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 === Germany Luftwaffe Hungary Royal Hungarian Air Force operated 12 aircraft Kingdom of Italy Regia Aeronautica Italy Italian Air Force operated some aircraft until 1956
=== Civil operators === Kingdom of Italy Avio Linee Italiane Italy Ali Flotti Riunite Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane
== Specifications == Data from World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft General characteristics Crew: 4 Capacity: 14 troops or 24 civilians Length: 20.1 m (65 ft 11 in) Wingspan: 28.6 m (93 ft 10 in) Height: 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in) Wing area: 113 m2 (1,220 sq ft) Empty weight: 9,420 kg (20,768 lb) Gross weight: 15,000 kg (33,069 lb) Powerplant: 3 × Fiat A.74 R.C.42 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 574 kW (770 hp) each Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers Performance
Maximum speed: 390 km/h (240 mph, 210 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft) Cruise speed: 303 km/h (188 mph, 164 kn) Range: 2,300 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi) Service ceiling: 8,500 m (27,900 ft) Armament
Guns: 2 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns
See also
Related development
Fiat G.212 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Junkers Ju 52 Douglas DC-3 SM.79 Sparviero Savoia-Marchetti SM.81
Related lists
List of aircraft of World War II
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. de Marchi, Italo (Oct 1982). "Les Fiat G. 12: 1re période: avant et pendant la guerre" [Fiat G. 12: The 1st Period before and during the War]. Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (155): 50–59. ISSN 0757-4169. 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.
External links
picture of Fiat G.12