F.C.20 Bis
Contents
Description
The F.C.20 Bis is a rank I Italian strike aircraft with a battle rating of 2.0 (AB/RB) and 2.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update "New Power".
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 3,700 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 425 | 410 | 7500 | 26.0 | 27.2 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 600 |
| Upgraded | 456 | 439 | 24.1 | 25.0 | 8.1 | 6.4 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| X | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 280 | N/A | 320 | 260 | ~9 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 280 | < 280 | < 410 | > 250 |
Survivability and armour
- 8 mm of steel in the nose in front of the pilot
- 8 mm of steel in the floor of the cockpit
- 8 mm of steel of the pilot seat
- 8 mm of steel in rear fuselage
- 38 mm bulletproof glass in front of pilot
- Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in each wing)
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Offensive armament
The F.C.20 Bis is armed with:
- 1 x 37 mm Breda Model 39 37/45 cannon, nose-mounted (42 rpg)
- 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, wing-mounted (350 rpg = 700 total)
Suspended armament
The F.C.20 Bis can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (100 kg total)
- 2 x 100 kg GP 100T bombs (200 kg total)
- 2 x 100 kg SAP 100M bombs (200 kg total)
- 2 x 160 kg A.P 160 bombs (320 kg total)
Defensive armament
The F.C.20 Bis is defended by:
- 1 x 12.7 mm Scotti machine gun, turret (650 rpg)
Usage in battles
The F.C.20 Bis isn't great fighting against other planes, but if you attack an unaware enemy when you have the opportunity, take advantage of the 37 mm cannon with HE rounds to take out the objective quickly and escape from the scene. When attacking ground targets use APHE rounds with the 37 mm cannon to easily penetrate the roofs of heavy armoured targets or destroy the lightly armoured ones. The 160 kg bombs are also decent at taking out enemies.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Controllable | Controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Separate | Not controllable 1 gear |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good ground attack capabilities
- Has a quick firing 37 mm (with 49 mm AP penetration)
- Payloads can serve a variety of different purposes
- Defensive turret has a 180° turn radius, covering a wide range
Cons:
- Mediocre climb rate
- Heavy plane
- Weak engines
- Catches fire easily
- Rather underwhelming defensive armament
- Loses a lot of speed in turns
- Not very fast for its BR
History
History
The multi-role attacker FIAT CANSA F.C.20 was developed by the Giacomo Mosso, an Italian aeronautic engineer, after the experience made with Ing. Rosatelli on the CR.25, he decided, in order to reduce design time, to adopt for the new aircraft the side wings, engines and undercarriage of the twin-engine FIAT.
Thus the F.C.20 (FIAT CANSA 20) was built and was proposed to the Regia Aeronautica in competition with the Caproni-Bargamasche Ca.331, AUT.45 of the Aeronautica Umbra, Ambrosini SAI.9 and IMAM Ro.61.
The Aeronautical Administration ordered two examples of Ca.331, AUT.45 (later cancelled) and F.C.20, the order was communicated to CANSA and on 15 October 1938 the two prototypes were assigned serial numbers MM 403 and MM 404.
The F.C.20 continued its evaluation cycle at Guidonia, without arousing any particular enthusiasm and probably would have been abandoned if, at the request of the new Chief of Staff General Fouger, the competition for an assault and ground attack aircraft had not been announced together with that for a twin-engine dive-bombing aircraft.
CANSA immediately saw the chance to save its aircraft and immediately undertook the transformation of the two prototypes.
New versions of the F.C.20 were thus born, one of which, the F.C.20Bis, was to be a a true remake of the original aircraft. The most noticeable renovations were in the fuselage, which underwent extensive structural and architectural modifications.
The crew area was protected by armoring the front fuselage, the rear turret, the floor and the pilot's seat. The crew was reduced to only two persons: pilot and gunner-radio operator.
The armament consisted of a Breda 37/45 gun from two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns fixed in the fighter with 350 shots each, and a 12.7 mm "Scotti" mounted in a Caproni Lanciani Delta E dorsal turret with 500 shots.
In addition to the 250 kg wing attachments, the installation of a "Nardi" ventral splitter with 2 kg anti-personnel bombs was also planned, but it does not appear that this was installed.
Other variants:
- F.C.20
- F.C.20Ter
- F.C.20Quater
Italian military service
Few production FC.20Bis were built and it is known that three served the 174th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron in July 1943 but were not used operationally. Italian military operations ceased with the armistice of September 1943.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
External links
| Fiat Aviation (Fiat Aviazione) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | CR.32 · CR.32 bis · CR.32 quater |
| CR.42 · Marcolin's C.R.42 CN · ▀Marcolin's C.R.42 CN | |
| G.50 serie 2 · G.50 AS serie 7 | |
| G.55 sottoserie 0 · G.55 serie 1 · G.55S | |
| G.56 | |
| Jet fighters | G.91 pre-serie · G.91 R/1 · G.91 Y · G.91 YS |
| ▄F-86K* | |
| ▄F-104G* · F-104S* · F-104S.ASA* · ▄F-104S TAF* | |
| Strike aircraft | F.C.20 Bis |
| Bombers | B.R.20DR · B.R.20M M1 |
| Export/Captured | J11 · ▀CR.42 |
| ▀G.50 serie 2 · ▀G.50 AS serie 7 | |
| ◄G.91 R/3 · ◄G.91 R/4 · G.91 R/4 | |
| *Licensed | |
| See also | North American Aviation · Lockheed Martin |
| Italy strike aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Ba.65 (K.14) L · Breda 88 (P.XI) · F.C.20 Bis · P.108A serie 2 | |
| Ro.57 Quadriarma · SM.91 · SM.92 | |
| Hungary | ◐Bf 110 G-4 · ◔IL-10 |
| Romania | Hs 129 B-2 (Romania) |
