Italy’s most important fighter of the late 1930s, the CR32 biplane was first flown in August 1933 as a development of the CR30 using the same type of metal/fabric-covered all-metal structure and Warren-type interplane bracing but with smaller overall dimensions plus improved performance and agility, and Fiat A 30 RA engine.
First flown on 28 April 1933, the initial production series of 24 was supplied to China. Between March 1934 and February 1936, 282 CR.32s were delivered to the Regia Aeronautica and this fighter first saw active service in the Spanish Civil War with the Aviacion del Tercio in August 1936.
The CR.32 was numerically and operationally the most important fighter fielded by the Nationalists and their Italian allies in the Spanish Civil War, and the first 12 examples reached Nationalist units in Morocco as early as August 1936. A total of 377 of this type were sent to Spain, where they equipped the Nationalists’ 2-G-3 and 3-G-3 fighter units as well as five Italian gruppi. The CR.32 was faster in level flight and in the dive than the 1-15, and was also better armed when there arrived the CR.32bis and CR.32ter with heavier machine-guns; and by comparison with the -16 the CR.32 was more agile and more heavily armed. By a judicious use of tactics, therefore, Nationalist and Italian pilots were generally able to prevail over the Republican fighters.
The initial CR.32 delivered in 1935 had the 447-kW (600-hp) Fiat A.30 RAbis engine and two 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-guns, and these 350 aircraft were followed by 283 examples of the CR.32bis close-support version.
The CR.32bis had the improved 600 hp A 30 Rabis engine, two 12.7 mm and two 7.7-mm (0.303-in) machine-guns
Forty-five similar examples were supplied to Austria and 52 to Hungary (who eventually acquired 38 from Austria).
Next came 150 examples of an improved CR32, the CR.32ter for the Regia Aeronautica in July-December 1937, with revised landing gear and improved equipment, and the final aircraft here 337 CR.32quater fighters essentially similar to the CR.32ter but with a lightened structure and updated equipment.
Examples similar to the V were purchased by Paraguay (5) and Venezuela (9).
It was used in the early months of World War II in Greece and East Africa.
Hispano Aviacion SA manufactured over 100 Fiat CR. 32quater biplane fighter as the HA-132-1 Chirri between 1938- 1942. Forty of these later converted as two-seters.
Production of the CR.32 totalled 1211 aircraft.
FIAT CR 32 Chirri
Engine: FIAT A.30 RAbis, 592 hp / 440kW
Length: 24.442 ft / 7.45 m
Height: 8.629 ft / 2.63 m
Wingspan upper: 31.168 ft / 9.5 m
Wingspan lower: 6.2 m / 20 ft 4 in
Wing area: 237.884 sqft / 22.100 sq.m
Max take off weight: 4079.3 lb / 1850.0 kg
Weight empty: 2921.6 lb / 1325.0 kg
Max. speed: 202 kts / 375 km/h / 233 mph
Service ceiling: 28871 ft / 8800 m
Wing loading: 17.22 lb/sq.ft / 84.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 367 nm / 680 km
Crew: 1
Armament: 2x MG 7,7mm Breda-SAFAT
CR.32bis
Engine: l x Fiat A.30 RAbis, 447 kW (600 hp).
Span: 9.50m (3lft 2.25in).
Length: 7.47m (24ft 6in)
Normal T/O weight: 1975 kg (14,350 lb).
Max speed: 224 mph at 9,845 ft.
Operational range: 466 miles.
Armament: 2 x 12.7-mm (0.5-in) and two 7.7-mm (0.303-in) mg plus 100 kg (220 lb) of bombs
CR.32ter
Engine: l x Fiat A.30 RA bis, 447kW (600 hp).
Span: 9.50m (31ft 2in).
Length: 7.45m (24ft 5.25 in).
Height: 2.63m / 8 ft 7.5 in
Wing area: 22.10 sq.m / 237.88 sq.ft
Empty weight: 3205 lb / 1454 kg
Max T/O weight: 1915kg (4,222 lb).
Max speed: 295 mph / 330 kph at SL / 220 mph at 9840 ft. / 3000 m
Time to 3280ft / 1000m: 1.58min
Operational range: 485 m / 780 km at 196 mph / 315 kph
Armament: 2 x 12.7-mm (0.5-in) mg plus bombs
CR.32quater
All Aero 