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Fiat G.55

Fiat G.55 Centauro in Regia Aeronautica Service

Fiat G.55 Centauro in Service With The Regia Aeronautica

The Fiat G.55 Centauro was an Italian single-seat, single-engine fighter developed by Fiat Aviazione during World War II and commissioned for operational use by the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) in 1943. It was designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli as part of Italy’s push for a modern, high-performance interceptor capable of countering advanced Allied fighters, and belonged to the so-called “Serie 5” of Italian fighters alongside the Macchi C.205 and Reggiane Re.2005.

Entry into Service and Initial Deployment

  • The G.55 made its operational debut with the Regia Aeronautica in early 1943, entering a small number of frontline units as production commenced.
  • Initial deliveries equipped units such as the 353ª Squadriglia of the 20º Gruppo, 51º Stormo, based at Rome-Ciampino.
  • Before the Armistice of Cassibile (8 September 1943) that ended hostilities between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies, only a limited batch — typically cited as about 35 aircraft including prototypes and early production standards — had been delivered to the Regia Aeronautica.
  • Some of these early aircraft saw protective sorties over Rome and Sardinia, including interceptions against Allied bombers, though the scale of operations remained small due to production constraints and the rapidly deteriorating strategic situation.

Technical and Operational Context

  • The G.55’s performance stemmed from its Fiat-built DB 605A-series engine (designated RA.1050 RC.58 Tifone) and an armament suite of heavy cannon and machine guns, marking a significant performance and firepower advance over earlier Italian types.
  • As a high-altitude interceptor and dogfighter, the Centauro was well regarded by its pilots and, in some evaluations, even by German observers when compared with contemporaneous Axis fighters.

Transition After the Armistice

  • The Armistice effectively ended the Regia Aeronautica’s control over its remaining G.55s. Most aircraft that had entered service or were on the production line were seized by German forces or transferred to the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR) — the Luftwaffe-backed air arm of the Italian Social Republic in northern Italy — where they saw the bulk of their combat action in 1944–45.
  • Only one G.55 from the pre-Armistice batch is reliably recorded as having been flown to Allied-controlled southern Italy to join the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, before later being captured by the RAF.
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492)
The second prototype of the G.55 (MM.492) after suffering undercarriage failure
Fiat G.55 353rd Squadriglia
Fiat G.55 353rd Squadriglia
Fiat G.55
Fiat G.55 353th Squadriglia
Fiat G.55
Fiat G.55 of the 353th Squadriglia
Fiat G.55
Fiat G.55

References

  1. Fiat G.55 Centauro – production details and service history overview. (Wikipedia)
  2. Operational notes on Regia Aeronautica deployment and performance. (gengriz.co.uk)
  3. Pre-Armistice deliveries and unit assignments within Regia Aeronautica. (1000aircraftphotos.com)
  4. Early combat actions and Italian operational use. (Wikipedia)
  5. Technical and production data on G.55 variants. (All Aero)