G.55S

G.55S

G.55S

Italy

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
5.3	5.0	4.7

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

Purchase:4 300

This page is about the gift Italian fighter G.55S. For other versions, see G.55 sottoserie 0 and G.55 serie 1.

Description

The G.55S is a gift rank IV Italian fighter with a battle rating of 5.3 (AB), 5.0 (RB), and 4.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica" as a pre-order prior to the update that also allowed access into the Italian Closed Beta Test. The G.55S was discontinued after the 2019 Summer sales.

A model of the G.55 Centauro converted for a torpedo-bombing role, the G.55S has the ability to engage naval targets while keeping the air attack characteristics of the G.55 model.

The main purpose of the G.55S historically was to fulfil the role as a torpedo fighter. In game, the G.55S can easily fulfil its designed role on maps such as Norway. It can fly to Light Cruisers, drop its payload, and then proceed to jump in on any nearby fight to engage enemy aircraft.

When the G.55S is not being used as a torpedo fighter, the G.55S would be best used as a low to medium altitude fighter, between the altitudes of 2 to 5 kilometers. With three MG 151/20 autocannons, it will make short work of all fighters and with careful aiming, can be used to effectively attack and damage heavy fighters and light or medium bombers.

Attacking targets that have defensive armaments in this plane (eg: bombers, heavy fighters, planes with defensive gunners) is not recommended. Fiat G.55 series aircraft (in general) do not have much armour. The armour is only comprised of a 50 mm bullet proof windshield as well as an 8 mm armoured steel seat. There are no armoured headrests or armoured floor plates to offer increased pilot protection from bullets coming from underneath or behind the plane.

General info

Flight performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 6,500 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
611	596	10000	19.9	20.6	15.7	15.7	300
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 6,500 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
659	634	10000	18.1	19.0	22.7	18.8	300

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
		460	~9	~4

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 400	< 420	< 450	> 715

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
5,700 m	1,260 hp	1,399 hp

Survivability and armour

• 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
• 50 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen

Armaments

Offensive armament

The G.55S is armed with:

• 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, nose-mounted (250 rpg)
• 2 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, wing-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)

Suspended armament

The G.55S can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x F200/450 torpedo
• 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (100 kg total)
• 2 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (200 kg total)

Usage in battles

Arcade Battle: Once in the game, climb to a good altitude. Its great climb rate ensures that the G.55S can easily gain an altitude advantage over their adversaries for the best tactical situation for the plane. Once altitude superiority has been achieved, practice Boom & Zoom tactics against enemy planes and take them out in high-speed fly-bys. Due to the low armour on the G.55S, it is not recommended to loiter about to minimise the time being targeted by enemy vehicles.

With three 20 mm auto cannons, a good burst on a target can cripple an enemy aircraft. Due to the effect of the rounds, swooping down onto a bomber or attacker by the wing can easily shred off one wing, whereas a fighter could simply explode into a fireball once hit with a sufficient amount of 20 mm shells.

As Arcade Battles does away the liberty of returning to the airfield to reload and some other traits that would be a problem to the pilot, it is entirely possible to enter the battlefield wielding bombs and torpedoes for a fighter-bomber role. Fly towards the enemy ground/naval targets and bomb away, then while the payload reloads, climb up to a sufficient altitude and focus on fighting enemy planes while the reload time ticks down slowly. With the great climb rate, it is rather easy to transition between the two tactics while retaining energy for sufficient speed and mobility against the enemy.

In Realistic Battles when used as a fighter, the plane is highly capable, but it has some weaknesses that need to be avoided. This plane does not climb as well as other aircraft like the C.202 Folgore, however it still is a capable climber. Climbing to 4-5,000 m is a breeze, and many opponents will be at or below that altitude. It should be noted that WEP will increase the rate of climb, but the G.55S has a tendency to quickly run hot and then overheat so it is best to climb at 100% throttle. Use intermittent WEP at discretion, climbing to altitude with only 100% throttle doesn't take that much longer.

It should be noted that while the G.55S is rated for speed at 6,500 m, that the rate of climb falls significantly at approximately 5,000-5,250 m from ~21 m/s to ~10 m/s.

Time to climb to 4,500 m was approximately four and a half minutes, 5,500 m took approximately 6 minutes (both from a standing start on the runway, utilizing 100% throttle).

Above ~800 km/h (~500 mph) (TAS), the elevators will stiffen considerably, hence controlling the pitch of the aircraft would be much more difficult. At 915 km/h (~570 mph) (TAS) both wings will rip off while displaying an error of exceeding an 840 km/h speed limit.

When flying the Fiat G.55S, it will perform optimally from ~1 km to ~4 km. This gives space to climb away with a high rate of climb if trying to pull away from someone, or to have a chance to dive away from a battle. It performs well above ~280 km/h and it can use combat flaps to make quick turns below ~425 km/h. While it won't hold a turn as well as a Spitfire, it is manoeuvrable and turns better than many American aircraft.

Simulator Battle: From someone with little experience with "Full Control" and mouse joystick: It was simple to take off with slow throttle input and seemed docile.

Visibility in the cockpit when attempting to look around leaves a lot to be desired - the headrest behind the pilot is not given any armour value for pilot protection, but does a wonderful job at blocking rear visibility. There are no mirrors to use, and the canopy has some fairly thick metal sections that block portions of view out to the left and right.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator			MCGP50
II		Compressor	Airframe
III	Wings repair	Engine		Offensive 20 mm	MCSAP100
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 20 mm cannons

Pros and cons

Pros:

• 20 mm cannons is more than enough for most enemy planes you will meet
• Nose-mounted 20 mm allows better accuracy as compared to planes with armaments mounted on the wings
• 650 ammo capacity is more than enough to take down multiple planes with the exceptional 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons
• Ability to mount torpedoes, which the regular version lacks
• Good climb rate
• Exceptional low and mid-altitude performance
• Relatively robust airframe
• Good turn and roll rate

Cons:

• Lack of armour means the pilot is more prone to being knocked out in a head-on pass but this is not too much of a problem because of the effectiveness of the nose-mounted 20 mm which are great in head-ons
• Roll and yaw is limited at high speeds
• Poor aileron authority at low speeds
• Engine overheats quickly- constant WEP usage is not possible
• Metal beams on canopy window obstruct first person view

History

Early Italian fighter planes were mainly built over the Italian copy of the DB 601 engine, such as the C.202 Folgore. However, with the appearance of the DB 605 engine and the acquirement by Italy on its licensed production as the Fiat RA. 1050, the Italian aircraft manufacturers moved on to produce a more capable aircraft that could exploit this engine's power.

Giuseppe Gabrielli, an aeronautic engineer working with Fiat and was responsible for the G.50 Freccia, started on an aircraft design around the DB 605, which would eventually be known as the G.55. The first prototype of the G.55, known as the Sottoserie 0, flew on 30 April 1942, piloted by Valentino Cus and showed it had very favourable flight characteristics. The armament arrangement was considered troublesome to reload, so the layout was modified and this later design became known as the serie 1. The prototype flew against the Macchi C.205 and the Reggiane Re.2005 that were also built around the DB 605 and proved the second best performing of the three. It was eventually adopted for mass production alongside the C.205 for the Regia Aeronautica and named the Centauro (Centaur). 1,800 G.55 were commissioned to be built, which was later raised to 2,400 planes. Despite these optimistic production plans, only 274 were produced during the war, with 75 more made after the war. The planes served in both the Regia Aeronautica and then the pro-Axis Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana after Italy after their 1943 Armistice.

G.55S

Initially, the Regia Aeronautica used the Sparviero medium bomber as its plane of choice for combating ships with torpedoes. As World War II progressed, Sparviero bombers were met with more and more advanced allied fighters, and the decision was made to acquire an aircraft that was capable of carrying a torpedo faster, that could also have some possibility of fighting allied fighters on more equal footing. Initially, Fiat considered adapting the G.55 to carry a torpedo, but Fiat decided that a new design - the G.57, would be more suited to the task, and would utilize a radial engine. After the project for the G.57 fell through, Fiat returned to the idea of adapting the G.55 as a torpedo fighter.

A production G.55 was taken by Fiat, and the modifications commenced to transform it into a torpedo fighter. Modifications included changing the single radiator for two radiators moved to each side of where the torpedo would be mounted, lengthening the tail wheel as well as giving it a stiffer shock to handle the added weight of a torpedo, as well as a small cowling added to reduce the drag of the rear tail wheel. After modification, the G.55 was capable of mounting a 920 kg torpedo, fulfilling its design role as a torpedo fighter that could engage allied fighters when needed.

Although an order was placed for ten initial aircraft and 100 production aircraft, when World War II came to a halt in Europe, so did the contract. The sole prototype fighter, designated as the G.55S, was converted back to the Serie 1 standard and continued service in the Aeronautica Militare Italiana, the post-war Italian air force.

Media

Premium Vehicles: G.55 Silurante

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

• [Development] Fiat G.55 Centauro - "A Dual Personality"