ITALAEREI 1/72 FIAT BR.20 CICOGNA WW2 ITALIAN AF REGIA AERONAUTICA SPANISH AF

Description: ITALAEREI 1/72 FIAT BR.20 CICOGNA WW2 ITALIAN AF REGIA AERONAUTICA SPANISH AF ITALAEREI 1/72 FIAT BR.20 CICOGNA WW2 ITALIAN AF REGIA AERONAUTICA SPAIN KIT#103 (1972) OPEN BOX UNBUILT PLASTIC MODEL KIT ï¿½ INVENTORIED 100% COMPLETE ï¿½ INCLUDES ORIGINAL DECALS AND INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS PLEASE ASK ME BEFORE BIDDING / PURCHASING ï¿½ I WANT EVERYONE TO BE 100% SATISFIED WITH NO SURPRISES OR MIS-UNDERSTANDINGS IF YOU ARE BUYING MULTIPLE KITS FROM ME AT THE SAME TIME (OR EXPECT TO IN THE NEAR TERM) THEN LET ME KNOW AND I WILL COMBINE ALL INTO A SINGLE SHIPMENT AND ADJUST THE FINAL INVOICE TO REFLECT THE MOST ECONOMICAL SHIPPING METHOD AVAILABLE TO YOUR ADDRESS -------------------------------------------- Additional Information from Internet Encyclopedia The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (Italian: "stork") was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber produced from mid-1930s until the end of World War II by the Turin firm. When it entered service in 1936 it was the first all-metal Italian bomber and it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bomber of the world. It had its baptism of fire in summer 1937, with Aviazione Legionaria, during the Spanish Civil War, when it formed the backbone of Nationalist bombing operations along with the Heinkel He 111. It was then used successfully by Japanese during the Second Sino-Japanese War. When Italy entered war in 1940, the BR.20 was the standard medium bomber of Regia Aeronautica (Italian Air Force) but it was already showing its age. By 1942, it was mostly used for maritime patrol and operational training for bomber crews. More than 500 were produced before the end of the war. The BR.20 was a twin-engine low-wing monoplane, with a twin tail and a nose separated into cockpit and navigator stations. 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. The 74 mï¿½ (796 ftï¿½) metal-skinned wings had two spars and 50 ribs (also made of duralumin), with fabric-covered control surfaces. 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 wing loading, 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. The engines were two Fiat A.80 RC 41s, rated at 1,000 cv at 4,100 m (13,451 ft), driving three-blade Fiat-Hamilton metal variable-pitch propellers. Six self-sealing fuel tanks in the centre fuselage and inner wings held 3,622 Ls ( US gal) of fuel, with two oil tanks holding 112 L (30 US gal). This gave the fully loaded bomber (carrying a 3,600 kg/7,900 lb payload) an endurance of 5ï¿½ hours at 350 km/h (220 mph), and 5,000 m (16,400 ft) altitude. Takeoff and landing distances were 350 m (1,150 ft) and 380 m (1,250 ft) respectively. The theoretical ceiling was 7,600 m (24,930 ft). 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. The navigator/bomb-aimer had a station in the nose equipped with bombsights and a vertical camera. 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. The aircraft was fitted with a Breda model H nose turret carrying a single 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun, and was initially fitted with a Breda DR dorsal turret carrying one or two 7.7 mm (.303 in) 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 (.5 in) Breda, then by a Caproni-Lanciani Delta turret mounting a 12.7 mm (.5 in) Scotti machine gun (although this was unreliable), and finally by a more streamlined Breda R, armed with a 12.7 mm (.5 in) 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 (.303 in) machine gun in a ventral clamshell hatch that could be opened when required. The original defensive armament weighed 220 kg (480 lb). The BR.20's payload was carried entirely in the bomb bay in the following possible combinations: 2 ï¿½ 800 kg (1,760 lb) bombs as maximum load, 2 ï¿½ 500 kg (1,100 lb), 4 ï¿½ 250 kg (550 lb), 4 ï¿½ 160 kg (350 lb), 12 ï¿½ 100 kg (220 lb), 12 ï¿½ 50 kg (110 lb), 12 ï¿½ 20 kg (40 lb), or 12 ï¿½ 15 kg (30 lb) bombs. Combinations of different types were also possible, including 1 ï¿½ 800 kg (1,760 lb) and 6 ï¿½ 100 kg (220 lb), 1 ï¿½ 800 kg (1,760 lb) and 6 ï¿½ 15 or 20 kg (30 or 40 lb), or 2 ï¿½ 250 kg (550 lb) and 6 ï¿½ 50 or 100 kg (110 or 220 lb) bombs. The BR.20 could also carry four dispensers, armed with up to 720 ï¿½ 1 or 2 kg (2 or 4 lb) HE or incendiary bomblets. All the bombs were loaded and released horizontally, improving the accuracy of the launch. No torpedoes were used. Italy deployed six BR.20s to Spain in June 1937 for use by the Aviazione Legionaria to fight in support of Francisco Franco's Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War, with a further seven aircraft sent to Spain in July 1938. They took part in bombing raids over Teruel and at the Battle of the Ebro, proving to be sturdy and accurate bombers. The BR.20s were fast enough to generally avoid interception from the Republican Polikarpov I-16s and I-15s. 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 Ejï¿½rcito del Aire (EdA). 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 "Sally", which was undergoing prototype trials, and so required an interim purchase of aircraft from abroad. Italy was willing to give priority to any Japanese orders over its own requirements, and offered the Caproni Ca.135 and the BR.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. Deliveries to Manchuria commenced in February 1938, with the BR.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 1938ï¿½39. 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. 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. 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. The units equipped with the Cicogna were the 7ï¿½, 13ï¿½, 18ï¿½ and 43ï¿½ Stormo (Wing), all based in Northern Italy. The aircraft of the 7ï¿½, 13ï¿½ and 43ï¿½ Stormo fought in the brief campaign against France. On 10 September 1940, was formed the Corpo Aereo Italiano, with 13ï¿½ and 43ï¿½ Stormi equipped with 80 brand-new BR.20Ms, to fight in the Battle of Britain. On 27 February 1941, 14 Cicogne of 98ï¿½ Gruppo, 43ï¿½ Stormo, that had been in service with Corpo Aereo Italiano in Belgium, led by commander De Wittembeschi, left Italy bound for Tripolitania, in Libya. On 11 March they landed on Castel Benito airfield. Subsequently they were allocated to Bir Dufan base, where they replaced the Savoia-Marchetti SM.81s. The BR.20s were tasked to bomb the British forces, in particular the key port of Tobruk. North Africa was never a primary theatre for the Cicogna, but 13 Stormo (Wing) was sent there to continue the night attacks against the British in July 1941ï¿½April 1942. BR.20s were used in the Malta campaign in 1941, 1942 and 1943. Several BR.20s were sent to the Soviet Union in August 1942, to perform long-range reconnaissance and bombing sortie in support of CSIR, Italian Army on Eastern Front. On 3 August 1941, two BR-20s arrived in Ukraine and were assigned to 38a Squadriglia osservazione aerea (reconnaissance squadron) of 71ï¿½ Gruppo. Three days later they had their baptism of fire, bombing enemy troops at Werch Mamor, along Don river. During the course of the war, BR.20s were used in Albania and Greece as well. They were also used extensively in Yugoslavia against Josip Broz Tito's partisans. Other BR.20s were used to drop food and other material to the Italian Army, often trapped in the Balkans, faced with Yugoslavian resistance. At the time of the September 1943 Armistice between Italy and the Allies, 67 BR.20s were operational with front line operational units, mainly being used on anti-partisan operations, 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 last BR.20 was retired on 7 June 1946 and none survive today. 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. Also, the weight was increased because part of the fabric was substituted with metal, improving the resistance to flutter while reducing speed from 430 km/h (270 mph) to 410 km/h (260 mph). FREE scheduling, supersized images and templates. Get Vendio Sales Manager.Make your listings stand out with FREE Vendio custom templates! FREE scheduling, supersized images and templates. Get Vendio Sales Manager. Over 100,000,000 served. Get FREE counters from Vendio today!

Price: 18.36 USD

Location: San Diego, California

End Time: 2025-01-22T02:20:27.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD