Fiat G.12

{{Infobox aircraft begin

|name = Fiat G.12

|image = File:Fiat G.12-1.jpg

|alt=Fiat G.12

|caption = Fiat G.12

}}{{Infobox aircraft type

|type = Civil airliner & military transport

|manufacturer = Fiat

|designer = Giuseppe Gabrielli

|first flight = 15 October 1940

|introduced = 1941

|retired = 1956[http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/italy/af/ital-af2-all-time.htm aeroflight]

|status =

|primary user = Regia Aeronautica

|more users = Luftwaffe
Royal Hungarian Air Force

|produced = 1941-1944

|number built = 104[http://www.alieuomini.it/catalogo/dettaglio_catalogo/fiat_g,86.html Fiat G.12]

}}

The Fiat G.12 was an Italian transport aircraft of World War II.

Design and development

The G.12 was an all-metal low-wing cantilever personnel transport aircraft. It had three radial engines, one mounted on the nose and the other two in wing-mounted nacelles. The engines drove three-blade feathering metal propellers. The mainwheels of its landing gear retracted into the nacelles; the tailwheel was fixed. The flight deck and cabin were fully enclosed. Access was via a portside access door aft of the wing.

The G.12 was designed as a civil aircraft, but served mainly in military roles during the war. Only a limited number were built, some as late as 1944, after the Italian armistice. The G.12 inspired the postwar G.212 "Flying Classroom", the last Italian three-engine transporter. It had a crew of four.

Variants

;G.12C

:14-passenger transport aircraft, powered by three 574 kW (770 hp) Fiat A.74 R.C.42 radial engines.

;G.12 Gondar

:Long-range cargo transport aircraft.

;G.12GA

:Long-range transport aircraft, fitted with extra fuel tanks. Three built.

;G.12RT

:Special long-range version, built to fly between Rome and Tokyo. One built.

;G.12RTbis

:One built.

;G.12T

:Troop and cargo transport aircraft.

;G.12CA

:18-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 radial engines.

;G.12L

:22-passenger commercial airliner.

;G.12LA

:22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three Alfa Romeo 128 radial engines.

;G.12LB

:22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three 604 kW (810 hp) Bristol Pegasus 48 radial engines.

;G.12LP

:22-passenger commercial airliner, powered by three 793 kW (1,065 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S1C3-G Twin Wasp radial engines.

Operators

=Military operators=

; {{flag|Germany|Nazi}}

Luftwaffe

; {{flag|Hungary|1920}}

Royal Hungarian Air Force operated 12 aircraft

; {{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}

Regia Aeronautica

;{{ITA}}

Italian Air Force operated some aircraft until 1956

=Civil operators=

;{{flag|Kingdom of Italy}}

Avio Linee ItalianeStroud 1966, p. 417.

;{{ITA}}

Ali Flotti RiuniteStroud 1966, p. 418.
Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane

Specifications

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft Angelucci 1981, p.349.

|prime units?=met

|crew=4

|capacity=14 troops or 24 civilians

|length m=20.1

|length note=

|span m=28.6

|span note=

|height m=4.9

|height note=

|wing area sqm=113

|wing area note=Stroud 1994, p.68.

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=9420

|empty weight note=

|gross weight kg=15000

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

|eng1 number=3

|eng1 name=Fiat A.74 R.C.42

|eng1 type=14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines

|eng1 kw=574

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=3

|prop name=constant-speed propellers

|prop dia m=

|prop dia note=

|max speed kmh=390

|max speed note=at {{cvt|5000|m}}

|cruise speed kmh=303

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed note=

|range km=2300

|range note=

|combat range km=

|combat range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling m=8500

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|wing loading kg/m2=

|wing loading note=

|disk loading kg/m2=

|disk loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|power/mass=

|thrust/weight=

|more performance=

|guns=2 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns

|avionics=

}}

References

Bibliography

Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London:Jane's Publishing, 1981. {{ISBN|0-7106-0148-4}}.
Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, London, 1987.
{{cite journal |last1=de Marchi|first1=Italo|title=Les Fiat G. 12: 1^re période: avant et pendant la guerre|journal=Le Fana de l'Aviation |date=Oct 1982 |issue=155|pages=50–59 |issn=0757-4169 |language=fr|trans-title=Fiat G. 12: The 1st Period before and during the War}}
Stroud, John. European Transport Aircraft since 1910. London: Putnam, 1966.
Stroud, John. "Post War Propliners : Fiat G.12 and G.212". Aeroplane Monthly. Volume 23 No. 1, January 1994. London: IPC. Page 64-68.