Fiat G . 50 The Fiat G . 50 " Freccia " ( " Arrow " ) was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft . First flown in February 1937 , the G . 50 was Italy ’ s first single - seat , all - metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable Undercarriage to go into production . In early 1938 , the " Freccias " served in the " Regia Aeronautica " ( the Italian Air Force ) , and with its expeditionary arm , the " Aviazione Legionaria " , in Spain , where they proved to be fast and , as with most Italian designs , very manoeuvrable . However , it had inadequate weaponry ( two Breda - SAFAT machine guns ) . The Fiat G . 50 was also used in small numbers by the Croatian Air Force and 35 were flown to Finland , where they served with distinction . Design . The Fiat G . 50 was designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli , who started planning a single - engined monoplane fighter in April 1935 . Work began on two prototypes in mid - summer 1936 , construction was entrusted to the workshops of the CMASA ( Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche S . A . ) , a subsidiary of Fiat at Marina di Pisa . Comandante Giovanni de Briganti , the chief test pilot of the G . 50 program , who flew the first prototype on 26 February 1937 from Caselle airfield , Turin , reaching a top speed of and climbing to meters in six minutes , 40 seconds . The G . 50 was a low - wing monoplane of all - metal construction , with a semi - monocoque fuselage with light alloy skinning , while the wings had a steel tube centre - section structure with duralumin outer wings and alloy skins . Flaps were fitted to the aircraft ' s wings to improve its take - off and landing performance . The powerplant was a single Fiat A . 74 R . C . 38 14 - cylinder air - cooled radial engine , rated at for take - off and at enclosed in a NACA cowling and driving a three - bladed constant speed propeller . The pilot sat in an enclosed cockpit under a sliding transparent canopy . He was provided with a reflector sight to aim the fighter ' s armament of two 12 . 7 mm ( . 5 in ) Breda - SAFAT machine gun s with 150 rounds of ammunition per gun fitted ahead of the cockpit , synchronised to fire through the propeller . The aircraft was fitted with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage , with the mainwheels retracting inwards and a castoring tailwheel . It was the first front line Italian monoplane fighter with a retractable undercarriage , an enclosed cockpit and a constant speed propeller ; these improvements gave it a maximum speed that was 33 km / h ( 21 mph ) faster than its contemporary , the Fiat CR . 42 biplane . Development . In 1937 , along with the first pre - series machines , a " gruppo sperimentale " ( experimental group ) was formed . The first versions could have different weaponry : one or two ( . 5 in ) Breda - SAFAT machine gun s in the nose and two more ( . 303 in ) Breda - SAFAT in the wings . Later versions were distinguished by a larger rudder . In September 1937 , Fiat received a first order for 45 aircraft . Before placing a larger order , the Air Ministry held a comparative test with the new Macchi MC . 200 . On 8 November 1937 , de Briganti was killed on the sixth evaluation flight of the second prototype ( M . M . 335 ) , when the fighter failed to pull out of a high - speed dive . Flight tests at Guidonia showed that the aircraft went too readily into an uncontrolled spin , a highly dangerous trait , especially at low level where recovery was impossible . During a visit by the Italian King Victor Emmanuel III and Prime Minister Benito Mussolini , another tragedy occurred at Guidonia . While performing a low , fast pass , three G . 50s flown by experienced pilots , " Maggiore " ( Squadron Leader ) Mario Bonzano and Lieutenants Beretta and Marasco , got into difficulty . Beretta ' s aircraft spun uncontrollably and crashed into the ammunition laboratory , killing the pilot . Despite the crashes , flight tests were satisfactory and the " Freccia " proved to be more maneuverable than the faster Macchi MC . 200 , which was declared the winner of the " Caccia I " ( " Fighter One " ) competition on 9 June 1938 . On account of its maneuverability , the " Regia Aeronautica " Commission decided to order the G . 50 as well , rejecting the third contender , the IMAM Ro . 51 . The first aircraft were delivered to the " Regia Aeronautica " in early 1938 . Italian pilots did not like the enclosed canopy because it could not be opened quickly and , being constructed from plexiglass of very poor quality , was prone to cracking or abrasion by sand or dust , limiting visibility . In addition , exhaust fumes tended to accumulate in the cockpit , so pilots usually flew with the canopy locked open . Consequently , an open cockpit was installed in the second batch of 200 machines . After 1939 , the main production was shifted to the CMASA factory in Marina di Pisa , Tuscany . Variants , part I . In 1938 , the " Regia Aeronautica " requested a two - seater trainer which was designated the G . 50 / B ( " Bicomando " – dual control ) . The first were built in the second half of 1939 . The student pilot sat in the front in a closed cockpit with two roll bars . The first five aircraft were part of the " 1a serie " ( " first series " ) . Further production was entrusted to CMASA , who completed 106 G . 50 / Bs . A G . 50 / B was later transformed into a reconnaissance aircraft equipped with a planimetric camera . Another G . 50 / B was adapted with a hook to operate as a naval reconnaissance aircraft from the aircraft carrier " Aquila " , but the ship was never completed . In September 1940 a slightly improved version appeared , the G . 50 bis . Its main advantage was the extended combat range provided by an additional tank of , increasing range from 645 km to 1 , 000 km . The last version was the G . 50 / V ( " Veloce " – fast ) built in mid - 1941 by CMASA and equipped with a DB . 601 engine of 1 , 075 CV . During tests at Fiat Aviazione ' s airfield in Turin , it reached a top speed of in level flight and climbed to in five minutes 30 seconds . By this time , however , Gabrielli had already designed the Fiat G . 55 , and Fiat had obtained the licence to build the 1 , 475 CV Daimler Benz 605 , so the G . 50 / V was used to test new equipment and then scrapped . Total G . 50 production was 784 aircraft , 426 built by Fiat Aviazione and 358 coming from CMASA . There were 58 exports : 13 to Spain , 35 to Finland and 10 to Croatia . Two of the G . 50 aircraft to be delivered were destroyed due to a lack of fuel before arriving in Finland . On 7 March sergeant Aster Wallius forgot to switch the fuel pump to the main tank and the G . 50 ( FA - 8 ) crashed , injuring the pilot . On 8 March , a Hungarian volunteer pilot , 2nd lieutenant Wilmos Belassy , apparently dived into the Baltic sea , after running out of fuel and failing to cross it from Sweden to Finland . The FA - 7 and pilot have not been found . His fellow pilot , 2nd lieutenant Matias Pirity , had turned back and saved both the G . 50 and himself . Operational history . The first operational Fiat G . 50 aircraft were delivered to the " Regia Aeronautica " in 1938 . During the Spanish Civil War , about a dozen G . 50s were sent to Spain to reinforce the " Aviazione Legionaria " . The type proved extremely maneuverable and one of Italy ' s best fighters , yet by the time World War II began , it was considered underpowered and underarmed . World War II . There were 118 G . 50s available when Italy entered World War II . A total of 97 aircraft were available for front line duties . Most were assigned to " 51 Stormo " ( group ) based at Ciampino Airport ( just outside Rome ) and at Pontedera , with " 22 Gruppo " ( wing ) of " 52 Stormo " . On 10 June 1940 , when Italy declared war against France and Great Britain , G . 50s of " 22 Gruppo " went into action , followed by the 48 aircraft of " 20 Gruppo " . Battle of Britain and being stationed in Belgium . In September 1940 , " 20 Gruppo " ( 351 / 352 / 353 Squadrons ) , commanded by " Maggiore " Bonzano and equipped with Fiat G . 50 , was part of " 56 Stormo " , formed to operate during the Battle of Britain as part of the " Corpo Aereo Italiano " ( Italian Air Corps , CAI ) based in Belgium , together with " 18 Gruppo " flying Fiat CR . 42s . The G . 50s were hampered by their slow speed , open cockpits and short range . At the beginning of 1941 , the CAI came back to Italy , leaving behind two G . 50 squadrons that stayed in Belgium with " Luftflotte 2 " until April . The G . 50s flew 429 missions , 34 escorts and 26 scrambles for the CAI , but failed to engage any enemy aircraft . One aeroplane was lost and seven more were damaged . While with " Luftflotte 2 " , " 20 Gruppo " lost four additional fighters and two pilots were killed . Two G . 50s were damaged by German fighters and flak . The experiences of the early G . 50s over Britain showed their inadequacies . Their operations were almost useless in the campaign , because they were too short - ranged and stationed too far from enemy territory . The G . 50s had limited endurance , and missions rarely exceeded one hour . The G . 50 bis with its larger fuel tanks was already in production , but it was not sent to " 20 Gruppo " in time . Performance was also lacking : when 22 Fiat G . 50s intercepted several Hawker Hurricane s on 5 November 1940 , the RAF fighters easily escaped . On 21 November , when a Bristol Blenheim attacked the Maldegem airfield , two G . 50s scrambled , but they lost the bomber in the clouds . On 23 November , G . 50s followed four Hurricanes , but could not close on them . Another fruitless intercept took place on 31 January 1941 , when G . 50s lost a Blenheim that escaped into the clouds . The last sighting of enemy aircraft ( fighters ) occurred on 8 April 1941 , when the targets eluded them yet again . The latter part of Italy ' s war . The G . 50s were early models with an open canopy , useful in a Mediterranean climate , but the pilots suffered heavily in the bad weather of northern Europe . The aircraft was also under - equipped , with a mediocre radio set ( powered by batteries , they were prone to freeze at altitude ) and lacking any armour protection . In Belgium , " 20 Gruppo " had the opportunity to see the German Messerschmidt Bf 109 in action ; several G . 50 pilots were trained to fly it , and two Bf 109Es were sent to the " Gruppo " in mid - January 1941 . The G . 50s returned to Italy , and " 20 Gruppo " later got the G . 50bis , which had the endurance required for operational missions , due to an extra fuel tank in the internal fuselage section ( originally configured as a bomb bay ) . But this series was used mostly over Africa . In the second half of the war , the G . 50 operated as a multi - role fighter and ground attack aircraft , with external bombs only . During the opening phase of the Allied invasion of Sicily , the G . 50 was the most numerous aircraft used by the " Regia Aeronautica " to counterattack the Allied landings . Just before the invasion , the " Regia Aeronautica " moved to Southern Italy . A specialized ground attack unit , " 50 Stormo Assalto " , was equipped with Fiat G . 50 bis fighter - bombers . As soon the invasion started , on 10 July 1943 , further units were rushed to the area . With other Italian and German ground attack units , 45 Fiat G . 50 bis of 158 and 159 " Gruppi Assalto " from Pistoia were committed to attack ships , landing craft and troops . Ten of them were in action on 11 July with Re . 2002s , escorted by five Re . 2005s of 362a Squadron , when they were intercepted by an overwhelming fighter " umbrella " . Three G . 50s were shot down , including " Tenente Colonnello " ( Wing Commander ) Guido Nobili , commander of 5 " Stormo Assalto " . The remainder landed but were destroyed by an incoming air attack . By the time of the Italian Armistice with the Allies , only a few G . 50s were left in service in Italy . Some were used as part of the Italian Co - Belligerent Air Force , and four others were used by the " Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana " as fighter trainers . The top - scoring Italian pilot in a Fiat G . 50 was Furio Lauri , who was credited with 11 " kills " before the end of 1941 , with a final score of 18 . The North African campaign . The first 27 Fiat G . 50s , belonging to 150a and 152a Squadrons , " 2 Gruppo Autonomo C . T . " , arrived in Libya on 27 December 1940 , operating from Brindisi and Grottaglie airfields . They flew their first combat mission on 9 January 1941 , when " Capitano Pilota " ( Flight Lieutenant ) Tullio De Prato , commander of 150a Squadron , was attacked by a Hurricane Mk I on the front line , forcing him to crash - land in the desert . On 25 January 1941 , a new unit , " 20 Gruppo Autonomo C . T . " , with 351a , 360a and 378a Squadrons , commanded by " Maggiore Pilota " Pietro Bianchi , arrived in Libya , with 31 brand new Fiat monoplanes . On 27 May , " 20 Gruppo " was reinforced by 151a Squadron , equipped with the new Fiat G . 50 bis . Caught up in the chaotic retreat of the Italian army in the winter of 1940 – 41 , the Fiat G . 50s saw little action . In North Africa , although the G . 50s were mainly outperformed , their pilots sometimes managed to shoot down the faster and better - armed Hurricanes and P - 40s . G . 50s had been shown in 1939 air exercises to be faster than biplanes , so they could be useful against British bombers , even if their weapons was relatively weak and often insufficient to shoot down their targets . By that time , the G . 50s in North Africa were the better " bis " version which , although heavier , had almost two hours of flight time as a result of the extra fuel carried . The G . 50s did not carry bombs , but used high explosive ( HE ) and incendiary bullets . The normal tactic with the G . 50 was to dive from , but they never flew very high over North Africa , usually not exceeding . The aircraft still lacked radios , and despite their air filter , the desert sand could reduce the engine ' s lifespan to only 70 – 80 hours . In the hands of expert pilots , the Fiat G . 50 could score multiple kills in a single sortie . On the evening of 9 July 1941 , " Sergente Maggiore " Aldo Buvoli of 378a Squadron , " 155 Gruppo Autonomo " , took off from Castel Benito airfield to patrol Tripoli harbour and intercepted seven Blenheim light bombers ; which had been engaged in a low - level attack on the ships . Two Fiat CR . 42 biplanes from " 151 Gruppo " were already pursuing the Blenheims when Buvoli attacked , shooting at each bomber in sequence . One Blenheim ditched in the sea , another was shot down a few miles north of Tripoli . Two more failed to return to Luqa airfield in Malta and were posted as missing . For these successes , Buvoli was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor and subsequently credited with four kills . No . 110 Squadron RAF reported the loss of a similar number of Blenheim IVs on its first mission since arriving in Malta from the UK in early July . The fighting intensifies . One of the units fielded by the " Regia Aeronautica " was " 155 Gruppo " , based at Derna airfield . One of the few first claims by " Freccia " pilots was on 9 April 1941 , when " Tenente Pilota " Carlo Cugnasca ( an expert pilot , and the first to deliver a G . 50 to Finland ) , attacked three Hurricane Mk Is from No . 73 Squadron RAF and claimed one , although it was not confirmed . On his return , he was forced to crash - land his G . 50 , flipping the aircraft over on the airstrip but remaining unharmed . At low level , the clashes were often confused and had unpredictable effects . Tactical surprise was often what made the difference , as shown on 14 April when 66 Axis aircraft , including eight G . 50s , attacked Tobruk . The defenders of 73 Squadron RAF were outnumbered . RAF Hurricanes had to ignore the Axis fighters and concentrate on attacking the bombers , which were the greatest threat . Cugnasca and Marinelli attacked H . G . Webster while he was shooting at a Stuka ( dive bomber ) . Hurricanes were only marginally faster than G . 50s , and Webster was finally shot down and killed over Tobruk . A Canadian pilot ( the ace ' Smudgeon ' Smith ) saw them and shot down and killed both Cugnasca and Marinelli , damaging another G . 50 before being shot down himself by the G . 50 ' s squadron commander . G . 50s operated from Martuba Air Base , attacking Sidi el Barrani airfield . On 18 November , during Operation " Crusader " , the Desert Air Force destroyed 13 aircraft on the Ain el Gazala airfields ; 10 of them were G . 50s . On 19 November , " 20 Gruppo " , based at Sid el Rezegh , suffered heavy losses when British armoured forces suddenly attacked the airfield . Of the 19 G . 50s , only three escaped , 80 pilots and ground crew were taken prisoner . Altogether , 26 G . 50s were lost and " 20 Gruppo " was left with only 36 G . 50s , of which 27 were serviceable . Mario Bonzano , now a " Tenente Colonnello " and commander of " 20 Gruppo " , was among the captured , and his deputy , Furio Niclot Doglio , was almost shot down , since he was unaware of the British operation . Several G . 50s were captured almost intact , and at least one was taken by No . 260 Squadron and later passed to No . 272 Squadron . After 1941 , G . 50s played a minor role in the " Regia Aeronautica " . In June 1942 , British intelligence estimated that " 12 Gruppo " had 26 G . 50s ( 10 serviceable ) , while the backbone of 5a " Squadra Aerea " was 104 C . 202s , 63 C . 200s , 32 Z . 1007 and 31 S . 79s . Aegean theatre . After Italy declared war on Greece in 1940 , the " Freccia " began operations on 28 October over the Balkans and the Aegean Sea , operating from Berat , Devoli and Grottaglie airfields . During the Greek campaign , adverse weather conditions hampered air operations for most of the time , but fierce battles were fought on several days , often with a large amount of overclaiming by both sides . Early on 20 February 1941 , Hawker Hurricane fighters were engaged in their first aerial combat over the Balkans when seven G . 50s of " 54 Gruppo " were scrambled from Devoli to intercept a formation of RAF bombers with their Hurricane escorts . A few days earlier , a British cargo ship had delivered six Hurricanes and several Wellington bombers to Paramythia , boosting RAF power in the region . " Freccias " claimed a bomber and a fighter , while the British claimed four G . 50s . That afternoon , 15 G . 50s engaged a large mixed formation of RAF Gloster Gladiator s , claiming 10 aircraft for the loss of one G . 50 . The RAF claimed three G . 50s with no loss . Postwar records showed one Bristol Blenheim and one G . 50 lost on that day . On 28 February 1941 RAF units intercepted Italian bombers and their escorts , claiming 27 aircraft shot down and several others damaged in the ensuing battle . The Italians claimed six Gladiators and one Supermarine Spitfire . The recorded losses were one Gladiator and eight Italian aircraft ; many more were damaged . After this battle , the " Regia Aeronautica " was no longer effective in the theatre . On 4 March 1941 , a Fiat G . 50 bis shot down the Hurricane " V7288 " of Australian RAF ace Flight Lieutenant Nigel Cullen ( who was credited with 15 or 16 victories ) off Valona coast ( Albania ) , while he was flying as wing - man for ace Marmaduke Pattle . In the Greek campaign , 10 Fiat fighters were lost , including both combat losses and others destroyed in accidents and in the bombing of Italian airfields . In Finnish service . The G . 50 saw its longest and most successful service in the two Finnish wars against the Soviet Union , the Winter War of 1939 - 1940 and the Continuation War of 1941 - 1944 . At the end of 1939 , before the outbreak of hostilities , Finland ordered 35 Fiat G . 50s . The first 10 aircraft were to be delivered before February 1940 . A group of Finnish pilots attended a 10 - hour training course at Guidonia airport and later at Fiat Aviazione in Turin . On a training flight , during a dive from , Lieutenant Tapani Harmaja reached an estimated speed of , which was considered excessive for the structural integrity of the aircraft . The windscreen was damaged . Germany hindered the transit of the aircraft , so they were dismantled and embarked in La Spezia on the Norwegian ship " Braga " , which set sail for Turku , Finland , on 20 January . Because of this delay , the first G . 50s did not reach No . 26 Squadron , Finnish Air Force ( " HLeLv 26 " ) at Utti until February 1940 , too late to affect the course of that year ' s winter battles . The first kill was achieved on 26 February . Squadron no 26 received from material command G . 50 fighters according to the table below . A day before the truce after the Winter War , they had received 30 Fiat G . 50s of the 35 purchased and 33 not damaged during the procurement . Fiat G . 50 deployed with fighter squadron no 26 . " Source : Fiat . laivue - Lentolaivue 26 sodassa ( The Fiat Squadron - the Squadron n : o 26 in war ) , pages 150 and 151 . appendix Koneluettelo ( Aircraft list ) , Kari Stenman , Maininkitie 14 A , FI - 02320 ESPOO , + 358 9 8092187 , http : / / www . kolumbus . fi / kari . stenman , printed Otavan Kirjapaino Oy , Helsinki , 2013 , ISBN 978 - 952 - 99743 - 8 - 2 " Fiat G . 50 FA - 8 was destroyed during take - off when the pilot , a Hungarian volunteer , second lieutenant lieutenant Wilhelm Bekasy , in bad flying weather , lost contact with his countryman , lieutenant Matias Pirity , who turned back . The next day sergeant Asser Wallenius took - off with FA - 7 , having forgotten to switch on the fuel pump of the main tank and as the extra fuel tanks emptied , FA - 7 crashed and was damaged . Wallenius survived but he was injured . Because of technical problems in the Finnish airforce itself , only 33 of the 35 Fiat G . 50s were delivered to Finland . Most of them took part in the heavy fighting over the bay of Vyborg in late February and early March . The Utti airbase was bombed by the Soviet airforce ; consequently , the Fiats were transferred two kilometres to the north of Utti proper onto the ice at Haukkajärvi ( " Falcon lake " ) . As Haukkajärvi become bombed and attacked by fighters , another lake - side base was established near the city of Lahti , Hollola , also on the ice of Vesijärvi near Pyhäniemi mason . The aircraft saw little action , although on 27 February 1940 Lieutenant Malmivuo became the first Finnish pilot to be killed in a G . 50 , when his fighter crashed after a battle with Soviet aircraft . At this stage , Finnish pilots preferred the Hurricane , the French Morane - Saulnier M . S . 406 and even the Brewster Buffalo to the G . 50 . Overall , " HLeLv 26 " achieved 11 kills , against one loss in combat and another in an accident . The G . 50s were numbered from FA - 1 to FA - 35 , but it seems that only 33 were delivered ( 13 in February , 17 in March and 1 in June ) . They were taken from the 235 built by CMSA , both " Serie I " and " Serie II " , but all but seven had the open cockpit of the " Serie II " , a feature that Finnish pilots disliked , especially in winter . There were some attempts to improve the aircraft – one was tested with an enclosed cockpit , another with a D . XXI ski - undercarriage – but none of the modifications were put into service . Better protection for the propeller , which had problems at extremely low temperatures , and a few other changes were introduced . The speed of the Finnish G . 50s was around , much lower than the standard series could achieve . Air victories from late February to early March , 1940 . " Source : Fiat . laivue - Lentolaivue 26 sodassa ( The Fiat Squadron - the Squadron n : o 26 in war ) , pages 152 and 153 . appendix Koneluettelo ( Aircraft list ) , Kari Stenman , Maininkitie 14 A , FI - 02320 ESPOO , + 358 9 8092187 , http : / / www . kolumbus . fi / kari . stenman , printed Otavan Kirjapaino Oy , Helsinki , 2013 , ISBN 978 - 952 - 99743 - 8 - 2 " The first demonstration of the Finnish Air Force ' s effectiveness came on 25 June 1941 , when the G . 50s from " HLeLv 26 " shot down 13 out of 15 Soviet SB bombers . Thirteen aerial victories were achieved altogether . During the Continuation War , the G . 50s were most successful during the Finnish offensive of 1941 , after which they became ever less impressive . In 1941 , " HLeLv 26 " claimed 52 victories for the loss of only two fighters . The Soviets brought better , newer types of fighter to the front line in 1942 and 1943 , while the Fiats were becoming old and run - down and the lack of spare parts meant that pilots were restricted to a minimal number of sorties . Nevertheless , between 30 November 1939 and 4 September 1944 , the G . 50s of " HLeLv 26 " shot down 99 enemy aircraft , including aircraft more modern than they , such as the British fighters sent to the USSR . In the same period , Finnish squadrons lost 41 aircraft ( 12 were G . 50s ) , and 10 more were lost to flak and non - combat causes . The most successful Finnish G . 50 pilots were Oiva Tuominen ( 23 victories ) , Olli Puhakka ( 11 ) , Nils Trontti ( 6 ) , Onni Paronen ( 4 ) , Unto Nieminen ( 4 ) and Lasse Lautamäki ( 4 ) . The Finnish G . 50s were finally phased out of front - line duty in the summer of 1944 . They were no more than 10 or 12 , and even as trainers , they did not last long , since they lacked spare parts . Unlike the older MS . 406 , there was no effort to change their engine to make them better and faster , and it is probable that at the end of the war they had already been taken out of service . In Croatian service . In October 1941 , the Croatian Air Force Legion requested military aid from Italy , that country agreed to deliver 10 Fiat G . 50s ( nine single - seaters and one two - seater ) , along with ancillary equipment . On 12 June 1942 , the Fiat G . 50 bis fighters took off from Fiat Aviazione in Turin for Croatia , but before they reached the border , they were stopped on the orders of Ugo Cavallero , Chief of the Italian Supreme Command , who feared that the Croatian pilots would defect . The G . 50s had to wait until 25 June before being delivered to the Croatian Air Force , which assigned them to the 16th " Jato " at Banja Luka and were intensively used until 1945 against Yugoslav Partisans , at first in Bosnia and Herzegovina , then in Serbia , Croatia and Dalmatia . During 1942 , a Croatian G . 50 bis squadron was transferred from Northern Yugoslavia to the Ukrainian front , flanking the 4th " Luftflotte " . On 25 June 1943 , the " Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Drzave Hrvatske " ( Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia , or ZNDH ) , received nine G . 50 bis fighters and one G . 50B . In October , while based at Zaluani airfield , Banja Luka , they flew many strafing missions against partisans for nearly a year . After the Italian armistice of 8 September 1943 , the Luftwaffe supplied the Croatian Air Force Legion with 20 – 25 Fiat G . 50s captured on " Regia Aeronautica " airfields in the Balkans . These equipped two Croatian fighter units , but by the end of 1943 only 10 aircraft remained . Three G . 50s captured after the Armistice were loaned to " Kro JGr 1 " at the beginning of 1944 . In 1944 some of the G . 50s were operated at the Brezice training school . In 1945 they were captured by Yugoslav Partisans . After the war , the G . 50s were used for some time by the newly formed Yugoslav Air Force – the last G . 50s on active service . Survivors . In September 2010 , the only known G . 50 bis still in existence was undergoing restoration in the Museum of Aviation , in Surčin , at Nikola Tesla Airport , Serbia .