Fiat BR.20 "Чиконья": Первый итальянский всеметаллический бомбардировщик

The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a low wing twin engine medium bomber that was developed and manufactured by Italian aircraft company Fiat. It holds the distinction of being the first all metal Italian bomber to enter service; at the time, it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bombers in the world. The BR.20 has its origins in a request by the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) issued during 1934 for a new medium bomber capable of high speeds, long range, and satisfactory payload, reliability, and flight characteristics compared to contemporaries. Among the companies that chose to respond was Fiat, which completed its design for the competition during 1935. On 10 February 1936, the first prototype (serial number M. M.274) conducted its maiden flight. Flight testing proceeded at a rapid pace; during September 1936, initial deliveries of the type commenced to the Regia Aeronautica. During summer 1937, the BR.20 received its baptism of fire when a number were operated by the Aviazione Legionaria during the Spanish Civil War; the BR 20 came to form the backbone of Nationalist bombing operations, along with the German built Heinkel He 111. It was also used in combat during the 1930s with relative success by the licence built Japanese examples during the Second Sino Japanese War. During 1939, a modified long range BR.20 version (designated BR.20L) named Santo Francesco under the command of Maner Lualdi performed a highly publicised non stop flight from Rome to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Upon the entry of Italy into the Second World War during mid 1940, the BR.20 served as the standard medium bomber of the Regia Aeronautica, however, by that point, the type was already approaching obsolescence. By 1942, the aircraft was mostly used for maritime patrol and operational training for bomber crews.

During 1934, the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) issued a request to Italian aviation manufacturers, asking them to submit their proposals for the production of a new medium bomber; the specifications called for it to be capable of speeds of 330 km/h (205 mph) at 4,500 m (15,000 ft) and 385 km/h (239 mph) at 5,000 m (16,400 ft), a 1,000 km (620 mi) range and 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) bombload. Various companies chose to respond, including Piaggio, Macchi, Breda, Caproni and Fiat; the majority of these offered aircraft that would have exceeded the speed requirements, but not the sought range; additionally, not all designs exhibited satisfactory flight characteristics or reliability levels.

The BR.20 moved swiftly through its design and development phases, the design itself being finalized during 1935. On 10 February 1936, the first prototype (serial number M. M.274) performed its maiden flight from Turin, flown by Fiat test pilot Rolandi. Following the first flight, it was transferred to Guidonia Montecelio within the Metropolitan City of Rome for an accelerated evaluation programme. The final production variant was the BR.20bis, which was effectively a complete redesign of the aircraft. It featured a fully glazed nose, a retractable tail wheel, and more streamlined fuselage, pointed fins, although the principal change involved was increased engine power from a pair of 932 kW (1,250 hp) Fiat A.82 RC 42 radial engines, along with an improved and heavier armament. The nose held a simple machine gun position rather than the turret used on earlier aircraft and two waist blisters were fitted over the wing trailing edge while the dorsal turret was a Breda Type V instead of the earlier Caproni Lanciani type. However, plans for production was delayed, in part due to technical issues that took time to resolve, and a decision by the Regia Aeronautica to place large orders for the competing CRDA CANT Z.1018 instead. Originally, 98 aircraft were ordered, but only 15 BR.20bis were built from March to July 1943, with heavy Allied bombing of Fiat's Turin factory preventing further production. There is no evidence that any of these were deployed under operation circumstances. Various experimental versions were developed. These included the BR.20C, a gunship with a 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon in the nose, while another aircraft was modified with a tricycle undercarriage. Yet another aircraft was modified to guide radio commanded unmanned aircraft filled with explosives, but it was never used in combat. The BR.20 possessed a twin tail configuration and a nose section that was separated into cockpit and navigator stations, while the twin tail arrangement allowed a good field of fire from the dorsal gun turret. The navigator/bomb aimer sat at a station located within the nose; this position was equipped with both bombsights and a vertical camera. Another two or three crew members occupied the nose and the mid fuselage, performing functions as the radio operator, navigator and gunners. The radio operator was also the ventral gunner, while the last crew member was the dorsal gunner. During 1939, a modified long range BR.20 version, designated as the BR.20L, named Santo Francesco under the command of Maner Lualdi performed a highly publicised non stop flight from Rome to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during which an average speed of 390 km/h (240 mph) was recorded. The modified aircraft carried 5,000 L (1,321 US gal) of fuel which increased its range from 3,000 km (1,864 mi) to 4,500 km (2,800 mi). The BR.20L was also used to test a newly developed autopilot built by Microtecnica.

During the mid to late 1930s, the Spanish Civil War was waged between right wing nationalist and left wing Republican factions. However, the conflict quickly led to the Great Powers of the era participating to various degrees in support of their favoured side. During June 1937, Italy deployed six of its newly delivered BR.20 bombers to Tablada, outside Seville, Spain, for use by the Aviazione Legionaria as a part of its contribution in support of Francisco Franco's Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War. On 15 November 1937, the newly operational squadron commenced daily missions against Republican targets, usually without the support of a fighter escort. During the civil war, the type had frequently participated in bombing raids across various areas of the nation, including the Teruel and Ebro; during these engagements, the BR.20 proved to be a sturdy and accurate bomber. When flown at an operational altitude of 13,000 ft, the BR.20s were fast enough to generally avoid interception by Republican aligned aircraft such as the Polikarpov I 15 and Polikarpov I 16 fighters that were unable to challenge the BR.20. During early 1938, the first BR.20 were shipped to Dalian, Liaoning, in Japanese controlled Northeast China, after which they were transported on for assembly and flight testing purposes. The aircraft of the 7°, 13° and 43° Stormo fought in the brief campaign against France. On 15 June, one BR.20M (Matricola Militare MM. 21837) of the newly formed 172a Squadriglia Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre based on Bresso airfield, was shot down over Provence On the night of 24 October, the 13° and 43° took off for their first bombing mission, over Harwich, deploying eight BR.20s each. One bomber crashed on takeoff, as a result of engine failure, while two more got lost on their return, failing to find their airfield and their crews bailing out. On 29 October, 15 aircraft of 43° Stormo bombed Ramsgate, in daylight, with no loss. The BR.20s of the Corpo Aereo Italiano nevertheless bombed both Ipswich and Harwich on the nights of 5, 17, 20, 29 November, three times in December and twice at the beginning of January, with no losses suffered. During 12 days of bombing missions, the “Cicognas” dropped 54,320 kg (119,755 lbs); three aircraft were lost to enemy fire, 17 more for other reasons and 15 airmen were killed. Almost 200 modern aircraft were engaged in the campaign, which involved an opportunity cost in the form of weakening the Regia Aeronauticas presence in the Mediterranean.

On 27 February 1941, 14 Cicogne of 98° Gruppo, 43° Stormo, that had been in service with Corpo Aereo Italiano in Belgium, led by commander De Wittembeschi, left Italy bound for Tripolitania, in Libya. While North Africa was never considered to have been a primary theater for the Cicogna, 13 Stormo (Wing) was deployed there to continue the night attacks against the British between July 1941 and April 1942. One of the last sorties occurred on 7 March 1942, when two BR.20s strafed Arab troops serving with the British forces near Oberdan village; subsequently, 11° and 43° Gruppi started their withdrawal to the Italian mainland. but, in less than three months, the units had lost 12 BR.20s. In addition to bombing missions, the BR.20s also performed anti submarine patrols in the theatre. But within the first month those units too lost nine aircraft as a result of accidents or to enemy fire. The attrition rate of the bombers remained relatively high; as such, BR.20 equipped units continued to be rotated to bases on Sicily to continue the offensive against Malta though 1941 and 1942.