G.55 Centauro Lobbying Thread

[Gianlupo]

Then, as I said, we only need to reverse HTC aircraft-adding policy.

Now go away, punky, make your own Meteor thread!!!

[CPW]

A good site for G.55.

http://xoomer.alice.it/g55/index.htm

And a pic:D


Summary of report on German tests at Giudonia during 1943


The G-55 was seen as most favourable of the tested Italian planes

G-55:
- Armament: 1 MG-151/20 and 4 12.7 mm MG.
- High forces on the aileron.
- Effect of rudder could be better.(G.55/I is better)
- Plane curves very good and narrow.
- Slightly uneasy in "mid position" (shooting position).
- Pitch to any side could not be noticed, similiar to Spitfire.
- Moderate pilot view on take off, during flight limit to front above, good to sides and backwards.
- Worse pilot view than the German planes.
- Aeronautical not as good as German planes.
- Not useable as fighterbomber with bomb under fuselage.
- Equal to German planes in climb and high altitude performance.
- Inferior in speed by 25 km/h, but Italian produced DB 605 delivered 100 PS less than the German.
- Superior in armament and range to the German planes.
- Ability to install DB 603 without bigger modifications.
- Was evaluated as best Italian plane in the trials.

Macchi 205 V:
- Armament: 4 12.7 mm MG.
- Unstable in lateral axis.
- Very high effect of rudder.
- Tendency to "Uberziehen" (stall ?).
- Forces on aileron and rolling good.
- Moderate pilot view on take-off, during flight limit to front above, good to sides and backwards.
- Will be only produced in small numbers since it is a temporary solution.

Macchi 205 N:
- Armament: 1 MG-151/20 and 4 12.7 mm MG.
- Mass production variant of DB 605.
- Good rudder effect.
- Was smoothly in "mid position" (shooting position).
- Rolling good.
- Rudder forces a little smaller than for Bf 109 G-4.
- Cooler too small for constant climbing and use in tropical environment.
- Moderate pilot view on take-off, during flight limit to front above, good to sides and backwards.
- Wing not solid but made of three parts, plane not suited for fighter-bomber use.

Reggiane 2005:
- Armament: 3 MG-151/20 and 2 12.7 mm MG.
- Aeronautical attributes were sufficient.
- Curves well, rolling like Bf 109 G-4 with rudder forces a little less.
- Take-offs and landings easy.
- Pilot seat a little too far away from control stick.
- Not suited as fighter-bomber due to size and location of cooler.
- Moderate pilot view on take-off, during flight limit to front above, good to sides and backwards.

The German's suggested that the G.55 become the standard fighter of the axis nations, replacing both the Bf109 and Fw190 because of its superior performance. This was not practical because of the ease of production of the Bf109 mentioned before.

From:http://www.ww2aircraft.net/

[Gianlupo]

CPW, I'm checking the info you found on the first website, I'm not sure they're right... I have one of his books (and another one, too, but I can't remember where I put it... ), maybe he didn't check toroughly his sources...

Apart from this... welcome onboard! Feel free to use my avatar and signature!

[Ball]

All Italian airplanes look the same.

Apart from the CR42.

Lets add that instead.

[hubsonfire]

Looking at the above diagram, I can't help but notice that the Italians didn't even bother building both gear struts.

How could you put your faith in such sloppy engineering?

I'll stick with the P-39 and B-25, thanks. At least I know they have enough wheels to take off and land.

[Krusty]

Interestingly enough, it seems the Serie 0 had 4x Breda SAFAT guns in the nose. Two above the cowling, and two underneath.

See this image of one of the early prototypes:



I got this from the "election" thread, where somebody posted a URL. I went to check it out.

In that image you can see a gun "trough" where the bullets would exit the cowling (you see them usually on TOP, though).

I always thought the Serie 0 had 2x 12.7mm. Seems they had 1x 20mm in the hub and 4x 12.7mm (2 top, 2 bottom) in the nose.

In the Serie 1 (or is that Roman Number "I"???), they removed the 2 lower guns because they were too hard to get at and maintain/repair, and put a 20mm in each wing.

So, theoretically, if we got this plane, and if it had 2 gun options, one would be 2x 12.7mm and 3x 20mm (Serie 1, the more common), and the other would be 4x 12.7mm and 1x20mm (Serie 0, the early version).

[Pyro]

Krusty, check your PM's.

[Krusty]

<--- 2 days til voting starts, skin pack avatar can wait.

[Gianlupo]

Good decision Krusty!

And.. err.. uhh... I've already written about the prototype weapon layout....

Furball: go shaking your belly elsewhere, just vote for my plane!

Furboll: look better, it has anti-G pads underneath, in case of gear failure... and, as a combat tactic, pilots could use them to make fuzzy maneuvers to disorient their enemies...

Pyro, vote for the G..... er... sorry old habits die hard!

[VWE]

Pyro will vote for something that has a chance, your G.55 will be D.O.A.

[Gianlupo]

Huuuu... what the hell is D.O.A.???? Something you eat? uhhh.... "will be", you say???? So it's gonna win! Good!

[Krusty]

Originally posted by Gianlupo
And.. err.. uhh... I've already written about the prototype weapon layout....

Sorry, I remember now that you refreshed my memory. I recall reading that it was on the prototype, but I didn't know it was on all "Serie 0" craft.

DOA is a medical term. It means "Dead On Arrival" -- when the ambulance gets to the hospital, the patient died before arriving.

Not to be confused with "G.55," though. I can see how he'd make that mistake, because they both have 3 characters. VWE, the trick to prevent from getting those two terms confused is to remember that the airplane has one consonant and two numbers, whereas the medical term has one consonant and two vowels.

[wasq]

Originally posted by VWE
Pyro will vote for something that has a chance, your G.55 will be D.O.A.

I don't think Pyro's vote will count for more than a single vote as it is a community vote... Anyway, the Brewster will win, but I'll cheer you guys up when your plane gets culled on the first round... (just kidding, after Brewster and P39 the G.55 will get my vote, unless the G.50 is offered. )

[MINNOW]

IN!

Bring on the G.55!!!!!

[Krusty]

If... BIG if the G.55 gets culled quickly, I'll move on to 410 and B-25 and P-39.

However, I think the G.55 will make the top 4 finalists. I think the Brewster will be dropped halfway through (there aren't THAT many Finns to vote on it ), and the B-25 and the P-39 will be the planes to beat.

Much as I love the idea of the 410, I don't see enough support for it. I predict it will be culled halfway through, as well.