Fiat CR.32

     The predecessor of the CR.42 (p. W:GL34), the CR.32 was itself developed as a lighter, more maneuverable refinement of the CR.30.  The plane became very well recognized in the 1930s due to its involvement in the Spanish Civil War, but even more so from aerobatic displays performed by the 4o Stormo in Rome and many foreign cities in Europe and South America in 1936-37.  The success of the CR.32 in Spain led the Italian air ministry to (erroneously) believe that the biplane remained a viable modern combat machine, prompting the development of the CR.42 in the twilight hours of the biplane era.

     The CR.32 saw significant frontline use in the early days of WWII, with some 324 planes still serving in Italian front line units.  It was exported to China in 1933, and saw action against the invading Japanese.  Hungary purchased 76 planes in 1935, and used them against the German puppet regime in 1939.  Austria purchased 45 CR.32bis, which were ultimately absorbed by the Luftwaffe.  Spain inherited a number of planes following the end of the Civil War, and license-built the plane themselves until 1942.

    The CR.32 burns 22.4 gallons per hours at routine usage.  The plane had a historical range of 485 miles.  A full load of fuel and ammo (excluding bombs) costs $59.  A 220-lb. bomb costs $440.

 

Fiat CR.32ter

Subassemblies: Recon Fighter chassis +2; Recon Fighter wings with Biplane option +2; 3 fixed wheels +0.

Powertrain:  447-kW HP gasoline engine with 447-kW prop and 95-gallon standard fuel tank [Body]; 4,000-kW battery.

Occ.:  1 XCS Body

Cargo:  0 Body

 

Armor             F         RL           B           T           U

Body:           2/2C     2/2C       2/2C      2/2C      2/2C

Wings:         2/2C     2/2C       2/2C      2/2C      2/2C

Wheels:         2/3       2/3          2/3         2/3        2/3

 

Weaponry:

2xAircraft LMG/7.7mm Breda-SAFAT [Wings:F] (500 rounds each).

2xMedium Aircraft HMG/12.7mm Breda-SAFAT [Body:F] (450 rounds each).

1x220-lb. bomb or 2x110-lb. bombs [Body:U].

 

Equipment:

Body:  Medium radio transmitter and receiver, autopilot, navigation instruments, 220-lb. hardpoint.

 

Statistics:

Size:  25'x31'x9'     Payload:  0.51 tons       Lwt.:  2.11 tons

Volume:  96           Maint.:  81 hours          Cost:  $6,031

HT:  7.    HPs:  30 Body, 100 each Wing, 2 each Wheel.

aSpeed:  220     aAccel:  6     aDecel:  17   aMR:  4    aSR:  1

Stall Speed: 58 mph.  Take-Off Run: 280 yards.  Landing Run: 336 yards.

gSpeed:  233     gAccel:  12     gDecel:  10   gMR:  0.5    gSR:  2

Ground Pressure: Very High.  1/8 Off-Road Speed.

 

Design Notes:

     Historical wing area was 238 sf.  The design weight was decreased a modest 50 lbs. to the historical.  MG load outs are a guess.  Design payload was 1,238 lbs; the historical value has been substituted.  Design aSpeed was 229 mph.  Performance calculations were based on historical values for wing area and loaded weight.

 

Variants:

     The CR.32 (1933) only featured a single set of 7.7mm machine guns located in the fuselage.  291 supplied to Italy, 76 to Hungary, and 16 to China.

     The CR.32bis (1935) added the MGs to the wings, and increased the body armament to 12.7mm MGs.  283 supplied to Italy and 45 to Austria.

     The CR.32ter (1937) was the aircraft that served in Spain.  103 built, 60 for the Spanish air arm.

     The CR.32quater (1937) was a lighter than the original CR.32.  398 built.  All served for Italy except 27 to Spain, 10 to Venezuela, and 4 to Paraguay.

 

From the Aerodrome for GURPS

© 2008 by Jim Antonicic