#fiatg55

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Fiat G.55 Centauro in Luftwaffe Markings

One of the small number of Fiat G.55 Centauro fighters to wear Luftwaffe Markings

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Fiat G.55S Torpedo Fighter

The Fiat G.55S (silurante, meaning torpedo-carrier) was an experimental torpedo-fighter derivative of the Italian Fiat G.55 Centauro developed during the final phase of the Second World War. Conceived as a fast, single-engine alternative to traditional torpedo bombers, the G.55S reflected Italian attempts to modernise anti-shipping aviation in response to changing combat conditions in the Mediterranean.

Development Background

By 1942–43, Italian torpedo-bombing operations relied primarily on aircraft such as the SIAI‑Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero. Although effective earlier in the war, these medium bombers became increasingly vulnerable to improved Allied fighters and shipboard anti-aircraft defences. Italian planners therefore considered the “torpedo-fighter” concept: a high-performance single-seat aircraft capable of delivering a torpedo at speed and then defending itself or escaping using fighter-like manoeuvrability.

Initial work focused on a dedicated torpedo-fighter design, the G.57, but when that project was abandoned, engineers of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR) turned to adapting the G.55 instead.

Design Modifications

A standard production G.55 Serie I (serial MM.91086) was converted into the torpedo-fighter prototype, designated G.55/S. The principal modification involved enabling the aircraft to carry a large Whitehead torpedo weighing roughly 920–987 kg and measuring about 5.46 m in length.

To accommodate the torpedo, engineers significantly altered the aircraft’s underside configuration. The original ventral radiator was divided into two smaller radiators mounted under the wing roots, creating space beneath the fuselage for torpedo attachment racks. The tailwheel strut was lengthened and reinforced to prevent the torpedo’s fins from striking the ground during take-off or landing, and a streamlined fairing was added to reduce aerodynamic drag.

Armament remained broadly similar to the fighter configuration, typically consisting of three 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and two Breda-SAFAT machine guns, allowing the aircraft to retain a fighter-like offensive capability in addition to its anti-shipping role.

Testing and Performance

The modified aircraft first flew in August 1944 and underwent torpedo-carrying trials in early 1945, with test pilot Adriano Mantelli conducting evaluations. Reports indicated that, despite the heavy external load, performance remained satisfactory and handling acceptable for operational use.

Successful trials led the ANR to order a small pre-series batch of ten aircraft and to propose production of up to one hundred examples. However, Italy’s military collapse in 1945 ended further development before series production could begin.

Post-war Fate

Unlike many late-war experimental aircraft, the G.55S prototype survived the conflict. After the war it was converted back to standard fighter configuration and became the first G.55 delivered to the newly formed Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana). The airframe later served in testing roles and was eventually converted into a G.59-series aircraft using a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine.

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Fiat G.55 Centauro in Regia Aeronautica Service

The G.55 made its operational debut with the Regia Aeronautica in early 1943, entering a small number of frontline units as production commenced. Initial deliveries equipped units such as the 353ª Squadriglia of the 20º Gruppo, 51º Stormo, based at Rome-Ciampino. Before the Armistice of Cassibile (8 September 1943) that ended hostilities between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies, only a limited batch — typically cited as about 35 aircraft including prototypes and early production standards — had been delivered to the Regia Aeronautica. Some of these early aircraft saw protective sorties over Rome and Sardinia, including interceptions against Allied bombers, though the scale of operations remained small due to production constraints and the rapidly deteriorating strategic situation.

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Fiat G.55 Centauro in ANR Service

The Fiat G.55 Centauro was one of the most capable Italian fighter aircraft to see operational service in the final phase of the Second World War, and it became particularly associated with the fighter units of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR), the air arm of the Italian Social Republic in northern Italy after the September 1943 armistice.

Before Italy’s armistice, the G.55 had entered limited service with the Regia Aeronautica in 1943. The aircraft quickly demonstrated strong performance against Allied fighters, especially at medium and high altitudes. After the armistice divided Italy, production facilities in northern Italy fell under German control, allowing continued manufacture of the type for ANR units.

The ANR inherited a small but valuable number of G.55 fighters, which became central to its air-defence mission.

The G.55’s armament, typically consisting of three 20 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm machine guns. Its Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine provided competitive performance compared with contemporary Allied fighters such as the P-51 Mustang and Spitfire, although ANR units operated under severe logistical constraints.

The aircraft’s complex manufacturing process meant production remained slow. Industrial disruption, material shortages, and Allied bombing further reduced output during ANR service.

As a result, only a limited number of G.55s were available to ANR fighter groups at any given time. Maintenance difficulties and fuel shortages further constrained operations in the final months of the war.

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Fiat G.55 Centauro in Service With Syria

The Italian Fiat G.55 Centauro had a brief but interesting post-war career in Middle Eastern air forces, including Syria. Although originally designed as one of Italy’s most capable late-Second World War fighters, in Syrian service it functioned mainly as a transitional aircraft during the early development of the Syrian Air Force.

Acquisition by Syria

In the late 1940s, Syria sought to build a modern air arm amid growing regional tensions following the creation of Israel. As part of this expansion, the country purchased several Italian aircraft types, including the Fiat G.55 and related trainer variants.

Between January and September 1949, Syria received about 12 single-seat Fiat G.55A fighters and one two-seat G.55B trainer, aircraft diverted from Italian production lines originally intended for the Italian Air Force. Some aircraft that eventually reached Syria had complicated export histories, including transfers involving Argentina and Egypt before entering Syrian service.

These aircraft represented some of the Syrian Air Force’s first modern fighters and were acquired alongside other piston-engine types such as the Supermarine Spitfire.

Role in Syrian Service

By the time Syria received the Centauro, the aircraft was no longer a front-line fighter by global standards. Nevertheless, it remained fast, manoeuvrable, and well-armed for regional conditions. Powered by the Fiat RA.1050 R.C.58 engine (licence built DB 605A), the G.55 could reach roughly 620 km/h and typically carried machine guns and cannon armament, although Syrian aircraft often used machine guns in the wings instead of cannon.

In Syrian use, the G.55 served primarily as:

an advanced fighter trainer

a secondary fighter aircraft

a pilot conversion platform for more modern types

The aircraft were reportedly based at Aleppo, where they supported pilot training programmes. Among those who trained on the type was Hafiz al-Assad, who later became President of Syria.

Operational Context

The Syrian G.55s entered service during the turbulent period following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Aircraft from both Syria and Egypt saw limited involvement in clashes with Israeli forces, though documentation of specific combat missions involving Syrian G.55s is scarce.

The Centauro’s operational life in Syria was short. Rapid technological change in aviation during the early 1950s made piston-engine fighters obsolete. Syria soon transitioned to British-supplied aircraft such as the Gloster Meteor jet fighter, which began arriving in the early 1950s.

Most Syrian G.55s were withdrawn from service by roughly 1953, as jets replaced them in operational roles.

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Fiat G.55 Centauro in Argentine Service

Argentina purchased 30 Fiat G.55A fighters and 15 G.55B trainers in 1947. The aircraft were shipped from Italy in crates and assembled locally, entering service later that year. They were assigned primarily to fighter units based at El Plumerillo in Mendoza, where they were used both as operational interceptors and as advanced trainers for pilots transitioning to modern, high-performance monoplanes.

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Fiat G.55 Centauro in Egyptian Service

The Royal Egyptian Air Force (REAF) operated a small number of Fiat G.55 Centauro fighters in the immediate post-Second World War period, primarily during and shortly after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Deliveries began in 1948 alongside other Italian fighter types, including the Macchi C.205. The aircraft were assigned primarily to No. 5 Fighter Squadron, operating from Almaza airfield near Cairo. The G.55s were finished in desert camouflage similar to British RAF colour schemes commonly used by the Egyptian air force at the time. The G.55 saw limited combat use during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Like many piston fighters acquired by Middle Eastern air forces in the late 1940s, the Egyptian G.55 fleet remained in service only briefly. As surplus British and American aircraft and early jet fighters became available in the early 1950s, the Centauro was gradually withdrawn from frontline duties.

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Fiat G-59 Restoration Completed and search for evidence of color used in this big old G-55 model with its original metal sky blue color of FIAT.

Fiat G.59 Restoration Completed

Following the first restoration stage in 2013, the following year saw the beginning of the actual restoration work, which consisted in some