Fiat CR . 42 The Fiat CR . 42 " Falco " ( " Falcon " , plural : " Falchi " ) was a single - seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy ' s " Regia Aeronautica " before and during World War II . The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm , and entered service , in smaller numbers , with the air forces of Belgium , Sweden and Hungary . With more than 1 , 800 built , it was the most widely produced Italian aircraft to take part in World War II . The Fiat CR . 42 was the last of the Fiat biplane fighters to enter front line service as a fighter , and represented the epitome of the type . RAF Intelligence praised its exceptional manoeuvrability , further noting that " the plane was immensely strong " , though it stood little chance against faster , more heavily armed monoplanes . It performed at its best with the Hungarian Air Force on the Eastern Front , where it had a kill to loss ratio of 12 to 1 . Design and development . The CR . 42 was a evolutionary design based on the earlier Fiat CR . 32 , which was in turn derived from the Fiat CR . 30 series created in 1932 . The " Regia Aeronautica " had employed the CR . 32 during the Spanish Civil War with great success , which led to Fiat proposing a more advanced fighter based around the supercharged Fiat A . 74R1C . 38 air - cooled radial engine geared to drive a metal three - blade Fiat - Hamilton Standard 3D . 41 - 1 propeller of diameter and a robust , clean , sesquiplane design . The rigidly braced wings covered with fabric were constructed from light duralumin alloy and steel . It reached a top speed of 438 km / h ( 272 mph ) at 5 , 300 m ( 17 , 400 ft ) and 342 km / h ( 213 mph ) at ground level . Climb rate was 1 minute and 25 seconds to 1 , 000 m ( 3 , 280 ft ) and of 7 minutes and 20 seconds to 6 , 000 m ( 19 , 700 ft ) . In spite of the biplane configuration , the CR . 42 was a modern , " sleek - looking " design based around a strong steel and alloy frame incorporating a NACA cowling housing the radial engine , with fairings for the fixed main landing gear . The CR . 42 ' s upper wing was larger than its lower wing , a configuration known as a sesquiplane . The aircraft proved exceptionally agile thanks to its very low wing loading , although at the same time , the CR . 42 lacked armour and radio equipment . During evaluation , the CR . 42 was tested against the Caproni Ca . 165 biplane fighter , and was judged to be superior , although the Ca . 165 was a more modern design which boasted a higher speed at the cost of maneuverability . Although the age of the biplane was coming to an end a number of other air forces expressed interest in the new fighter , and a number of early Falcos were delivered to foreign customers . Soon after its combat introduction , Fiat developed a number of variants . The CR . 42bis and CR . 42ter had increased firepower , the CR . 42N was a night fighter , the CR . 42AS was optimised for ground attack , and the CR . 42B " Biposto " was a two - seat trainer . The " Biposto " was the most extensively modified , with a longer fuselage allowing a second seat to be placed in tandem . About 40 aircraft were produced by Agusta and Caproni Trento . Its length was increased by 68 centimeters over the standard fighter , to a total of to 8 . 94 m ; the height was 23 centimeters less . Empty weight was only more , as the wheel fairings had been removed . Overall weight was 2 , 300 kg . Top speed was 430 km / h at 5 , 300 meters , only 8 km / h less . Up to 1945 , two machine guns were fitted . Experimental configurations included the I . CR . 42 ( " Idrovolante " = seaplane ) and the CR . 42DB . Beginning in 1938 , Fiat had worked on the I . CR . 42 , then gave the task to complete the project to CMASA factory in Marina di Pisa on the Tirreno sea coast . The only prototype was built in 1940 . Tests started at the beginning of 1941 , at the Vigna di Valle base , on Lake Bracciano , north of Rome . Top speed was 423 km / h , range was 950 km while ceiling was reduced to 9 , 000 m . Empty weight went from , full weight from . The CR . 42DB was an attempt to improve the type ' s performance by installing a Daimler - Benz DB 601 V12 engine of 753 kW ( 1 , 010 hp ) . This prototype , MM 469 ) , was flown by test pilot Valentino Cus in March 1941 , over Guidonia Montecelio , near Rome . This variant could reach a top speed of 518 km / h ( 323 mph ) , with a maximum ceiling of and a range of . The project was cancelled as the biplane configuration did not offer any advantages over contemporary monoplane fighter designs . Although it never went into production , to this day the variant has the distinction of being the fastest biplane ever flown . It is still not certain how many CR . 42s were built . The most likely estimate is 1 , 819 in total , including the 63 ( 51 according to some sources ) produced under " Luftwaffe " control and the 140 produced for export . Operational history . " Regia Aeronautica " . The Fiat CR . 42 entered service in May 1939 , with the 53° " Stormo " , based at Turin Caselle Airport . By the time Italy entered World War II on 10 June 1940 , about 300 aircraft had been delivered . The " Falchi " defended airfields , cities , and " Regia Marina " ( Italian Royal Navy ) bases until the Italian armistice with the Allies of 8 September 1943 . The " Falchi " also fought against the British Gloster Gladiator over Malta , and later against the British Hawker Hurricane , sometimes with unexpected success . The manoeuvrability of the " Falchi " concerned the British . " A RAF Intelligence report in late October 1940 circulated to all pilots and their squadrons , with copies to Prime Minister , Winston Churchill , and the War Cabinet , declared : ' The manoeuvrability of the CR . 42s , in particular their capacity to execute an extremely tight half roll , has caused considerable surprise to other pilots and undoubtedly saved many Italian fighters from destruction . ' " When production was stopped in 1942 , a total of 1 , 784 CR . 42s had been built . By 8 September 1943 , when Italy surrendered to the Allies , only around 60 of the aircraft were in flying condition . Battle of France . On 13 June 1940 , 23 pilots from 23° " Gruppo " of 3° " Stormo " escorted ten Fiat BR . 20 bombers to the port of Toulon . Meanwhile , 12 " Falchi " from 151° " Gruppo " of 53° " Stormo " attacked the airfield of Fayence , in Provence , causing little damage . Later they attacked Hyères base , hitting on the ground approximately 50 enemy aircraft and destroying at least 20 of them . Italian pilots from 151° " Gruppo " claimed a French Vought V . 156F . On the same day , a CR . 42 from 82a " Squadriglia " ( 13° " Gruppo " ) took off to intercept a reconnaissance aircraft , but it failed interception and crashed on landing , killing the pilot . On 15 of June , 67 CR . 42s from same units , plus 18° " Gruppo " ( from 3° " Stormo " ) , attacked the airfields of Southern France . 27 biplanes from 150° " Gruppo " machine - gunned the airfield of Cuers - Pierrefou , setting on fire about 15 V - 156Fs . Seven of the Fiats giving top - cover were intercepted by Bloch MB . 152 s ( Bloch MB . 151s , according to other sources ) from A . C . - 3 that shot down a " Falco " and forced another to land . Italian pilots claimed four French fighters . Subsequently , Fiats attacked the airfields of Cannet des Maures and Puert Pierrefin , close to the border . This time the French fighter units reacted and the Fiats were attacked by Dewoitine 520s from G . C . III / 6 . " Regia Aeronautica " aviators claimed 8 - 10 air victories and many aircraft destroyed on the ground . Fiat pilots were credited with three Bloch and five Dewoitine kills , with the loss of five " Falchi " shot down . Following the Fall of France an Italian air group of CR . 42 and BR . 20 bombers operated from Belgium in October and November 1940 and flew some operations in later stages of the Battle of Britain but with a high loss rate . The RAF Museum at Hendon , London , today displays a CR . 42 which force - landed in Suffolk with a broken oil pipe . The pilot survived . See survivors ( below ) . Malta . Over Malta , the CR . 42 encountered Hurricanes for the first time on 3 July 1940 . That day , Flying Officer Waters ( P2614 ) shot down a SM . 79 bomber five miles ( 8 kilometers ) off Kalafrana , but he was soon attacked in turn by the escorting " Falchi " who badly shot up his aircraft . Waters crashed on landing and his Hurricane was written off . The Hurricane pilots soon discovered that the Italian biplanes could easily outmaneuver their aircraft . Pilot Officer Jock Barber remembered : " On my first combat , the 9 of July , I attacked the leader of a " Squadriglia " of Falcos , while [ Flight Lieutenant ] George Burges attacked an SM . 79 bomber . When I shot the CR . 42 at a range of 100 yards [ 91 meters ] , he did a flick - roll and went spinning down . I found myself engaged in dogfighting with the remaining CR . 42s . This went down to about 10 , 000 feet [ 3 , 048 meters ] ; by then I had used up all my ammunition without much success , although I am convinced I got quite a few strikes on the leader in the initial combat . I realized pretty quickly that dogfighting with biplanes was just not on . They were so manoeuvrable that it was very difficult to get in a shot , and I had to keep diving and turning to keep myself from being shot down . George had by this time disappeared so I stuck my nose down and , with full throttle , was very thankful to get out of the way . " A week later , a dozen CR . 42s from 23° " Gruppo " appeared in the sky over Malta for a reconnaissance . Flight Lieutenants Peter Keeble and Burges scrambled to intercept them , and the resulting action greatly impressed the Malta defenders with the CR . 42s maneuvering capability . Keeble attacked one CR . 42 - probably the aircraft ( MM4368 ) flown by " Sottotenente " Mario Benedetti of 74 " Squadriglia " that crashed , killing its pilot , but then came under attack himself by the " Falchi " of " Tenente " Mario Pinna and " Tenente " Oscar Abello . Keeble tried to dogfight with the Italians , but his engine was hit and his Hurricane dived into the ground at Wied - il - Ghajn , near Fort Rinella , and blew up . He was the first pilot to be killed in action at Malta . This was the first air victory in World War II of the CR . 42 against the Hurricane . Shortly after Keebles loss , a meeting of all the pilots and senior staff was called to discuss the best ways of countering the agile CR . 42 . A suggestion was made that the Hurricane should put down a bit of flaps as this might enable it to turn with the CR . 42 , but the only realistic proposal was to climb above these aircraft to be in advantageous position . Night fighter operations . The CR . 42 was the main night fighter of the " Regia Aeronautica " , even if it was not equipped with radar and often lacked radio equipment . The first night interception was performed on the night of 13 – 14 August 1940 by " Capitano " Giorgio Graffer , when he located and opened fire on a British Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber that had been sent to attack Turin . When his guns jammed , Graffer rammed the bomber before bailing out . The bomber had been badly damaged and subsequently crashed into the English Channel whilst attempting to return to its base . One of the most successful night interceptions took place on the night of 25 August 1942 . That day , in an attempt to oppose RAF night intruding missions that were hammering Italian airfields , the 4° " Stormo " borrowed four radio - equipped CR . 42s , by 208 and 238 " Squadriglie " of the 101° " Gruppo Bombardamento a Tuffo " , based at Abar Nimeir , to use them as night interceptors . " Corpo Aereo Italiano " . On 11 and 23 November 1940 , CR . 42s flew two raids against Great Britain as part of the " Corpo Aereo Italiano " . " Luftwaffe " aircraft had difficulty flying in formation with the slower biplanes . Even though slower , with an open cockpit , no radio , and armed with only two machine guns ( a 12 . 7 mm / . 5 in and a 7 . 7 mm / . 303 in Breda - SAFAT ) , the " Falchi " could easily outturn the Hurricanes and the Spitfires and proved difficult to hit . " The CR 42 turned to fight using all the aeroplane ' s manoeuvrability . The pilot could get on my tail in a single turn , so tightly was he able to pull round . " As the RAF intelligence report stated , the " Falchi " were hard targets . " As I fired he half rolled very tightly and I was completely unable to hold him , so rapid were his manoeuvres . I attacked two or three more and fired short bursts , in each case the enemy aircraft half - rolled very tightly and easily and completely out - turned me . In two cases as they came out of their rolls , they were able to turn in almost on my tail and opened fire on me . " Against British monoplanes , the CR . 42s were not always outclassed . " I engaged one of the British fighters from a range of between . Then I saw a Spitfire , which was chasing another CR . 42 , and I got in a shot at a range of . I realised that in a manoeuvered flight , the CR . 42 could win or survive against Hurricanes and Spitfires , though we had to be careful of a sweep from behind . In my opinion , the English . 303 bullet was not very effective . Italian aircraft received many hits which did no material damage and one pilot even found that his parachute pack had stopped a bullet . " During the winter , the CR . 42s were transferred back to the Mediterranean theatre . East Africa . It was in Africa Orientale Italiana ( A . O . I ) that the nimble Italian biplane performed better . It was flying the Falco that Mario Visintini became the top biplane fighter ace of World War II ( with 16 kills ) and Luigi Baron and Aroldo Soffritti became the second and third Fiat CR . 42 top scoring aces , with 12 and 8 air victories . Moreover , during that short and difficult campaign , the Fiat fighters destroyed a large number of Royal Air Force and South African Air Force aircraft , both in the air and on the ground , including a number of Hurricanes . In 1940 , three " squadriglie " stationed in Italian East Africa - - Ethiopia , Italian Eritrea , and Italian Somaliland — were equipped with CR . 42s . The 412 - the most experienced " Squadriglia " - was based in Gura ( with the 414 " Squadriglia " ) and in Massawa . The 413 " Squadriglia " was in Assab . Fighting there began in June and lasted until the autumn of 1941 . The Italians met mostly British bombers and reconnaissance aircraft , destroying many of them . On 12 June 1940 , 412 " Squadriglia " attacked nine Vickers Wellesley bombers from 47 Squadron above Asmara , and " Tenente " Carlo Canella claimed the first CR . 42 victory in East Africa , a Wellesley that was heavily damaged and forced to crash - land . Two days later , the 412 " Squadriglia " again intercepted a pair of Wellesleys , this time from 14 Squadron , that were trying to bomb Massawa . " Tenente " Mario Visintini , for the first of his 16 air victories in East Africa , shot down the Wellesley flown by Pilot Officer Plunkett . Dogfights usually occurred when enemy airfields were being attacked . Fierce air battles took place at the beginning of November 1940 , during the British offensive against the Italian forts of Gallabat and Metemma , along the Sudan border . The " Regia Aeronautica " was dominant in these fights , sometimes even against more powerful opponents . Losses were also suffered in the air duels in 1940 , at least six Fiats were destroyed and about a dozen damaged . North Africa . It was " in Africa that this Italian machine performed best " . At the beginning of the war in Italian North Africa , there were 127 CR . 42 from the 13° " Gruppo " ( 2° " Stormo " ) at Castel Benito and from the 10° and 9° " Gruppo " of 4° " Stormo " in Benina , including reserve aircraft . Initially , the Falco was pitted against the contemporary Gloster Gladiator and Hawker Hart of the South African Air Force . Increasingly evident , the Fiat CR . 42 was unable to operate effectively against modern aerial opposition , relying only on manoeuvrability and " Regia Aeronautica " piloting skills . However , on 8 August 1940 , in an aerial duel between comparable rivals , 16 Fiat CR . 42s from 9° and 10° " Gruppi " of 4° " Stormo " were " bounced " by 14 Gladiators of 80 Squadron over Gabr Saleh ( about 65 kilometres southeast of El Adem and 35 kilometres east of Bir El Gobi ) . Four CR . 42s were shot down while four more force - landed ( later recovered ) . The Italian pilots claimed five Gladiators in the dogfight ( three shared amongst the pilots of 10° " Gruppo " and two shared by the 73 " Squadriglia " pilots ) and two probables ( the 90 " Squadriglia " ’ s Diary reported six victories ) . That air combat highlighted the advantages of the Gladiator over the CR . 42 , especially radio equipment that could permit coordinated attacks , and the Gladiator ' s superior low altitude overall performance , with a markedly superior horizontal manoeuvrability over the " Falchi " . The Gladiator was superior to the Fiat regarding the combat equipment also . The 12 . 7 mm Breda - SAFAT could fire an effective explosive bullet but the Gladiator ’ s Brownings were able to shoot 2 . 5 more rounds per second than the synchronized Italian machine guns . However the CR . 42 had a superior performance . It was much faster about thanks to its smaller wing area , constant - speed propeller and the superior power of its engine , which could provide up to for short periods at emergency rating . Experienced Italian pilots , most of them veterans of the Spanish Civil War , employed the exceptional manoeuvrability of the CR . 42 in successful attacks against RAF Gladiators , Hurricanes and Spitfires , forcing their opponents " . . . to adopt the tactic that Messerschmitt pilots had used against them : to avoid dogfights and to attack them with sudden dives . " Nevertheless , on 31 October 1940 , the " Falchi " scored their first confirmed air victories in North Africa against the Hawker fighters . During the air battle over Mersa Matruh " Sergente Maggiore " Davide Colauzzi and " Sergente " Mario Turchi from 368 " Squadriglia " , while escorting SM . 79 bombers , shot down the Hurricanes of 33 Squadron that were flown by 26 - year - old Canadian Flying Officer Edmond Kidder Leveille ( RAF no . 40837 ) - who was forced to bail out but was killed when his parachute failed to deploy completely and Flying Officer Perry St Quintin ( Hurricane P3724 ) , who was forced to make a forced landing at Qasaba with a holed fuel tank . Italian losses were , however , stemmed when the more advanced Macchi C . 200 , the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Messerschmitt Bf 110 of " Luftflotte " 4 , arrived in April 1941 . Iraq . In April 1941 , Rashid Ali led a pro - Axis coup in Iraq . In response , British Empire troops landed at Basra . Germany and Italy sent Messerschmitt Bf 110s , Savoia - Marchetti SM . 79s and CR . 42s into action . The " Regia Aeronautica " sent 155a " Squadriglia " ( named " Squadriglia speciale Irak " ) equipped with the " CR . 42 Egeo " version which had a radio set and a 100 litre auxiliary tank , increasing the operational range ( typically 800 km at 380 km / h ) up to 1 , 100 km at economical speed . In Iraq , the " Regia Aeronautica " was only operational for four days ( 28 – 31 May 1941 ) , with their aircraft painted in Iraqi colours . CR . 42s took off from Alghero on 22 May 1941 and flew up to 900 km to Valona ( one crashed on landing ) , Rhodes , Aleppus and Mosul . A total of 11 Fiats flew together with a S . 79 and a S . 81 as " pathfinders " and transport aircraft , while three SM . 82s transported weapons for the campaign . The Italian aircraft arrived in Iraq on 23 May . Six days later ( on 28 May according to other sources ) the Fiat CR . 42s , in what was to prove the final air - to - air combat of the brief campaign , intercepted RAF Blenheims , claiming two No . 94 Sqn Gladiators , with the loss of one CR . 42 shot down by a Gladiator flown by Wg Cdr Wightman , close to Khan Nuqta . Three Fiats were damaged and abandoned in Iraq . The seven survivors were withdrawn with great difficulty , since the S . 79 " pathfinder " was destroyed on the ground by the RAF despite being located at Aleppus airfield , Syria . The Axis effort to reinforce Iraqi insurgents was insufficient and failed , but led to the decision to invade Syria that resulted in a substantial diversion during an already critical moment for the Allies . While retreating , 164a " Squadriglia " CR . 42s were used to defend Pantelleria . Royal Hungarian Air Force . The CR . 42 ' s first foreign purchaser was the Royal Hungarian Air Force ( MKHL ) , which placed orders for 52 aircraft in mid - 1938 . The Hungarians , while aware that the CR . 42 was conceptually outdated , considered the rapid re - equipment of their fighter component vital , the Italian government having expressed its willingness to forgo CR . 42 delivery positions in order to expedite the re - equipment of Hungarian units . By the end of 1939 , 17 CR . 42s had reached Hungary , issued to 1 . " Vadász Ezred " ( 1st Fighter Wing ) which began conversion from the CR . 32 . Its two groups of two squadrons , 1 . / I " Vadász Osztály " ( Fighter Group ) at Szolnok and the 1 . / II " Vadász Osztály " at Mátyásföld , Budapest , received their full complement of fighters in mid - 1940 . Some CR . 42s in Hungarian service were fitted with a 12 . 7 mm ( . 5 in ) Gebauer GKM Machine Gun 1940 . M ( " Gebauer Kenyszermeghajtasu Motorgeppuska " , or " Gebauer Positive - Driven Motor - Machine Gun " ) ; these were fixed twin - barrel guns driven from the aircraft engine ' s crankshaft . In total , the MKHL ordered 70 CR . 42s but through a barter which included a captured Yugoslavian Savoia - Marchetti SM . 79 , they received two additional CR . 42s in 1941 . The Hungarian CR . 42s were first used against Yugoslavia , in April 1941 . During the short conflict in the Balkans the MKHL lost two CR . 42s . On 27 June 1941 , when Hungary declared war on the Soviet Union , the CR . 42s equipped three MKHL units : 1 . / I Group , based in Szolnok , 1 . / II Group , at Mátyásföld , of 1st Fighter Wing , and 2 . / II Group , based in Kolozsvár , of 2nd Fighter Wing . On the same day Hungarian CR . 42s had their baptism of fire , when 2 / 3 . Squadron escorted bombers against Stanislau . Ensign László Kázár was hit by Soviet anti - aircraft fire while strafing and crash landed behind enemy lines . On the same day , Sergeant Árpád Kertész , from the same unit , claimed the first victory , shooting down a Soviet reconnaissance plane . The 2 / 3 . Squadron flew many sorties until the middle of July escorting bombers and strafing enemy airfields . They claimed six additional kills , losing one plane on 12 July , when 2nd Lieutenant Gyõzõ Vámos collided in a dogfight with a Polikarpov I - 16 and bailed out , surviving . On 11 August , Hungarian Fiats escorted six Caproni Ca . 135s , commanded by Sen Lt Szakonyi , on their way to bomb a 2 km ( 6 , 560 ft ) bridge across the Bug River in the city of Nikolayev , on the Black sea . On the way back the Capronis were intercepted by Soviet Polikarpov I - 16 fighters . The escorting Hungarian CR . 42s shot down five I - 16s , with no own losses . After the German 11th Army captured Nikolayev on 16 August the commander of Luftflotte 4 , Col Gen Lohr , decorated the successful Hungarian crews at Sutyska . The Hungarian CR . 42s were later used in the ground attack role against Soviet forces until December 1941 . Although typically outclassed by more modern types , the Hungarian CR . 42s scored 25 destroyed , one probable , one damaged ( according to other sources they claimed 24 plus two Soviet planes in the air ) and one aircraft destroyed on the ground , losing two planes to Soviet fighters . The surviving CR . 42s were relegated to training roles . In spring 1944 a night assault CR . 42 Squadron was formed . The aircraft were equipped with flame dampers and bomb racks for four 50 kg bombs , but reportedly these planes were not used operationally . Most of CR . 42s were lost in training accidents and strafing attacks by U . S . aircraft in 1944 . Not a single Hungarian " Falco " survived the war . Belgian Air Force . In 1939 a mission from Belgium ' s " Aéronautique Militaire " purchased 40 CR . 42s , for a total price of 40 million francs . The first arrived on 6 March 1940 , when one aircraft was destroyed in a landing accident . The CR . 42s were mainly sent to the " Evere Établissements Généraux de l ' Aéronautique Militaire " for assembly . The first operational squadron , IIème " Group de Chasse " ( Fighter Group ) based at Nivelles , south of Brussels , received its full complement of 15 while other units still awaited further deliveries . The exact quantity of CR . 42s delivered to Belgium before the German attack on 10 May is estimated by historians to be between 24 and 27 , the last being transported to France and lost in the railway station at Amiens . Photographic evidence suggests that the total number of CR . 42s delivered was 30 . On 9 May , squadrons operating the " Falchi " were the 3rd " Cocotte rouge " , with 14 , and the 4th , " Cocotte Blanche " , with 11 aircraft . In addition to those , the aircraft of Major Lamarche and two others ( R . 21 and R . 27 ) in a hangar at Nivelles were not serviceable , while another was at Airfield Number 41 with mechanical troubles . The Fiat CR . 42s were first to be blooded in Belgium but after encountering the vastly superior Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters of the " Luftwaffe " , the entire contingent of Fiats was soon overwhelmed , although the Belgian pilots fought with great skill . The Belgian CR . 42s fought from the first day of the invasion , when they attacked a formation of Ju 52s ( from 17 / KGzbV 5 ) in the Tongres area , forcing one to crash - land near Maastricht . The Fiats were then jumped by the escorting Bf 109s from I . / JG . 1 , but thanks to their superior agility managed to come back safely . That day the Belgian pilots claimed four more German aircraft : three Do 17 and a Bf 109 , while the Stukas of I . / St . 2 destroyed no less than 14 Fiats at Brustem airfield . In a total of 35 missions flown , the CR . 42s downed at least five and probably even eight enemy aircraft including a Dornier Do 17 , Junkers Ju 52 and the vaunted Bf 109 for a loss of two of their own . The only two confirmed Bf 109E losses were scored by Charles Goffin . After capitulation , the five surviving Fiat CR . 42s were brought into a French Air Force depot in Fréjorques , where they were found by the Germans . Their final fate is not known . Overall claims by Belgian CR . 42s were : eight Do 17 , four Bf 109 and one Ju 52 . Swedish Air Force . The Swedish Air Force purchases of various types of Italian combat aircraft in 1939 – 41 were an emergency measure caused by the outbreak of war . There were no other nations willing to supply aircraft to a small neutral country and domestic production would be insufficient until 1943 . From 1940 to 1941 , Sweden received 72 CR . 42s , which were equipped with radios , armour plate behind the pilot and ski landing gear . The Swedish aircraft were designated J 11 . The J 11s were initially assigned to the F 9 wing , responsible for the air defence of Gothenburg , but were transferred to the newly established F 13 wing in Norrköping in 1943 when F 9 received more advanced J 22 fighters . The J 11s operating from Kiruna , in the north of Sweden , were equipped with ski undercarriage . In spring 1942 , the J 11s of 1 . Division were moved to Luleå airfield . The J 11s scrambled several times to intercept German aircraft violating Swedish borders , but usually failed to make contact . The J 11s of 2 . and 3 . Divisions based in Gothenburg managed to intercept intruders a few times , forcing them to leave Swedish airspace . During their service in Swedish Air Force , the CR . 42 suffered many accidents , sometimes because of the poor quality of materials used by the Fiat factory . By the end of 1942 , eight had been lost , and 17 more by the end of 1943 . In all , over 30 CR . 42s were lost due to accidents and mechanical failures . Swedish pilots appreciated the J 11 ' s formidable close - in dogfighting abilities ; however , they complained about low speed , insufficient armament and the open cockpits that were unsuited for the severe climate of Scandinavia . The remaining J 11s of the F 13 wing were decommissioned for good by the Air Force by 14 March 1945 . A total of 19 aircraft were sold to a civilian contractor , " Svensk Flygtjänst " AB , who used 13 of them as target tugs for one season , although the type was not well suited for the role . Another six J 11s were delivered to " Svensk Flygtjänst " AB as a source for spare parts . The aircraft were given Swedish civil registrations . The last J 11 was removed from the register in 1949 . One surviving Swedish " Falco " was preserved . It was stored at the F 3 wing ; the aircraft was " hidden away " for a future museum . Number NC . 2453 , marked as 9 9 , is today on a permanent static display in the Swedish Air Force Museum ( Flygvapenmuseum ) in Linköping . " Luftwaffe " . After the Italian armistice the " Luftwaffe " took over the majority of Regia Aeronautica aircraft . Among these aircraft were a number of CR . 42s . German Rüstungs - und - Kriegsproduktion Stab took control of Italy ' s northern aircraft industry , and ordered 200 CR . 42LW ( LW = " Luftwaffe " ) from Fiat for the " Luftwaffe " , to use in night harassment and anti - partisan roles . Some of the captured Fiats were allocated to training divisions as well . The CR . 42 was nicknamed " " Die Pressluftorgel " " or " the Pneumatic Organ " by " Luftwaffe " trainee pilots , presumably because of its profusion of pneumatic systems . One of the German units to use the CR . 42 was " Nachtschlachtgruppe " ( NSGr . ) 9 , based in Udine . Its task was to fight partisans in the region of the Alps , Istria and Croatia . The 1 . " Staffel " received its " Falchi " in November 1943 and in January 1944 the unit was transferred to the airfield at Caselle near Turin to operate against partisan units in the Southern Alps . On 28 January , the 2 . Staffel too was equipped with the CR . 42 . The training of Germans pilots took place at a school in Venaria Reale . In February 1944 , after the Allies had landed at Anzio , 1 . " Staffel " and 2 . " Staffel " , based at Centocelle Airport in Rome , attacked Allied units in southern Latium , mostly in moonlit night raids . NSGr9 attacked enemy troops in the Monte Cassino area . The CR . 42 proved to be useful as a light bomber at night but subsequently NSGr9 began to be equipped with the Ju 87D . 2 . " Staffel " kept using the Fiat biplanes until mid - 1944 . On 31 May , the unit still had 18 " Falchi " , 15 of which were operational . Due to Allied raids over the Fiat factory in Turin , only 150 CR . 42LWs were completed , with 112 becoming operational . Another unit to use them in Southern Italy and the Balkans was " Jagdgeschwader " ( JG ) 107 which flew them as night fighters , fighter - bombers and fighter - trainers . Last biplane kill of history . The CR . 42LWs equipped too the newly formed 3 . / NSGr 7 in Zagreb , Croatia , in April 1944 . By September 1944 , 2 . " Staffel " was transferred in Croatia too ( at Pleso ) and the Fiats later equipped 1 . " Staffel " also , in Graz , Austria . On 8 February 1945 , ten " Luftwaffe " CR . 42LWs of Stab and 2 . " Staffel " ' of " Nachtschlachtgruppe " 7 , took off from their base in Agram - Gorica , Croatia , bound to strafe the airfield of Grabovica , used by partisan forces . But at the last moment they were sent to attack partisans northwest of Sisak . They were attacked by P - 38 Lightnings of the 14th Fighter Group . The American fighters shot down three Fiat biplanes , but two P - 38s did not return to base . One of them was claimed by a German pilot but not confirmed . The unidentified German pilot ' s claim is the last claimed victory of a biplane . Survivors . Four CR . 42s are known to exist :