Fiat G.80

The Fiat G.80 was an Italian two‑seat trainer aircraft designed by the Aeronautica di Stato’s engineering department and built by FIAT in the mid‑1930s. First flown on 12 March 1936, the G.80 emerged from FIAT’s effort to replace the aging biplane trainers that dominated the Regia Aeronautica’s schools. Its low‑wing, all‑metal construction and streamlined fuselage represented a modern departure from earlier wooden designs, while the 200 hp Fiat A.70 radial engine provided reliable performance for basic flight instruction and advanced maneuver training. The aircraft featured a fully enclosed cockpit, dual controls, and a simple retractable under‑carriage, giving student pilots early exposure to the handling characteristics of the monoplane fighters that would soon dominate the air war. Although only a limited batch of prototypes was built and the type never entered mass production, the G.80 proved valuable as a testbed for aerodynamic refinements and systems that later appeared in more successful FIAT combat aircraft such as the G.55 Centauro. Its legacy lies in demonstrating the practicality of all‑metal trainers and shaping Italy’s pre‑World‑War II aeronautical development strategy.