Fiat Aviazione
CR.1
The Fiat CR.1 was the first of a series of single‑seat biplane fighters built by Fiat Aviazione for the Regia Aeronautica in the mid‑1920s. Its maiden flight took place in 1925 and it entered operational service the following year, replacing older World War I types such as the Ansaldo SVA. Powered by a 300 hp Fiat A.20 V‑12 engine, the CR.1 featured a mixed construction of wooden wings and a metal fuselage, a single‑bay biplane layout with staggered wings, and a fixed‑gear undercarriage. Armament consisted of two synchronized 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns mounted on the upper fuselage. With a top speed of roughly 250 km/h and a service ceiling of 7 500 m, the aircraft offered a noticeable improvement in performance and handling over its predecessors.
Although only a limited number were built, the CR.1 proved vital as a testbed for aerodynamic refinements and power‑plant integration that would define the later, more successful CR‑2 and CR‑20 models. Its service in Italy’s colonial campaigns and in training units helped shape interwar fighter doctrine, making the CR.1 an important stepping‑stone in the evolution of Italian military aviation.
Although only a limited number were built, the CR.1 proved vital as a testbed for aerodynamic refinements and power‑plant integration that would define the later, more successful CR‑2 and CR‑20 models. Its service in Italy’s colonial campaigns and in training units helped shape interwar fighter doctrine, making the CR.1 an important stepping‑stone in the evolution of Italian military aviation.
Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1923
Design & Classification
- Manufacturer
- Fiat Aviazione
- Designer
- Celestino Rosatelli
- Engine
- Hispano-Suiza 8Fb
- Wikidata ID
- Q373674