper crust

[@General_Rubenski]

@@aquafyrerits slightly more superior than the French? Why lmao, because they smell slightly less worse?

[@puebespuebes8589]

I love inter wars plane, it was a golden age. If you think about them they are race airplane twisted for war, this is kind of sad but they would not exist whitout war.

[@DrHundTF2]

I wonder if, had we not had the 3-4 wars of that era, if technology would be considerably slowed down. Maybe we’d still have biplanes around often, being popular for close-range racing and ballads. I wished airplanes would end up as more than war weapons and money machines nowadays..

[@puebespuebes8589]

@@DrHundTF2 sadly that's not how the world seem to work

[@DrHundTF2]

@@puebespuebes8589 yeah, thanks to a little species known as humanity, we have amazing things that were designed for horrible purposes.

[@ericswain70]

Good morning Rex's Hanger. Great way to start the day. Fiat Cr.32 is one of my favorites.

[@hanyoukimura]

The Cr.32 is one of my favorite biplane designs.

[@Chumdo]

I love the use as war thunder for the black and white footage

[@stevetournay6103]

Ahhh, so that's what it is! Clever.

[@martijn9568]

I'm rather opposed to it as it makes it a lot harder to see what's actual film and what is animated video.😅

[@stevetournay6103]

The tail of the CR32 has such a classic, almost to the point of caricature, World War I ornateness... The two seat CR30 would today be a terrific machine for the currently popular "flight experience" operation, as flown, especially in the US and the UK, with things like Spitfire T9s and TF-51 Mustangs...

[@williammorris584]

I was thinking the same. I’ve been up in a WACO and Stearmans, and loved the open cockpit experience.

[@nos9784]

​@@williammorris584 I like those ultralight kitplane versions... lots of cool stuff there, and a lot more affordable :)

[@szilardtoth8814]

Replicas should be built respectively.

[@glmm2001]

The l-15 was a very good aircraft, better armed (four PV-1 7,62mm) and more maneuverable than the CR. The I-16 was faster but far less maneuverable and the early versions only carried two guns, although the Shkas fired extremely fast for the era. Note many pilots flew with the 7,7mm Breda SAFAT instead of the heavier model to save weight and carry more ammo. When Joaquin Garcia Morato crashed short after the was his aircraft was armed with the lighter guns. On the hodgepodge of A/C used by the government forces, neither the Gladiator or the Avia 534 reached Spain, while no Frecn volunteer flew any of the three Furies available in 1936, to be used as a pattern aircraft for a 50 A/C production run under license contracted before the war

[@JosipRadnik1]

Hello Luis Since you seem to have some knowledge of the airwar over Spain 1936-39 I thought i might ask you: Were I15bis and i-153's used in Spain and how would you compare these to the CR32's? How would you compare the CR32 to the Heinkel He51?

[@glmm2001]

@@JosipRadnik1 the I-152 arrived late in the war although it wasn’t very popular, being less maneuverable than the l-15, most of them surviving the war. There’s a persistent rumor the l-153 was used in the SCW but thatˋs completely false. The He-51 was moved to ground attack once the l-15 appeared in numbers, being outclassed by the Soviet aircraft; as the CR-32 successfully soldiered on, we can consider it superior to the Heinkel. Besides, the Germans could replace it with better aircraft like the Me-109B. A small number of G-50s were purchased by the rebels late in the war but the type was impopular, being unreliable and far less maneuverable than the 32. The rebels were so happy with it than they purchased a license and the last Spanish built CR-32 was delivered in 1948. There were plans to replace the old RA-30 engine with something newer and Spanish built but, in the end, the planes built under license used imported Italian engines. CR-32s were deployed in the Canary Islands and encountered Allied airplanes when they ventured into Spanish airspace in several occasions.

[@ivannovorolnik5054]

I would really like to see a video about Avia b534, probably the less known from "one of the best of interwar biplane fighters" group. also seen real combat during ww2. and while at topic Letov Š328, probably last bomber biplane used in ww2 :-)

[@stevetournay6103]

I think there's an Ed Nash video on those Avias. They were beauties...

[@nos9784]

I just looked up how long the ilya muromets was in service, and was dissapointed to find out it was retired in '22. 1922, that is, of course 😅

[@szilardtoth8814]

The "Š" means Šmolík :-)

Nice video, but you made a small error at the beginning of the Spanish civil war. You named a city "Corboda" when it's Córdoba :-)

[@mogaman28]

The tick over the O mark the stress

[@JTA1961]

Is that where Chrysler robbed the name from for their car ?

@@JTA1961 It is very possible, there are also cities in Latin America named after the spanish one

[@tobiasz6613]

Keep up the good work.

[@manricobianchini5276]

Very nice lines, for a biplane fighter. The 42 Bis was nice, as well.

[@monostripezebras]

I have always been fascinated by that desgin.. so much design effort in a class that was positively confirmed to be outdated and obsolete.

[@mathewkelly9968]

Not really when the 32 came out it was cutting edge , the later CR 42 definitely was outdated and obsolete

[@AndrewGivens]

@@mathewkelly9968 You can see from how quickly FIAT brought out their G.50 monoplane that the Falco was already out of date on the drawing board. It's a wonder that they proceeded with it at all.

[@kevintemple245]

@Andrew Givens the 42 was a great airplane, even if "obsolete". All Italian made planes suffered from a chronic lack of firepower and speed, but the 42 more than made up for it in it's excellent maneuverability. It was able to hold it's own against more modern fighters, especially in the hands of veteran pilots.

[@zachdew9gaming985]

​@Kevin Temple you are missing the point, it may of held its ground but why design a plane that is already obsolete for the time and then actually produce it.

[@thebighurt2495]

@@zachdew9gaming985 It was probably a stopgap while they worked on the G.50. Something they could pump out of their factories that was at least an improvement until the real successor was ready.

[@marlboro9tibike]

I dont like when footage from Video Games are presented as historical footage. Give a warning when the scenes are real or Imaginative.

[@AndrewGivens]

I'm looking forward to the Cr.42 video, but this is a treat - the biplane which was born at the very zenith of biplane operability and efficacy. It seems like it held its own against a lot of warbirds; bis, sesquis, monos; the lot. Can see it struggled hard at the end in the desert but it even seems like it stood up to the Gladiator fairly well? Seems like a good record to me - and fascinating that there was so much biplane combat in the 30s. Wonder how the Bulldog would have fared against a Cr.30 or .32?

[@45CaliberCure]

Really cool to see biplane combat footage like that. I'd only seen very limited footage from WWI. Thank you!

[@C76Caravan]

Actually, think some of that is War Thunder and run through an "old camera" emulator/filter. But damn, I really am still not totally sure, that's how real it looks. The I-16 video is probably the one that is most noticeable, the other give away I think being the landscape in the background in some of the other videos. Still think the formation videos are potentially real ones, and towards the end some footage is definitely real.

[@stephenallen4635]

I think all the footage is actually from the game War Thunder

[@C76Caravan]

@@stephenallen4635 not all, esp. at the end the pilot of course and the burning wreck aren't. Also i think some of the initial formation flights look real.

[@stephenallen4635]

@@C76Caravan it's all the combat footage sorting a cr 32. The burning wreck could be anything but yes i think the aerobatics are real

[@C76Caravan]

@@stephenallen4635 yep, that's what I would think as well.

[@dyerwulf5459]

This was really well done. Outstanding!

[@JTA1961]

That's what I thought also.

[@M177-h7i]

Slowak - hungarian war was în march 1939. Not în 1938. There were no Gloster Gladiator , Letov S328, PZL 24, Bloch 151, Avia B534 in Spainsh civil war.

[@karlbrundage7472]

Dating myself here: Back in the '90s a videogame company had a series of flight sims based on their "Red Baron" game. The first was "Aces of the Pacific", then "Aces Over Europe" and was to be followed by "Desert Fighters". Unfortunately the company folder while "Desert Fighters" was in Beta and was never picked up. I was so looking forward to flying a Gladiator against a CR-32 or a Falco.................

[@gregdrew874]

Dynamix. I bought my first 386DX so I could play AOTP.

[@marvintpandroid2213]

Good morning Rex

[@metalman78602]

"..seal clubbing". Gotta love it. Thank you.

[@jimroberts3009]

I don't think the seals would agree!

[@jorgewhite6658]

Joaquin Garcia Morato , in Spain they use both familly names of the father and mother

[@diegoferreiro9478]

Furthermore, his descendants have merged both family names into one as García-Morato. Some people do it in Spain, usually when the first is a very common family name like García is.

[@carloduroni5629]

Nice video, Rex. Only one Italian pronounciation remark: you pronounced "Ceccherini" the "other way round". In Italian, when "c" (as well as "g") is before "e" or "i" is pronounced "sweet" (like in "chestnut" or "chile", "jet" or "Jim"). To have it "hard" before "e" or "i" (like "Ken" or "kit", "get" or "give") you have to interpose an "h". Therefore Ceccherini should be pronounced like an "English" "Chekkerini". BTW, before "a", "o" or "u" it's kind of the other way around: "c" and "g" are normally "hard" (like in "cat" or "cope") and you must interpose an "i" (not actually pronounced) to make them "sweet" (e.g. Italian "cia..." is like "cha...")

[@bigblue6917]

The Italians did stick to their biplanes longer than most. And excellent though the likes of the Cr.32 and 42 they were definatelly yesterdays men.

[@spingebill8551]

Nothing really wrong with that either considering the Italians had their monoplanes too, and their biplanes can probably beat most aged fighters by 1942. What I’m saying is the Italian biplanes weren’t on par with let’s say Bf-109s of the time, but to I-15s, I-16s, British biplanes, etc. the Italian biplanes were real menaces.

[@bigblue6917]

@@spingebill8551 Nothing I would disagree with you about there. And I will admit a soft spot for these aircraft and that my yesterdays men comment was a bit harsh. Of course the British had the Gloster Gladiator. And more that one pilot became an ace flying them, to the chagrin of a few monoplane fighter pilots. It is ironic that in 1942 the days of the biplanes replacement as a front line fighter, the piston engined monoplane, were themselves about to come to an end with the first jet aircraft. And, in the case of Britain, by Gloster. The went straight from biplane to jet plane.

[@triumphbobberbiker]

Rex, any chance you will be covering the Macchi WW2 fighters as well - MC.200s to the MC.205s? Keep up the excellent work.

[@tombogan03884]

2:00 The 7. 7 caliber Breda was a piece of junk , the larger caliber however was an excellent gun, used by the British in many WW II armored vehicles.

[@josega6338]

It was called 'Chirri' by the Spanish Nationalists, from the Italian pronounciation of CR. A Biplane is a Biplane, WW I machines.

[@martijn9568]

Great video. But Rex, why are you using War Thunder footage with a black and white filter put over it? Isn't actual archival footage sad enough that it is in black and white, rather than colour?

[@Simon_Nonymous]

I wonder if War Thunder could be tempted to work backwards from the current stable of biplanes to create a full Spanish Civil war plane set - I don't think there are many missing - and maybe even wind all the way back through interwar planes to the Great War, even if they would have to create a new category, like they did between coastal and bluewater fleets?

[@adrianramos9644]

That's my biggest wish but it won't happen, Gaijin (war thunder developers) are only centered on top tier jets at the moment and probably won't look back. But I hope they do someday

[@isthatrubble]

will the cr42 video still come eventually? or have you not been able to find enough material to make a proper video on it?

[@jehoiakimelidoronila5450]

Didn't realize that some "black and white" reels are actually from war thunder

[@DIREWOLFx75]

The Soviet report sounds fishy, like not the same plane at all. Could it be that they actually captured a Cr.30 or something, or maybe got a plane that was crippled someway? My experience is that when those kind of reports, which generally tend to be quite honest and realistic, regardless who does them, are this off, there's nearly always some sort of reason for it. Especially the need for good pilots to manage even basic aerobatics sounds nothing like the plane in Italian or Spanish service. And if they got completely different results when testing it against I-15s, compared to those planes meeting up in real fights, yeah that just doesn't work out. The Soviet system was crooked in many ways, but tests like these tended to be done meticulously and rigidly. So, my bet is that they got a crippled plane. One with damage that only someone trained on the aircraft is going to realise.

[@stevetournay6103]

I remember reading a translation of a wartime Soviet pilot's reminiscence about Spitfires; he'd said he much preferred the I-16, because it was more demanding than the Spitfire which he called "nothing special"...point being the Soviets preferred their own equipment, whether or not it was better, or indeed whether they actually did privately prefer it. (Stalin was in charge, after all, totally, and tended to rule, pardon the expression, by "fiat"!)

[@gerardlabelle9626]

I think that pro-Soviet bias was common. I once read a encyclopedia of Soviet WW2 aircraft, which included Soviet evaluations of Lend-Lease planes. Each report sniffily concluded that the Western aircraft in question was clearly inferior to its Soviet counterparts. A report would cherry-pick comparisons: * the US P-xx has a top speed inferior to the Soviet AbC-4 * the P-xx’s rate-of-climb is inferior to the Def-6 * the P-xx’s range is inferior to the GHi-2 * the P-xx is not up to Soviet standards * We are doing the capitalist running dogs a favor by accepting this (free) trash Meanwhile, out at the front, Soviet air and ground crews might be quite satisfied with the P-xx. Reliable, easily serviceable, rugged, and fit for purpose.

[@DIREWOLFx75]

@@stevetournay6103 "the Soviets preferred their own equipment" SOME did. But that wasn't a thing everywhere. Lots of Soviet pilots preferred the Bell P-39 both above domestic stuff AND other imported, including planes that were clearly superior as we know it. Yet when you look at their reasons, they're usually perfectly valid. And testpilots were not known for biased statements. "about Spitfires; he'd said he much preferred the I-16" And if you compare those, you can easily find the reasoning behind it. Radial engine, so more likely to handle battle damage well. Also, while the Merlin is a great engine, it's MUCH more maintenance-demanding than the M-63. Same is true for comparing the rest of the aircraft as well. It's almost as fast as a Hurricane and VERY maneuverable. If you're a pilot relying on the aircraft's agility, it's easy to see why he might prefer I-16, despite being clearly overall inferior to the Spitfire. And you get a like just for your puntastic perfection.

[@martijn9568]

​@DIREWOLFx75 Then there's also the whole manufacturing consistency of Soviet aircraft, or rather the lack there of. While

[@dougshiner9180]

There is also a chance, that if you wished to stay alive under Stalin, a pro-Soviet bias could be a lifesaver......

[@shannonwittman950]

Another great and informative video! Please know your labors and efforts are much appreciated by many thousands around the world.

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

Great video, Rex. This reminded me of an acquaintance's father. He flew Cr.20s, 30s and 32s in three different wars. The Great Chaco War on the Paraguayan side, the SPW as part of the Aviazione Legionaria and then on East Africa until 1941. He was credited with claiming a Vickers Wellesley while flying the 32. A few things to point out.Of the aerial circus shown starting with the Letov S-328 and finishing with the Avia B.534, Republican Spain never had any of those for the duration of the war. On the Soviet testing of the Cr.32 and it being difficult to fly, the same thing about it needing a skilled pilot happened when the I-16 was introduced "en masse" to the VVS. A hasty training program had to be put up to stop pilots offing themselves on it. The Italian School went the other way and the training of pilots was thorough on airplane characteristics, formation flying and aerobatic excercises. Albeit a bit on the antiquated side, it provided some excellent cadres to the Regia Aeronautica , the Paraguayan Air Service and the Hungarians. That is why they had such a rotund success until more modern aircraft showed up. This is almost mirrored with the Nomohan Incident and the difference between VVS and IJA pilots. You may need a video to rescue the much maligned Breda SAFAT 12,7mm. It wasn't a bad gun at all and mostly hampered - like most western cal.50s of the time - by a syncro gear which wasn't up to the task. And yes, people, the early P-40s had the same hideous rate of fire, some 450 rpm. Nice to see one of my favourite biplanes of the inter-War period covered. Cheers.

[@juliancate7089]

The Breda SAFAT 12.7mm MG has to be one of the worst aerial guns of WW2. It's flaws were numerous. Firstly, it was chambered in the anemic Vickers 12.7mm x 81mm cartridge, it had a relatively short barrel which further hampered it's ballistic performance resulting in a muzzle velocity of a mere 765 m/s , and it was ludicrously heavy - at 64 lbs. - for a gun that fired a medium power round and having a short barrel of 31 inches. By contrast, the aerial version of the Browning M2 weighed 2 pounds less at 62 pounds, had a longer barrel of 35 inches, and fired the ass-whipping 12.7mm x 99mm full-power cartridge, yielding a muzzle velocity of 890 m/s. It falls even further behind when comparing it to the Berezin UB 12.7mm or the German MG-131.

[@Cuccos19]

True, and even late war Italian fighters got this crappy MG beside the great German MG151 20mm cannon, like Fiat G.55, Macchi C.205, Reggiane Re.2005. Beside the MG151 the 12,7mm Breda was only dead weight. Midwar fighters like C.202 and Re.2001 has all Breda-SAFAT mixed armament of 12,7mm and 7,7mm ones... toothless predators.

[@juliancate7089]

@@Cuccos19 Yeah, and I forgot to mention the shtty rate of fire.

[@Cuccos19]

@@juliancate7089 Yeah, one of the worst. Also strangely, but Japanese Ho-103 was a similar design (both Breda-SAFAT and Ho-103 based on the Browning M2) and had the same ammunition. Cowling MGs of Japanese fighters also had a slow rate of fire although the Ho-103 was a much capable (and lighter) gun than the Breda-SAFAT.

[@wbertie2604]

@@Cuccos19 the Ho-103 was based on the M2 50 cal (to distinguish it from the ANM2 30), but the SAFAT was based on the M1919 30 cal

[@Cuccos19]

@@wbertie2604 I didn't know much about the two Brownings differences, I thought they are quite identical, just the .50cal is scaled up.

[@yes_head]

Good job, mate. What's crazy to me about the CR.32 (and CR.42) was how long the Italians demanded it stay in service, actually turning down chances to replace them with better monoplanes. I attribute this to the Italian penchant for macho heroics over practical warfighting. "What do you mean an enclosed cockpit? How can I show off my fabulous new silk scarf?" 😉

[@JTA1961]

Well said...moving on to better isn't easy for some, even when it's staring you in the face

[@JohnnyRocker2162]

I think you have a very good point on Italian pilots. Their army brothers gave up en mass in North Africa, so the macho mentality was pilots and divers riding torpedoes.

[@triumphbobberbiker]

You've been watching too many Hollywood mob movies

[@lolloblue9646]

They didn't like the monoplanes proposed to them mostly due to the fact the CR.32 and 42 had incredible maneuverability while some of the early monoplanes such as the Breda Ba.27 were less agile.

[@carlnewman7096]

Another great video, keep up the top work feller, & many thanks from pommy land.😎👍🏻

[@roelantverhoeven371]

easely the most menacing looking biplane ever...

[@raypurchase801]

Interesting to read the biography of the South African air ace, Pat Pattle, who took on and defeated these biplanes in his RAF Gladiator.

[@MD-qm6gy]

Great video. Really looking forward to the Cr.42 episode! That thing was sweet looking.

[@johnforsyth7987]

Thank you for a very informative video. Looking forward to your video on the Cr. 42 Falco.

[@bambukouk]

interestingly at 14:05 what looks like PZL P-11

[@ouroboris]

"the aerial equivalent of seal-clubbing" 😝I've got to figure out how to work this into a conversation.

[@messerschmitt7240]

Cr 42 is my all time favourite Fiat aircraft and it's one of the fastest biplanes of all time too.

[@johnw4659]

A beautiful design

[@guidor.4161]

Lovely video. I really like this aircraft and hope a 1:32 scale model is released in future...

[@pavelavietor1]

great presentation thanks 🎉

[@msytdc1577]

1:58 okay, but why the little propeller above the engine? At 5:39 it's gone, with the pod being only a fuel tank. Half the photos and the 3D model has the propeller so it clearly served some purpose...

[@kitronkid]

Fuel pump or dynamo my guess.

[@msytdc1577]

@@kitronkid Well I thought maybe electrical, but there was no radio installed in this model per the video, and presumably it would only working while in forward motion while flying, so that's not much good for use by the engine. I doubt the plane had or needed hydraulic controls of any sort at the speeds it flew at, and it has fixed landing gear, so I doubt it'd be that. I mean maybe it could be a fuel pump but what benefit would there be to route the fuel all the way up there and then back to the engine when you could simply use a vacuum or mechanical pump attached to the engine where the fuel needs to end up anyway, and again same issue with when it would be usable, so at most it could be supplemental, not suitable for the engine at idle.

[@randomlyentertaining8287]

Salty Soviet reports are the best reports 😂

[@worrierqueen5695]

I hate to be a pain but according to the Aircraft overview playlist, the 90th video is "It Rewrote The Book On Bomber Design | Martin B-10 [Aircraft Overview #43]?" making following the site's direction difficult.

[@06colkurtz]

Great vid. Well done sir.

[@frankisimpa1920]

Great video. Only a correction: no French volunteers flew the Hawker Fury (with Hispano engines), only Spaniard pilots, and Lieutenant Monico was downed by Garcia LaCalle, who would be an Ace on the Republican side and would rise to the range of Commander and chief of all republican fighters.

[@janlindtner305]

Always a pleasure to open up your features!

[@jackdale9831]

A Daimler-Benz DB 601/603 was put in a CR-42 Falco, normally configured with a Radial engine. The so modded CR-42/Db engine, made it the "fastest-Biplane" of the war @ 250+mph in level flight, although only one was converted. Was a DB 603 ever used on a CR-32? Do you know if the "Blue Division" of Spanish Volunteers, ever had a "ground-attack 'Wing' " of HA--32s/Cr-42s, or did they depend solely on the Luftwaffe as their "Air Force?" A DB-603 would have doubled,--almost tripled the HP of the Fiat engine, and would've Extended its use as a night-fighter/ground-attacker, because it would've flown as fast as the Ju-87, but would have been more nimble. It could carry more Weight of bombs, if the fusilage construction was "UP to it" Of course, one wouldn't DIVE a Bip-fighter, as one would a Stuka, unless you were trying to blow-out a fire

[@caseysmith544]

The Fiat company made some of the best looking biplanes ever made.

[@JTA1961]

"Planely" not the same guy designed their cars then...