TFC CR-42…Seeing the hype

FIAT C42 Update

Anybody have an update on the tfc cr42? i saw a pic on the excellent duxford update site and made me think, Has the restored engine arrived at dx yet?

cheers

There is a file in the National Archives at Kew, possibly in Air27, that gives the full details on the colour scheme of MM5701. I transcribed it 30 years ago, will try to find.
TFC’s machine still requires a considerable amount of work including the overhaul of the engine. We will endeavour to have it assembled in its uncovered state for, yes you have guessed, Flying Legends.

BT474 original colours

Back to the original colours of MM.5701 at Hendon; here are two interesting pics.

The top view shows it in its original form, with a colour scheme consisting of Giallo Mimetico (camouflage yellow), Verde Mimetico (camouflage green) and Marrone Mimetico (camouflage brown) top surfaces; undersides would have been in Grigio Mimetico (camouflage grey). The ‘yellow’, in actual fact a sandish light brown, served as an overall base with the other two top colours sprayed on in mottles.

The second views shows how the whole of the top wing has been repainted to eliminate traces of the fasces markings. While in its original form, the ‘brown’ of the original mottles is hardly discernible on the top wing, there is a high contrast in the repainted version, distinctly different from the original in both colour tone and pattern.

Cowling was originally yellow, but this could have been overpainted by the unit before leaving for Belgium, and the colour could have been scraped off to reveal the original camouflage. The rudder was also completely overpainted, though apparently only in two colours.

As it stands at Hendon, MM.5701 is reasonably accurate in colours, though te application of the mottles is a bit too hard-edged. Also the Marrone Mimetico, so evident on the fuselage in the second picture, is missing.

Note also that the UK serial BT474 was originally painted in black.

RJC

I dont know 100% but i would guess it would be at roughly the same point as the Gladiator as they are both due to fly this year.

How and what do you base that on exactly

i know i sound impatient, but does anybody know what sort of work still needs to be done to the cr 42? i know the engine and wings need to be fitted, but is it a case of still doing alot of the internal work or is it now we would call in the final stages?

I dont know 100% but i would guess it would be at roughly the same point as the Gladiator as they are both due to fly this year.

i know i sound impatient, but does anybody know what sort of work still needs to be done to the cr 42? i know the engine and wings need to be fitted, but is it a case of still doing alot of the internal work or is it now we would call in the final stages?

I don’t think you can say either are ‘inaccurate’, as both schemes are accurate, just slightly different. Perhaps Hendon wanted to portray a different Unit?

Fair point – maybe I should have said a non-original scheme for this specific machine. I’ll have to dig through my library to find the shot of it at Orfordness as I have seen this photo though I don’t recall the details of it.

Today at Hendon it sports a yellow cowl www.rafmuseum.org.uk/fiat-cr42-falco.htm which if the 60s shots are thought to be original must be inaccurate as the paint on the cowl at Biggin and Chivenor looks to be contemporaneous with the fuselage paint?

I don’t think you can say either are ‘inaccurate’, as both schemes are accurate, just slightly different. Perhaps Hendon wanted to portray a different Unit? I am not an expert in Italian camouflage and markings so cannot say. It was shot down at Orfordness and there are photos of it nose down in the sand, looking very much in these colours but without the ‘BT474’ serial. It was repaired, but not repainted, then stored between 1943 at various stations, ending up at St.Athan in 1968. It was then fully restored and repainted for Hendon during 1973-74.

I was just amazed by the quality 🙂 Very cool…

Going by the history of the aircraft, I’d say that Richard’s right. Original Italian camoflage, with original RAF serial and underside colours applied, and later ‘replica’ Italian markings applied in Britain over the RAF roundels etc. The application of the upper camoflage colours looks too subtle to be post-war replacement, although the struts are interesting.

Today it’s been properly repainted refurbished, and the markings are much more accurate although not quite 100% from memory – the “Ochio che te copo” (The eye that hits or evil eye) marking is a good attempt.

Today at Hendon it sports a yellow cowl www.rafmuseum.org.uk/fiat-cr42-falco.htm which if the 60s shots are thought to be original must be inaccurate as the paint on the cowl at Biggin and Chivenor looks to be contemporaneous with the fuselage paint?

Very interesting Richard!

Thank you – apologies accepted! 😉 Here’s another shot of it three years later at Chivenor August 1969, still in its ‘original paint’!

Very interesting Richard!

Thanks Richard.

Going by the history of the aircraft, I’d say that Richard’s right. Original Italian camoflage, with original RAF serial and underside colours applied, and later ‘replica’ Italian markings applied in Britain over the RAF roundels etc. The application of the upper camoflage colours looks too subtle to be post-war replacement, although the struts are interesting.

Today it’s been properly repainted refurbished, and the markings are much more accurate although not quite 100% from memory – the “Ochio che te copo” (The eye that hits or evil eye) marking is a good attempt.

All because of a bullet through the oil feed line.

Upper colours look original to me, only terribly darkened with age and badly patched up in a number of places. Contemporary Italian aero paints are known to have ‘weathered’ in a relatively short time.

Note, however, the yellow undersides, generally applied to all captured aircraft. Yellow serial is also interesting, as is the attempt to repaint the fasces logo on the fuselage sides. This came as a decal and I have seen originals so dark with age that one hardly makes out the design. The absence of the House of Savoy badge on the rudder probably means that the decal either flaked away or proved to difficult to repaint by hand?

Nice pic, though, many thanks for posting.

RJC

Sure it’s the original paint? Looks rather well preserved for a 1966 photo!

Very rare slide of the RAF Museum’s CR-42 outside in sunshine in original paint at Biggin Hill in September 1966….another gem from the ‘AR’ collection! 😉

anybody know how long they plan to keep the hurri over here before it goes to ottawa? its a shame, but there’s alot to look forward to!!!

Hummmm

No wings & no engine.

Did not know. Tks

Am I the only one that confused the Falco with the much better looking Fiat Cr.32 used in the Spanish Civil War until they saw the photos?

Ah bless Merlin – 0kay I admit it your quip was mildly amusing ! Not into ‘cliques’ -carry on with the serious tack by all means!