Fiat G.12

The Fiat G.12 was an Italian transport aircraft of World War II.

Fiat G.12
Fiat G.12
Role Civil airliner & military transport
Manufacturer Fiat
Designer Giuseppe Gabrielli
First flight 15 October 1940
Introduction 1941
Retired 1956[1]
Primary users Regia Aeronautica
Luftwaffe
Royal Hungarian Air Force
Produced 1941-1944
Number built 104[2]

Design and development

The G.12 was an all-metal low-wing cantilever personnel transport aircraft. It had three radial engines, one mounted on the nose and the other two in wing-mounted nacelles. The engines drove three-blade feathering metal propellers. The mainwheels of its landing gear retracted into the nacelles; the tailwheel was fixed. The flight deck and cabin were fully enclosed. Access was via a portside access door aft of the wing.

The G.12 was designed as a civil aircraft, but served mainly in military roles during the war. Only a limited number were built, some as late as 1944, after the Italian armistice. The G.12 inspired the postwar G.212 "Flying Classroom", the last Italian three-engine transporter. It had a crew of four.


Variants
G.12C
14-passenger transport aircraft, powered by three 574 kW (770 hp) Fiat A.74 R.C.42 radial engines.
G.12 Gondar
Long-range cargo transport aircraft.
G.12GA
Long-range transport aircraft, fitted with extra fuel tanks. Three built.
G.12RT
Special long-range version, built to fly between Rome and Tokyo. One built.
G.12RTbis
One built.
G.12T
Troop and cargo transport aircraft.
G.12CA
18-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 radial engines.
G.12L
22-passenger commercial airliner.
G.12LA
22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 radial engines.
G.12LB
22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three 604 kW (810 hp) Bristol Pegasus 48 radial engines.
G.12LP
22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three 793 kW (1,065 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3-G Twin Wasp radial engines.

Operators

Military operators
 Germany
 Hungary
  • Royal Hungarian Air Force operated 12 aircraft
 Kingdom of Italy
 Italy

Civil operators
 Kingdom of Italy
 Italy

Specifications

Data from World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft [5]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 4
  • Capacity: 14 troops or 24 civilians
  • Length: 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in)
  • Wingspan: 28.6 m (93 ft 10 in)
  • Height: 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
  • Wing area: 113 m2 (1,220 sq ft) [6]
  • Empty weight: 9,420 kg (20,768 lb) [6]
  • Gross weight: 15,000 kg (33,069 lb)
  • Powerplant: 3 × Fiat A.74 R.C.42 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 574 kW (770 hp) each
  • Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 390 km/h (240 mph, 210 kn) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)
  • Cruise speed: 303 km/h (188 mph, 164 kn) [6]
  • Range: 2,300 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,900 ft)

Armament

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References
  1. aeroflight
  2. Fiat G.12
  3. Stroud 1966, p. 417.
  4. Stroud 1966, p. 418.
  5. Angelucci 1981, p.349.
  6. Stroud 1994, p.68.
  • Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London:Jane's Publishing, 1981. ISBN 0-7106-0148-4.
  • Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, London, 1987.
  • Stroud, John. European Transport Aircraft since 1910. London: Putnam, 1966.
  • Stroud, John. "Post War Propliners : Fiat G.12 and G.212". Aeroplane Monthly. Volume 23 No. 1, January 1994. London: IPC. Page 64-68.
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