BR. 20 Cicogna
A Fiat BR. 20 on the ground just prior to Italy's declaration of war in 1940.
Type	Bomber
Manufacturer	Fiat
Designed by	Celestino Rosatelli
Maiden flight	10 February 1936
Introduced	1936
Retired	1945
Primary users	Regia Aeronautica Japan Spain
Number built	530-600

The Fiat BR. A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts Fiat SpA (an Acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Automobile Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer Celestino Rosatelli ( Belmonte in Sabina, April 8, 1885 - Turin, September 23, 1945) was an Italian aeronautics engineer The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Royal Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica) was the name of the Italian Air Force established as an independent service from 1923 until the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Spanish State ( Estado Español) was the formal name given to Spain from 1939 to 1978 by the régime of Francisco Franco 20 Cicogna (Italian: "stork") was a twin-engined bomber of the Italian Regia Aeronautica which saw service in the Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Storks are large long-legged long-necked wading Birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. A bomber is a Military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets primarily by dropping Bombs on them Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Royal Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica) was the name of the Italian Air Force established as an independent service from 1923 until the The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Although the BR. 20 was Italy's standard medium bomber in the mid-1930s and had proven effective in the Spanish Civil War, it was already obsolescent by the time Italy entered the war. The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of

Contents 1 Design and development 1.1 Technical description 1.2 Armament 1.3 Cicogna vs. Sparviero 2 Operational history 2.1 Spain 2.2 Japan 2.3 World War II 3 Final developments 4 Variants 5 Operators 6 Specifications (Fiat Br.20M) 7 References 7.1 Notes 7.2 Bibliography 8 External links 9 See also

Design and development

In 1934, Regia Aeronautica requested Italian aviation manufacturers to submit proposals for a new medium bomber; the specifications called for speeds of 330 km/h (205 mph) at 4,500 m (15,000 ft) and 385 km/h (239 mph) at 5,000 m (16,500 ft), a 1,000 km (620 mi) range and 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) bombload. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Although Piaggio, Macchi, Breda, Caproni and Fiat offered aircraft that mainly exceeded the speed requirements (but not range), not all exhibited satisfactory flight characteristics or reliability. Piaggio Aero Industries is an Aircraft manufacturing company born from the former Rinaldo Piaggio SPA, an Italian company Alenia Aermacchi is a leading company in the design and production of trainers for military pilots Società Italiana Ernesto Breda, more usually referred to simply as Breda was an Italian mechanical manufacturing company founded by Ernesto Breda in Milan in 1886 Caproni was an Italian Aircraft manufacturer started in 1908 by Gianni Caproni. Fiat SpA (an Acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino (Italian Automobile Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer Accepted among the successful proposals, together with the tri-motor Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 and Cant Z.1007, was the BR. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 20 Cicogna designed by Celestino Rosatelli, thus gaining the prefix BR, (for "Bombardiere Rosatelli"). ^[1]

The BR. 20 was designed and developed quickly, with the design being finalised in 1935 and the first prototype (serial number M. M. 274) flown at Turin on 10 February 1936. Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[2] Production orders were quickly placed, initial deliveries being made to the Regia Aeronautica in September 1936.

Technical description

The BR. 20 was a twin-engined low-wing monoplane, with a twin tail and a nose separated into cockpit and navigator stations. For Félix du Temple 's invention see ''Monoplane'' (1874 Types of monoplane The main distinction in types of monoplane is A tailplane, also known as horizontal stabilizer, is a small lifting surface located behind the main lifting surfaces of a Fixed-wing aircraft Its robust main structure was of mixed-construction; with a slab-sided fuselage of welded steel tube structure having duralumin skinning of the forward and centre fuselage, and fabric covering the rear fuselage. Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium or dural) is the trade name of one of the earliest types of age-hardenable Aluminium alloys The 74 m² (796 ft²) metal-skinned wings had two spars and 50 ribs (also made of duralumin), with fabric-covered control surfaces. ^[2] The hydraulically actuated main undercarriage elements retracted into the engine's nacelles, and carried 106 x 375 x 406 mm wheels. The takeoff and landing distances were quite short due to the low wingloading, while the thickness of the wing did not compromise the aircraft's speed. The twin tail allowed a good field of fire from the dorsal gun turret. ^[1]

The engines were two Fiat A.80 RC 41s, rated at 1,000 cv at 4,100 m (13,500 ft), driving three-bladed Fiat-Hamilton metal variable pitch propellers. The Fiat A80 was a 18-cylinder twin-row air-cooled radial aircraft engine produced during World War II. A propeller is essentially a type of fan which transmits power by converting Rotational motion into Thrust for propulsion of a vehicle such as an ^[1] Six self-sealing fuel tanks in the centre fuselage and inner wings held 3,622 litres of fuel, with two oil tanks holding 107 kg. The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume. This gave the fully loaded bomber, (carrying a 3,600 kg (7,900 lb) payload) an endurance of 5. 5 hours at 350 km/h (217 mph), and 5,000 m (16,400 ft) altitude. Takeoff and landing distances were 350 and 380 m respectively. The theoretical ceiling was 7,600 m.

Crewed by four or five, the BR. 20's two pilots sat side-by-side with the engineer/radio operator/gunner behind. The radio operator's equipment included a R. A. 350-I radio-transmitter, A. R. 5 receiver and P. 3N radio compass. A radio direction finder ( RDF) is a device for finding the direction to a Radio source ^[3] The navigator/bomb-aimer had a station in the nose equipped with bombsights and a vertical camera. A bombardier ( French for " bomberman " in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force, or a bomb aimer Another two or three crewmembers occupied the nose and the mid- fuselage, as radio-operator, navigator and gunners. The radio operator was also the ventral gunner while the last crew member was the dorsal gunner. ^[1]

Armament

The aircraft was fitted with a Breda model H nose turret carrying a single 7. Breda Meccanica Bresciana, widely known simply as Breda is a large Italian manufacturer of small arms and ammunition located in Brescia. 7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, and was initially fitted with a Breda DR dorsal turret carrying one or two 7. Breda-SAFAT was a series of Machine guns used on Italian aircraft during World War II. 7 mm machine guns. This turret was unusual because it was semi-retractable: the gunner's view was from a small cupola, and in case of danger, he could extend the turret. This was later replaced by a Fiat M. I turret carrying a 12. 7 mm Breda, then by a Caproni-Lanciani Delta turret mounting a 12. 7 mm Scotti machine gun (although this was unreliable), and finally by a more streamlined Breda R, armed with a 12. 7 mm Breda; this was a much better system that did not need to be retracted because of the lower induced drag. The aircraft was fitted with a further 7. 7 mm machine gun in a ventral clamshell hatch that could be opened when required. The original defensive armament weighed 220 kg (484 lb). ^[1]

The BR. 20's payload was carried entirely in the bomb bay in the following possible combinations: 2 x 800 kg bombs as maximum load, 2 x 500 kg, 4 x 250, 4 x 160, 12 x 100, 12 x 50, 12 x 20, or 12 x 15 kg bombs. Combinations of different types were also possible, including 1 x 800 and 6 x 100 kg, 1 x 800 and 6 x 15/20 kg, or 2 x 250 and 6 x 50 or 100 kg bombs. The BR. 20 could also carry four dispensers, armed with up to 720 x 1 or 2 kg HE or incendiary bomblets. All the bombs were loaded and released horizontally, improving the accuracy of the launch. No torpedoes were used.

By the time Italy had entered World War II, a new variant, the BR. 20M, had been produced and put in service. The BR. 20M had a different nose with added glazed sections for the bombardier and a slightly longer fuselage. Bombardier is a rank used in Artillery units in the armies of Commonwealth countries instead of Corporal. Also the weight was increased because part of the fabric was substituted with metal, improving the resistance to flutter while reducing speed from 430 to 410 km/h (267 to 255 mph). ^[1]

Cicogna vs. Sparviero

Despite the BR. 20 being the winner of the 1934 new bomber competition, the Savoia Marchetti SM. 79, a non-competitor which was developed at practically the same time, gained a reputation that overshadowed the Cicogna, partly because of its performance in air-racing. The performance differences between the two aircraft were minimal: both were rated at about 430 km/h, with maximum and typical payloads of 1,600 kg and 1,250 kg respectively for a range of 800–1,000 km. Both also had three–four machine guns as defence weapons, but almost totally lacked protective armour. ^[1]

The reasons for the Sparviero's success lay in its flying characteristics. The Sparviero was a more difficult aircraft to fly with a heavier wingload, but overall its three engines gave more power than the two of the BR. 20. The Sparviero, weighing around the same, had a reserve of power and was capable of performing acrobatic manoeuvers, even rolls. Its engines were more reliable than those of the BR. 20 and had enough power to return to base even with one shut down. The Sparviero's superior agility enabled it to perform as a torpedo-bomber, while the Cicogna was never considered for that role. ^[1] Over 1,200 Sparvieros were built, at least twice as many as the Cicogna.

Operational history

Shortly after entering service with the Regia Aeronautica the aircraft became central to the propaganda campaign lauding Italian engineering. Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behaviors of large numbers of people In 1937 two stripped-down BR. 20s (designated BR. 20A) were built for entry into the prestigious Istres–Damascus air race gaining sixth and seventh place when S. Istres is a commune in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Air racing is a Sport that involves small aircraft. History The first event in air racing history was held in 1909 the Grand Week of the Champagne M. 79s scored the first place, leaving the Fiats far behind. They had a rounded nose similar to civil aircraft, and had all military hardware, such as defensive turrets, removed. The internal fuel capacity was increased to 7,700 litres, bringing the maximum range to 6,200 km. ^[1] In 1939 a modified long-range BR. 20 version (designated BR. 20L) named Santo Francesco under the command of Maner Lualdi made a highly publicised nonstop flight from Rome to Addis Ababa at an average speed of 390 km/h (242 mph). Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Addis Ababa (sometimes spelled Addis Abeba, the spelling used by the official Ethiopian Mapping Authority Amharic ^[4][5] It carried 5,000 litres of fuel, increasing the range from 3,000 to 4,500 km.

The main task of the BR. 20 was medium-range bombing. It had many features that were very advanced for its time: with a maximum speed of over 400 km/h and a high cruise speed of 320 km/h, it was as fast as aircraft like the Tupolev SB light bombers. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The range and payload were also very good.

Spain

Italy deployed six BR. 20s to Spain in June 1937 for use by the Aviazione Legionaria to fight in support of Franco's Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War,^[6] with a further seven aircraft sent to Spain in July 1938. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Aviazione Legionaria ("Legionary Air Force" was a unit sent by the Italian Regia Aeronautica ("Royal Air Force" in support of Franco's Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of ^[4] They took part in bombing raids over Teruel and at the Battle of the Ebro, proving to be sturdy and accurate bombers. Teruel is a city in Aragon, Spain, the capital of Teruel Province. The Battle of the Ebro ( Spanish: Batalla del Ebro, Catalan: Batalla de l'Ebre) was the last great Republican offensive in the The BR. 20s were fast enough to generally avoid interception from the Republican Polikarpov I-16s and I-15s. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Losses were very low; nine of the 13 BR. 20s sent to Spain survived to the end of the war when they were handed over to the Spanish State to serve with the Ejército del Aire (EdA). The Spanish State ( Estado Español) was the formal name given to Spain from 1939 to 1978 by the régime of Francisco Franco The Spanish Air Force ( Spanish: Ejército del Aire; literally "Army of the Air" is the Air force of Spain.

While the Cigognas were successful, just 13 examples were sent to Spain compared to at least 99 SM. 79s, which meant that the Sparviero was almost the Italian standard bomber, especially on day missions. ^[1]

Japan

In July 1937, when Japan entered into full scale war with China (the Second Sino-Japanese War), the Japanese Army Air Force found itself short of modern long-range bombers pending delivery of the Mitsubishi Ki-21, which was undergoing prototype trials, and so required an interim purchase of aircraft from abroad. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the The (IJAAF was the land-based Aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Italy was willing to give priority to any Japanese orders over its own requirements, and offered the Caproni Ca.135 and the BR. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 20. While the Caproni could not meet the Japanese requirements, the BR. 20 closely matched the specification, and so an initial order was placed in late 1937 for 72 Br. 20s, soon followed by an order for a further 10 aircraft. ^[7]

Deliveries to Manchuria commenced in February 1938, with the Br. Manchuria ( Romanized Manchu: Manju,, Маньчжурия Mongolian: Манж is a historical name given to a vast geographic region in northeast 20 (designated the I-Type (Yi-shiki)) replacing the obsolete Mitsubishi Ki-1, equipping two Air Wings (the 12th and 20th Sentai), which were heavily deployed on long-range bombing missions against Chinese cities and supply centres during the winter of 1938–39. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The BR. 20s were operating with no fighter cover at the extremes of their range and consequently incurred heavy losses from Chinese fighters, as did the early Ki-21s that shared the long-range bombing tasks. ^[7]

The fabric-covered surfaces were viewed as vulnerable, even if the main structure of this aircraft was noticeably robust. The aircraft had unsatisfactory range and defensive armament, but the first Ki-21s that entered service were not much better, except for their all-metal construction and the potential for further development when better engines became available (both types initially used two 1000 hp engines).

The 12th Sentai was redeployed to the Mongolian-Manchurian border to fight in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, but when this war ended, in September 1939, the BR. Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East The Battle of Khalkhyn Gol (бои на реке Халхин-Гол Халхын голын байлдаан Japanese ノモンハン事件 Nomonhan jiken --i 20s were progressively withdrawn and replaced by the Ki-21. ^[7] Despite having been phased out from operational service, the BR. 20 was allocated the Allied code name "Ruth". ^[8]

World War II

Following Nazi Germany's invasion of France in April 1940, and with German forces pushing deep into France, Italy declared war on France and the United Kingdom on 10 June 1940. In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At this time, only four wings operated BR. 20s compared to the 14 wings equipped with SM. 79s, with 172 Cicognas being in service with the Regia Aeronautica including those not yet delivered to operational squadrons. ^[9] The units equipped with the Cicogna were the 7°, 13°, 18° and 43° Stormo (Wing), all based in Northern Italy. The aircraft fought in the brief campaign against France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

On the night of 12 June, eight bombers attacked Toulon dockyard, while the next day attacks were made against Hyères and Fayence airfields. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large Toulon-Hyères Airport (Aéroport de Toulon - Hyères, also known as Hyères Le Palyvestre Airport, is an Airport near Toulon, 3 km southeast Fayence is a commune of the Var département, in southeastern France. On June 15, two BR. 20s were shot down by Dewoitine D.520s, the French air defences in the south having not been defeated by the German attack in the north. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Small scale air raids continued until the French surrender, with many BR. The Second Armistice at Compiègne was signed at 1850 on 22 June 1940 near Compiègne, in the department of Oise, between Nazi Germany 20s also used in support for the Army, and as reconnaissance aircraft. ^[9][1]

Later they were used against Great Britain, serving with the Corpo Aereo Italiano, based in Belgium during the Battle of Britain. The " Italian Air Corps " ( Corpo Aereo Italiano, or CAI) was an Italian expeditionary force that participated in the Battle of Britain during the The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The Battle of Britain (German ''Luftschlacht um England'' is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the German Luftwaffe during the summer and The 13° and 50° Stormo formed the major bombing strength of the Corpo Aereo Italiano. They were fully equipped with BR. 20Ms, but this did not prevent one disaster after the other. The ferry journey from Italy to their bases in Belgium ended with five bombers crashing, and a further 12 being forced to land en-route due to poor visibility. The first mission, a night attack of 16 aircraft on Harwich, lead to three bombers being lost, with one crashing on takeoff and two becoming lost on their return, failing to find their airfield and their crews bailing out. Harwich (ˈhærɪdʒ is a town in Essex England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea Takeoff is the phase of Flight in which an Aircraft goes through a transition from moving along the ground ( Taxiing) to flying in the air usually In a famous battle on 11 November, a formation of 10 BR. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare 20s, escorted by Fiat CR.42 biplane fighters on a daylight raid on Harwich, was intercepted by RAF Hurricanes. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout A biplane is a Fixed-wing aircraft with two main Wings The first powered heavier-than-air Aircraft, the Wright brothers' Wright Flyer WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Despite the escort, three bombers were downed (together with three CR. 42s) and four damaged, with no loss to the Hurricanes. ^[9] Winston Churchill commented on this raid, which occurred on the same day as the Fleet Air Arm's attack on Taranto: "They might have found better employment defending their Fleet at Taranto. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships The naval Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11 November 1940 &ndash 12 November 1940 during World War II "^[10]

The Italians did not attempt further day missions, and re-commenced flying night missions, which also proved ineffective owing to the poor training in night navigation of the Italian crews. The BR. 20-equipped units flew their last mission against Britain on 2 January 1941, and were then withdrawn back to Italy, having lost a quarter of their strength. Events 366 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine River in large numbers invading the Roman Empire. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[11] The Italian contribution to the Battle of Britain was both minimal and a substantial failure. Still, almost 200 modern aircraft were involved, weakening the Regia Aeronautica's presence in the Mediterranean.

During the course of the war, BR. 20s were used in North Africa, Albania, Greece and Malta. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands They were also used extensively in Yugoslavia against Tito's partisans. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans, ( Serbo-Croatian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene: Partizani By 1943, when the Italian armistice was signed, many had been relegated to training, although 81 were with operational units, mostly in the Balkans and Italy; also later serving on the Eastern Front. The Armistice with Italy was an Armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge skills and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign

Italy invaded Greece in October 1940, and deployed increasing numbers of BR. The Greco-Italian War ( Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος Ellēnoїtalikós Pólemos or Πόλεμος 20s in attacks on Greece from bases in Italy and Albania in support of the Italian Army while it was being driven back into Albania. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. They were involved in heavy battles with the Greeks and British, often facing fierce RAF opposition, as happened on 27 February 1941, when four BR. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 20s were lost or heavily damaged. This force was redeployed against Yugoslavia during the more successful German and Italian invasion in April 1941,^[12] using a strong detachment (131 aircraft) in four groups. See also Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian ^[1]

BR. 20s were used against Malta from May 1942, with the 99 and 31 Gruppo carrying out night bombing attacks. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The two gruppi carried out raids against the besieged island almost nightly, but losses were heavy, and these two units were replaced by the 55 and 116 gruppi in October. Attrition remained high, and BR. 20 units continued to be rotated to bases on Sicily to continue the offensive against Malta though 1941 and 1942. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. ^[12][1]

From March 1941, 98 Gruppo was sent to Tripolitania to bomb the British forces, in particular the key port of Tobruk. Tripolitaniajpg|thumb|250px|Tripolitania]] Tripolitania or Tripolitana ( Arabic: طرابلس, Transliterated: Tarābulus) is a historic Tobruk or Tubruq (طبرق also transliterated as Tóbruch, Tobruch, Ţubruq, Tobruck) is a Town, Seaport North Africa was never a primary theatre for the Cicogna, but 13 Wing was sent there to continue the night attacks against the British in July 1941–April 1942, while the last use over Africa was when 55 Gruppo aircraft contested Operation Torch. Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British - American invasion of French North Africa in World War II Several BR. 20s were sent to Russia in August 1942, to perform long-range reconnaissance from Odessa in support of the retreating Italian forces. ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates Other BR. 20s were used to drop food and other material to the Italian Army, often trapped in the Balkans, faced with Yugoslavian resistance. ^[1]

After the first year of war, the limitation of this type were evident. It was highly vulnerable to enemy attacks, as Japanese experience had shown in 1938, and the aircraft was replaced by the Cant Z.1007 and Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 in almost all operational units that had employed the BR. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 20.

While the main front line task remained that of night bombing, especially against Malta, other roles included reconnaissance and the escort of convoys in the Mediterranean. For escort duties, aircraft were fitted with bombs and possibly depth charges, but with no other special equipment. They were used in this role from 1941, with 37° Wing (Lecce), 13° Wing (end of 1942), 116°, 32 Group (Iesi, from 1943), and 98° (based in Libya) from 1941. One of the 55° aircraft was lost in August 1941 against British torpedo-bombers, while between 9 August–11 September 1941 98° escorted 172 ships from Italy to Libya. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In almost all these units, the Cicogna was operated together with other aircraft, such as the Caproni Ca.314. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout This escort task was quite effective, at least psychologically although the Cicogna was hampered by the lack of special equipment and, consequently, no submarines were sunk.

At the time of the September 1943 Armistice between Italy and the Allies, 67 BR. The Armistice with Italy was an Armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between 20s were operational with front line operational units, mainly being used on anti-partisan operations,^[13] although most aircraft had been relegated to the training role. During the final years of the war, some surviving aircraft remained in use as trainers and transports. A small number were used by the RSI after the Armistice, with only one retained by the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, which used it for communications duties. The Italian Social Republic ( Italian: Repubblica Sociale Italiana or RSI) was a Puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force ( Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI) or Air Force of the South ( Aeronautica del Sud ^[13] The last BR. 20 was retired, 7 June 1946 and none survive today. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Final developments

BR. 20 was a good overall design, but it soon became obsolete, and the lack of improved versions condemned it to be only a second line machine, underpowered and lacking in defensive firepower.

The final production variant was the BR. 20bis which was a complete redesign. It had a fully glazed nose, a retractable tail wheel, and more streamlined fuselage, pointed fins, although the main change was increased engine power from two 932kW (1,250hp) Fiat A. The fuselage (from the French fuselé "spindle-shaped" is an Aircraft 's main body section that holds crew and passengers or Cargo 82 RC 42 radial engines and improved and heavier armament. The nose held a simple machine gun position rather than the turret used on earlier aircraft and two waist blisters were fitted over the wing trailing edge while the dorsal turret was a Breda Type V instead of the earlier Caproni Lanciani type. While this was considered to be an improvement over the previous versions, planned production was limited as the Regia Aeronautica had placed large orders for the CRDA CANT Z.1018 Originally 98 were ordered but only 15 BR. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 20bis were built from March to July 1943, with heavy allied bombing of Fiat's Turin factory preventing further production. ^[13] There is no evidence that they were used operationally.

Experimental versions included the BR. 20C, a gunship with a 37 mm cannon in the nose and another aircraft was modified with a tricycle undercarriage. Another was modified to guide radio-commanded unmanned aircraft filled with explosives, but this was never used in combat. ^[1]

Including those sold to Japan, at least 233 standard BR. 20s were made, along with 264–279 BR. 20Ms being built from February 1940.

Variants

BR. 20

Initial production model, 233 built. ^[14]

BR. 20A

De-militarised conversion of two BR. 20s for air racing.

BR. 20L

Long ranged civil version, one built.

BR. 20M

Improved bomber version with lengthened nose, 264 produced. ^[14]

BR. 20C

Single aircraft converted by Agusta fitted with 37 mm cannon in revised nose. Augusta Agusta (now part of AgustaWestland) is an Italian Helicopter manufacturer

BR. 20bis

Major re-design with more powerful engines (two Fiat A. 82 RC. 42 rated at 1,250 hp each), increased dimensions and new, fully glazed nose.

Operators

Italy

• Regia Aeronautica
• Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
• Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana

Japan

• Imperial Japanese Army Air Service

Spanish State

• Ejército del Aire (EdA)

 Venezuela

• A single BR. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Royal Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica) was the name of the Italian Air Force established as an independent service from 1923 until the The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force ( Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI) or Air Force of the South ( Aeronautica del Sud The National Republican Air Force ( Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, or ANR) was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The (IJAAF was the land-based Aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army. The Spanish State ( Estado Español) was the formal name given to Spain from 1939 to 1978 by the régime of Francisco Franco The Spanish Air Force ( Spanish: Ejército del Aire; literally "Army of the Air" is the Air force of Spain. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the 20 was sold to Venezuela. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the ^[14] This was delivered in 1938 and continued in service until 1942 when an engine failure and a lack of spare parts forced its retirement. It was finally scrapped in 1946. ^[15]

Specifications (Fiat Br. 20M)

Data from The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II^[16]

General characteristics

• Crew: 5
• Length: 16. 68 m (54 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 21. The wingspan (or just span) of an airplane or a Bird, is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip 56 m (70 ft 8. 75 in)
• Height: 4. 75 m (15 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 74. 0 m² (796. 5 ft²)
• Empty weight: 6,500 kg (14,330 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,100 kg (22,270 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Fiat A.80 RC. The Maximum Takeoff Weight or Maximum Takeoff Mass of an Aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off The Fiat A80 was a 18-cylinder twin-row air-cooled radial aircraft engine produced during World War II. 41 18-cylinder radial engine, 746 kW (1,000 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 440 km/h (273 mph)
• Cruise speed: 340 km/h (211 mph)
• Range: 2750 km (1,709 miles)
• Service ceiling 8,000 m (26,250 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min (ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
• Power/mass: kW/kg (hp/lb)

Armament

• 3× 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns
• 1600 kg (3,528 lb) of bombs

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• A Spanish Civil War photo showing an early model BR.20
• BR.20 on Avions legendaires, French language
• Warbirds on Fiat BR.20
• Commando Supremo on BR.20
• Br.20 in Spain (Spanish language)

See also

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