Fiat CR.32
Italian biplane fighter / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to it being a relatively popular fighter during the 1930s.
CR.32 | |
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CR.32 of Regia Aeronautica in 1939 | |
Role | Fighter |
Manufacturer | Fiat |
Designer | Celestino Rosatelli |
First flight | 28 April 1933 |
Introduction | 1933 |
Retired | 1953, Spanish Air Force[1] |
Status | Retired |
Primary users | Regia Aeronautica Hungarian Air Force Spanish Air Force Chinese Nationalist Air Force |
Produced | c. March 1934 – 1938 |
Number built | 1,052 [2] |
Variants | Fiat CR.42 Falco |
The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in Albania, and in the Mediterranean theatre. It was extensively used in the Spanish Civil War, where it gained a reputation as one of the most outstanding fighter biplanes of all time.[3] It also saw service in the air forces of China, Austria, Hungary, Paraguay and Venezuela. It frequently performed impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Italian Pattuglie Acrobatiche.[4] During the late 1930s, the CR.32 was overtaken by more advanced monoplane designs; by the start of the Second World War, it was considered to be obsolete. While it had been superseded by a number of newer Italian fighters, including the newer Fiat CR.42 Falco which had been derived from the CR.32, the type continued to be flown throughout the conflict.[5]