The Flying Killer They Thought Was A Joke

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In October 1940, the Battle of Britain was at its peak. The skies roared with the sound of British Spitfires tearing through the air, defending their homeland.
But cutting through the cold Channel winds was a far stranger sight: a biplane.
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was Italy's greatest technological gamble.
Armed with only two machine guns and built for a different era, the Falco brought its undeniable maneuverability to a modern battlefield. Its pilots prepared to face Spitfires and Hurricanes, aircraft twice as fast and armed with eight guns each.
Wood and fabric biplanes darted between streams of tracer fire, their agility defying the expectations of British pilots. Where Spitfires and Hurricanes relied on speed and firepower, the Falcos answered with extraordinary maneuverability. British airmen, anticipating easy victories, instead found themselves challenged by the ingenuity of Italian pilots who used their aircraft's tight turning radius to slip away from charging monoplanes. For the nimble Falcos, speed wasn’t everything…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

[@DarkDocsSkies]

Try InVideo AI for free and use our code DARKSKIES50 to get twice the number of video creation minutes in your first month: invideo.io/i/DarkSkies

[@robinraphael]

A humble request if you do not, Do you have a video of the Italian pilot Baraka? He had the prancing horse on his plane, that was bestowed to Ferrari as their logo by his mother... he went missing, and I would love to see a video about his last mission and what you may think happened or did if you can find the evidence? Thanks for these cool videos 😊

[@mingfanzhang4600]

😅😅😅

[@mingfanzhang8927]

😊

[@nathanchildress5596]

Lightweight, maneuverable, but flimsy and without enough firepower? Sounds like Fiat's cars, I see they have a long legacy of this.

[@lancerevell5979]

The aviation equivalent to "Fix It Again Tony"! 😅

[@BLD426]

😂🤣😅

[@thehark6247]

700 hp is pretty good for the beginning of the war, but not for the end or middle

[@jamesrecknor6752]

1960s Fiat Fiasco 500 joins the chat

[@oxcart4172]

One of them had a Ferrari engine...

[@dimitrihayez6502]

Hi! I'm sorry for my bad english. First, lets mention the CR.42DB fitted with a bf.109's engine wich was amazing but still outdated. One with floats and few two seats versions. And the funny story: my country, Belgium always take too much time to make decisions wich is never a good idea when another country may attack us in the next months. So in the urge to find a new fighter (we was supposed to take Buffalos and Hurricanes but they was'n't available in time), we bought CR.42 to Italy at a too high price. When we got 27 of them, they last just few days against the Bf.109 in the belgian sky. What a waste.

[@davefellhoelter1343]

Your leaders went "Lowest Bidder" and it is the lowest bidder, some things are worth the investment.

[@amalfi460]

Your English is better than most English speaking people

[@andersnilsson7917]

One of the opening scenes actually shows a Swedish Air Force CR42. Look at the markings. We were a bit short on options since all available aircraft had more prioritised customers, and the Americans thought we'd soon fall to the Germans anyway.

[@davefellhoelter1343]

I noticed too, the markings not the model. But? I had a gramps fight the whole thing battle of britain to the end RCAF, RAF, USAAC, and every ally and the french, a fishing campfire budy Glen Whittier Ca, he flew 38's downed 3 times behind lines in the Med and Nord Afrika, battle damaged downed at our lines, back in the fight each time.

[@vjabonador1067]

The Falco, the Gladiator, and the non-fighter Po-2 "Mule" were biplanes that punched waaaaay above their weight class and still managed to prove to be a challenge, if not outright win, against far more advanced monoplanes. Fun fact, the Po-2 is the only biplane ever credited with a documented jet-kill. During the Korean War, the USAF lost a Lockheed F-94 Starfire when it slowed down way too much, below the stall speed of the aircraft, while it was attempting to intercept a Po-2 biplane flying at low altitude.

[@josephhaack5711]

Gladiators performed well in Finland and Malta also . Often able to out turn monoplanes most we’re under armed

[@EugeneMurray-z1b]

Malta's 'Faith', 'Hope' & 'Glory'

[@Joakim-j7h]

The Finnish pilots made due with what they could get, the performed well with planes that other Air forces shunned. Like the Brewster Buffalo.

[@tapiolautavaara9532]

@@Joakim-j7h Our whole air force was a ridiculous mishmash of whatever we could gather with some spare chance, pocket lint and trust-me-bro'IOUs, slightly fortified with any old barely flying contraptions confiscated from random barns with a gun or two bolted on. Aces Broke for sure.

[@Joakim-j7h]

@@tapiolautavaara9532 True, but these brave and skillfull Pilots, and their equally skilled ground crews did actually succed where others failed disspite these facts. Would they have done better with better aircraft, of course!

[@JasonMcCord-qk3yb]

Yes. That was the whole point of biplanes (And to a somewhat lesser extent; Triplanes). All that wing surface and control surface made them maneuverable as hell. The problem was they were still thinking like it was 1916…. Two guns? I’m surprised they didn’t put 10 on them…. But maybe the wing and fuselage structure couldn’t handle that? “What guns, and how many do those British and American fighters have?” “Sir, they have 8 .50 caliber machine guns!” “Ah. I see. We will be fine with just the two…”😂

[@silverjohn6037]

A surprising number of biplanes were still in use and even still in production throughout WW 2. The British Swordfish, Russian PO 2 and even the Germans used the Heinkel HE 2 in limited numbers. Mainly in torpedo and bombing roles though. As fighters...? That was a bit ambitious.

[@aasphaltmueller5178]

Gloster Gladiator anyone ?

[@ioannisdamianos4716]

What about the Gloster Gladiator?

[@aasphaltmueller5178]

@@ioannisdamianos4716 he forgot to mention the british biplane fighter -as a Brit ?

[@crazyquilt]

I know it's a different plane, but it's hard not to be reminded of the criminally underrated Porco Rosso: "Better a pig than a fascist."

[@tapiolautavaara9532]

Undoubtedly on of the Greatest Heroic Aviation films of all time. Touching, funny, poetic and Spectacular. Stuff of Legends.

[@exocet1]

There is a great book on the Italians fighting over Britain called "Chianti Raiders" the Br20 bombers all carried bottles of Chianti, fresh bread and cheese. Once British personnel found out about this they tried to be the first ones to loot the downed planes.

[@dritzzdarkwood4727]

Always count on the Italians to bring a phalanx to an intergalactic naval battle....

[@fredhercmaricaubang1883]

Don't you mean Roman legions?

[@josephhaack5711]

Spits and Hurricanes were not 2x as fast as the falcos

[@hushpuppykl]

The author is comparing using the highest speed ever achieved by the Spit, which is not under battle condition. Prob a totally stripped out, no paint Spit in a dive. 😂

[@silverjohn6037]

Possibly referencing in the dive.

[@OliviaNolanan]

Your videos are always so rewarding and enjoyable. Thank you for your work and talent!🚙🐆👊

[@hctim96]

Bot

[@frostyfrost4094]

There is a Cr42 Falco in the RAF Museum at Hendon comment noted that they were an embarrassment to the Luftwaffe

[@Plab1402]

Italy has a history of making overpowered planes nobody remembers

[@chris_bianchi13]

Italy had low production numbers for sure. Mussolini was not ready for war.

[@Hiddensecret9]

The Battle of Britain wasn't just a clash of technologies but also one of strategy and resources. The CR.42’s two machine guns were no match for the eight .303 Browning machine guns mounted on Spitfires and Hurricanes. Additionally, the wooden and fabric construction of the Falco made it particularly vulnerable to incendiary rounds, which could easily set the aircraft ablaze.

[@Tadrjbs]

Love the aircraft cutaways in your vids.

[@stuartmoulton6426]

I willingly take my hat off to the pilots of those aircraft, the majority of them must have known how vulnerable they were but still flew and fought to the best of their (and their aircrafts) ability.

[@petertyson4022]

That was interesting. Italy did make some record breaking aircrafts before the war. I wonder why they didn't do the same designsas the British did with the spitfire. Who also won and broke records ( Supermarine S. 6B.) as well before the war. 👽👍

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Their. Record breakers had complicated cooling systems in the wings much like the Heinkle

[@BillBuckley-b8j]

The Luftwaffe didn't want Italian help in the Battle of Britian and knew they would be an embarrassment. They had to accept Hitler's orders to let Mussolini have a part of what they thought would be an easy victory.

[@jonathanvince8173]

Wriight brothers was first powered flight not first flight. But the British had the Gladiator before spitfires and Hurricanes. This is so interesting. .

[@Bullitt-5]

Otto Lilienthal ftw

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Not to many balloons and Otto’s wings flying out of major airports are there?

[@nathanchildress5596]

@@sharzadgabbai4408 No Wright Fliers either...they may have had the first powered flight, but a pusher propelled biplane with forward control planes also wasn't the answer.

[@oxcart4172]

One of them is being restored to fly at Duxford in England

[@MrSpikebender]

Falco Falco Fa Fa Fa Fa Falco Falco (RIP)

[@Wideoval73]

Really good video. I've always had a soft for the 42 and the He 123. Really surprised they actually had success against the modern fighters. Thanks again for the video.

[@keithmcwilliams7424]

The armistice was 1943 not 42 Get it right.

[@keithmcwilliams7424]

The italian pilots must have been brave

[@dougg9448]

Should have got the gladiator to fight it.

[@JRMshadow260a]

have you done an episode on the chika?? I'm not sure how it's spelled.. A bi-plane the soviet's had.. My understanding is that they used some at the beginning of WW2, though I could be wrong..

[@troygroomes104]

RAF planes used in battle of Britain Hawker Hurricane Supermarine spitfire Gloster gladiator (yes the raf had biplane fighters on the front line in the battle of Britain)

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Bolton Paul Defiant

[@troygroomes104]

@sharzadgabbai4408 I was only counting single engine, single seater fighters , not a turret fighter

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Bolton Paul Defiant

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Defiant

[@troygroomes104]

@sharzadgabbai4408 that's a single engine multi seat turret fighter (used as a night fighter mostly)

[@josephhaack5711]

Love the topic

[@accadacastkr4912]

good looking plane

[@sandymackay4017]

I didn't know about the Italian bombing over England.

[@Charles-k9g5y]

The axis didn’t work together like the allies

[@j.d.5262]

Now also list all images that have been AI'd into clips.

[@louhodo5761]

The dates arr wrong. You said Italy surrender in 1942.

[@browserrr1]

That InVideo AI looks to be pretty useless. When it is instructed to make a tour in the Mariana Trough and you get a video where you can see the underside of the waves and don't need artificial light to see around the feeling arises that the setting used is at 10 meters depth instead of 10.000+. What more would it f**k up?

[@mingfanzhang4600]

😊

[@mingfanzhang8927]

😊

[@JSFGuy]

Where's the notification?

[@mingfanzhang8927]

😅

[@mingfanzhang4600]

😊

[@AmeliaDestines]

I watch your videos with great pleasure! You are a true master at creating quality content.🧢🐶🎤

[@hctim96]

These bots are all over YT..

[@kengilbert2620]

I like this channel and the subject matter with this is interesting but I have to say this video is horribly out of sync with the commentary. Not well done at all.

[@steenlassen5718]

That clip with Mussolini reminds me of Trump. Or is it the other way round? Nah--... Its the first way!

[@thehark6247]

france has had its ass handed to it every time. , hahahaa.

[@Ostenjager]

This is completely wrong. If you really think this, you should go back and actually look at the military history of France.

[@sharzadgabbai4408]

Look up Rommel’s comment about the Free French in Africa

[@highmileagehusband1915]

France wasn't weak, it was just still in the military mindset of trench warfare of WW1.

[@gtfohLoL]

Stop promoting this AI garbage, its not what your audience wants stop cutting corners

[@EvaDedrickck]

Watching your channel is always an exciting adventure. Continue to lead us into the world of your creativity and inspire us!🌼🔺🚲

[@hctim96]

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