The Fiat G.55 'Centauro' was an Italian fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the firm Fiat. Used by the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force), it was one of the fastest and maneuverable fighters of World War II, faster than the British Hawker Hurricane and the Spitfire. Its first test flight took place on April 30, 1942, and it was introduced in early 1943. It first saw combat action on June 5, 1943, in the skies over Sardinia as it also carried out sorties in the Mediterranean and Italy. By the end of this armed conflict, 285 Centauro aircraft had been produced.
Combat and Technical Characteristics
High-altitude maneuverability and heavy-armament were the combat characteristics of the Fiat G.55 as it was used both as a day and night fighter and interceptor, intercepting American B-17 bombers. It was a single-seat monoplane, which was fitted with straight, low wings. It had a streamlined, all-metal fuselage, which made it resemble the German Messerschmitt Bf 109. It was powered by a 1,475 HP, Daimler-Benz DB-G05A radial engine, which was manufactured by Fiat under license.
Armament
The G.55 Series I was fitted with three 20-mm Mauser MG 151 guns, with one being mounted on the engine and two on the wings; it was also equipped with 12.7-mm machine guns and it could carry up to two 160-kg bombs for ground-attack missions.
Specifications
Wingspan: 11.85 m
Length: 9.37 m
Height: 3.13 m
Wing area: 21.11 m²
Maximum speed: 620 km/h
Range: 1,650 km
Crew: one
Below, the Fiat G.55 flying a combat mission over Southern Italy in late 1943
The Centauro parked in an air base in 1944
Below, drawing of the G.55 prototype front profile
