Fiat CR 42bis Falco (J 11) 2543 at LinköpingPhotographed in the Flygvapenmuseum on 16 August 2006.
The last biplane to be manufactured by Fiat and the last to be used by the Swedish Air Force, these aircraft were bought as a stopgap by Sweden, the first 12 being assembled in Gothenburg in 1940 (2501-2512) and then used by F 3 Malmen for reconnaissance, although they had two 12.7 mm machine guns.
60 further CR 42s were then purchased, with assembly in Sweden beginning in January 1941 and completed on 23 September of that year. They were powered by 840 hp two-row 14-cylinder radial engines, of type Fiat A74R 1C 38. The construction standard was poor, and they only lasted a couple of years before being scrapped.The last ones were disposed of in March 1945.
Picture added on 15 March 2008
