Fiat G.46-3B

The Fiat G.46-3B was a post‑war Italian military trainer developed by Fiat Aviazione in the late 1940s. Derived from the earlier G.46 series, the 3B version incorporated a more powerful 260‑horsepower Alfa‑Romeo 115‑b engine and a strengthened airframe, allowing it to serve both as an advanced trainer and as a liaison aircraft. First flown in 1947, the G.46-3B entered service with the Regia Aeronautica and later the Aeronautica Militare, where it equipped flight schools and light‑utility squadrons until the early 1960s. Its low‑wing monoplane layout, all‑metal construction, and fixed tail‑wheel undercarriage gave it robust handling characteristics and easy maintenance, while the cockpit featured dual controls and clear instrumentation for pilot instruction. The aircraft’s modest speed of about 300 km/h and generous climb rate made it ideal for teaching instrument navigation, aerobatics, and basic combat maneuvers. Though only a few hundred were built, the G.46-3B helped modernize Italy’s post‑war pilot training program and demonstrated Fiat’s capability to produce reliable military aircraft, influencing later designs such as the G.55 and the jet‑powered G.91. Several survivors have been preserved in Italian aviation museums, where they continue to illustrate the transition from piston‑engine trainers to the jet age.

Fiat Aviazione

Classification

Design & Classification