Fiat G.12

Fiat G.12

Role: Civil airliner & military transport
Manufacturer: Fiat
Designed by: Giuseppe Gabrielli
First flight: 15 October 1940
Introduced: 1941
Primary users: Regia Aeronautica Luftwaffe Royal Hungarian Air Force
Produced: 1941-1944
Number built: 30

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

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 fuselage 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 port-side 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.

Variants

G.12C
14-passenger transport aircraft, powered by three 574 kW (770 hp) Fiat A.74 RC 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

Luftwaffe

Hungary

Royal Hungarian Air Force

Italy

Regia Aeronautica

Specifications

Data from World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft

General characteristics

Crew: 4
Capacity: 14 troops or 24 civilians
Length: 20.10 m (65 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 28.60 m (93 ft 10 in)
Height: 4.90 m (16 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 113 m² (1,215 sq ft)
Empty weight: 9,420 kg (20,725 lb)
Loaded weight: 15,000 kg (33,100 lb)
Powerplant: 3x— Fiat A.74 RC.42 14 cylinder air cooled radial engines, 574 kW (800 hp) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 390 km/h (242 mph) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft)
Cruise speed: 303 km/h (188 mph)
Range: 2,300 km (1,430 mi)
Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,900 ft)

Armament

Guns: 2 x— 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns

Related development

Fiat G.212

Comparable aircraft

Junkers Ju 52
Douglas DC-3
SM.79 Sparviero
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81

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. "Post War Propliners : Fiat G.12 and G.212". Aeroplane Monthly. Volume 23 No. 1, January 1994. London: IPC. Page 64-68.

Fiat G.12 Pictures

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Source: WikiPedia