A wonderful drawing of Fiat G 91 PAN version that equipped the best Demonstration Team all over the world : Frecce Tricolori of Italian Air Force

Fiat G 91Y of 101st fighter squadron of 8th Fighter Wing of Italian Air Force, at that time based in Cervia AB, Italy

Fiat G 91 T ( trainer ) of Advanced Jet School of Italian Air Force
A picture taken before 1982 when Frecce Tricolori, Italian Demonstration Team flew the Fiat G 91
A Fiat G 91 R3 in the colours of a Portugal squadron during a Tiger Meet




Fiat G 91R won a contest made from NATO for a light tactical fighter on December 1953. Just to confirm how good was this fighter, the second place in this contest was covered from Northrop F 5 " Freedom Fighter ". Fiat G 91 didn't equip the European Air Forces even if served in three of them, Italy, West Germany and Portugal. The project engineer was Giuseppe Gabrielli and the first flight was made on August 9th of 1956 and during the technical evaluation in France on 1957, it soddisfied all the NATO requirements. The initial serial version of the Fiat G 91R was a light fighter for the close air support in the battle field. First examples were delivered to Italian Air Force in 1958 and in 1959 became an operative plane of Italian Air Force. After extended tests, this excellent plane was adopted from West German Air Force ( Luftwaffe) and an agreement between Italy and German had been stipulated to produce the G 91 in West Germany by Flugzeug Union Sud (Messerschmitt-Dornier-Heinkel). Fiat G 91R was a light fighter, easy to fly and a well tested plane with the base version that has been consequently developed to carry more weapons. A reconnaissance version was made and in 1957 and in 1959 flew for the first time. Three Vinten cameras of 70 mm were placed in the noise and this version was called R/1A. Ten examples had been evaluated from USAF in 1961-1962. Other versions were made, R/1B ( reenforced structure with same differences in the equipment ), R/3 where two 30 mm cannons were installed instead of the four 12.7 miniguns. Also, a Doppler radar was installed together with an autopilot. First Luftwaffe ( West German Air Force ) wing had been equipped with G 91R/3 in May 5th of 1962 and a total of 344 examples served with this Air Forcer, seventy-two of them built in Italy. For the Germany, Fiat G 91 represented the first combat fighter built in Germany from the end of WWII. R/3 version was also tested from US. ARMY in 1961.A further version called G 91 R/4 was developed and fifty examples should had been delivered to Greece and Turkey, but at the last moment, routed to Germany. Fourty examples in 1965 went to Portugal that used them in the war. Fiat G 91 also served from 1961 to 1982 with the best acrobatic team all over the world, the Frecce Tricolori based in Rivolto, Udin Italy.

Aeritalia Fiat G 91Y was a version developed from the structure of the Fiat G 91T. G 91Y was powered from two general Electric J85-GE-13A engines with a 60% more of power thrust. Main structure had more weight than G 91R but with the possibility to carry more fuel and more weapons. First flight was made on December 27th of 1966 and after positive trials, a total of twenty examples were ordered from Italian Air Force with further thirty-five in another batch. This plane served only with Italian Air Force ( 8th Wing and 32nd Wing) and other two versions were made and called G 91Y/T ( advanced trainer ) and G 91Y/S ( for the Swiss ), but without success. The capacity of reconnaissance was maintained in this plane.

Fiat G 91T has been used for the advanced training was built in 1958 without too much modification in the main structure. Simply more space was created to install another seat. First flight om May 31st of 1960 powered from a Bristol Orpheus BOr. 803 . A total of seventy-six examples were made fom Italian Air Force with the designation of T/1, different from another version called T/3 for different equipments. T/3 version was made for West German Air Force in sixty-six examples. Last G 91 T/3 has been delivered to West German Air Force on October 19th of 1972. A version called T/4 didn't have success. This version had some F 104 G equipments.





FIAT G 91 : VARIANTS

Fiat G 91 R/1 : version equipped with three Vinten 70 mm cameras in the noise. First example flew on 1959, this version had a good impression in USA where USAF had ten example to trial tests on 1961 and 1962
Fiat G 91 R/1A : similar at R/1 version, had improving on navigation instruments, the same present on R/3 version
Fiat G 91 R/1B : version built with a stronger structure that served in Italian Air Force
Fiat G 91 R/3 : version that followed at the R/1B version, was built following the specification of West Germany. It was armed with two 30 mm cannons and had a Dopple radar together with an autopilot. First Luftwaffe squadron was equipped on May 5th 1962. Following an Industrial agreement between Italy and Germany, three hundred and fourty-four examples had beem built. Two examples were delivered for trial tests to US ARMY on 1961
Fiat G 91 R/4 : similar at R/3 version but with same armament of R/1. Fifty examples went to West Germany and later to Portugal under MAP program (Military Aid Program)
Fiat G 91 T/1 : version built like advanced trainer, first flight on May 31st 1960, entered in service with Italian Air Force under T/1 designation
Fiat G 91 T/3 : version built like advanced trainer for Germany, had different instruments. Last example built in Germany had been delivered to Luftwaffe on October 19th 1972
Fiat G 91 T/4 : only a project but had been thought to install the same instruments of Lockheed F 104 G
Fiat G 91 PAN : version used from Frecce Tricolori, aerial demonstration team of Italian Air Force, the best all over the world. It was a R/1 version and served with Frecce Tricolori from 1961 till 1982
Fiat G 91 Y : version with two General Electric J-85 GE-13-A engines, protected cockpit, zero-zero ejection seat; its structure was based on G 91 T structure with more 60 % of power thrust. Had nr. two 30 mm DEFA cannons. Two prototypes had been built, flew for the first time on December 27th 1966. Served with Italian Air Force with 32nd Wing and 8th Wing.
Fiat G 91 Y/T : a basic trainer of G 91 Y, only a study
Fiat G 91 Y/S : version developed for Swiss but never built





TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
FIAT G 91

Primary Function
:
Monoseat tactical fighter to reconnaissance and attack
Contractor
:
Aeritalia (Fiat)-(Italy)
Power Plant
:
nr. one Bristol Siddeley Orpheus 803 engine of 2268 Kilos of power thrust
Maximum Speed at sea level
:
668 mph (1075 km/h)
Economical Cruise Speed
:
404 mph (650 km/h)
Ceiling
:
42968 feet
(13100 metres)
Combat Range
:
199 mi.
(320 kilometres)
Empty Weight
:
6820 lbs (3100 kilos)
Normal Operative Takeoff Weight
:
11968 lbs.(5440 kilos)
Maximum Takeoff Weight
:
12100 lbs.(5500 kilos)
Wingspan
:
28,08 feet
(8,56 metres)
Lenght
:
33,78 feet
(10,30 metres)
Height
:
3,12 feet (4 metres)
Wing Area
:
176,73 sq. ft.
(16,42 m2)
Armament
:
four Colt Browning miniguns of 12,7 mm with 300 rounds, three Vinten cameras of 70 mm, four points to carry two bombs of 500 lbs. ( 227 kg ), fuel tanks, rockets, pods for minigun rounds
Operators
:
West Germany, Italy, Portugal





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