Fiat G.55 I centauro

[Boozeman]

Brewster's combat history, while insignificant for the Allies, was very significant for the Finns, and is very well documented.  It was one of their most important combat aircraft.  There are more significant Italian fighters than the G55 not in the game.

I'm quite sure if you ask some of our italian friends, they feel the G.55 is very significant for them also. And it was, along with the Re.2005, thier finest plane.
This far, each of the main actors in WW2 got thier native top aircraft modeled, except the Italians. Thats quite a gaping hole. Sure a C.200, G.50 etc. would be nice additions too, but only after the addition of the G.55.

[/quote]It made a huge difference in one area of the war.

I'd be fairly surprised if the G.55 got 100 kills.  The Finns alone got 477 kills in the Brewster.


In addition AH has a number of dedicated Finnish players who have contributed a lot to the game.  After 10 years I have no problem with HTC making an aircraft for the Finnish players as it is one that will be used and did play a large role in their air force.



To be blunt, whenever I see requests for things like the G.55, obscure things that had essentially no role in the war I am pretty sure it is just being asked for because it might be "uber" and the requestee has no real interest in the aircraft or its history.[/quote]

Sorry, but you seem to expand your criteria now. Neither the number of kills or the enthusiasm of a certain community have a direct connection to the historical significance or lack thereof.

And to be honest, your last paragraph shows that you somehow dislike the G.55. It meets all HTC cirteria for aircraft addition (and historical significane isn't one of them) and thats enough to have it on the same high/low priority list as any other plane that meets the criteria too.     
 

[Karnak]

I have no like or dislike for the G.55, it just never did anything that mattered and it was never significant anywhere.  People asking for it are just asking for a superplane.  There are many Italian aircraft that should be added before the G.55.

I can't imagine any Italian honestly thinks the G.55 was significant to them.

[Stoney]

I'm quite sure if you ask some of our italian friends, they feel the G.55 is very significant for them also.

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Well, lets see some history that makes it significant.  Do they feel its significant merely because it has great performance numbers or because it did great things during the war?  I can accept the fact that there weren't many produced--there are other aircraft in-game that have similar production rates.  What I want to know is how it was used?  How many kills did it achieve?  How many aces did it produce?  And, ultimately, just because a beligerent during the war produced an aircraft, its not automatically assured representation in this game.  Lets first get the planes that created the history we all enjoy so much before we turn our attention to aircraft that existed, but were marginalized during the conduct of the conflict.

[Krusty]

As many G.55s were made and used as were C.205s. It along with the C.205 made up the entirety of front line fighters after Italy surrendered. 50% of a frontline force... I know we're talking the IT air force here, nothing compared to the Soviets or the Yanks, but 50% of it, nothing to sneeze at.

I personally would like to see it in-game someday. It would probably replace my favorite ride (C.205).

[1pLUs44]

And the A26 was on that list and the mass of idiots voted in a hanger queen....A26 would see alot of use in the MA.  How many SEA events have been designed around the B25 or the P39?

A great majority of them.  Outside of the Late War American/British Fronts. Russians used them throughout the entire war. B-25 could probably be used in almost any Scenario. But I do think we need the B-25J for later Scenarios.

[madrebel]

Sorry to necro this thread, it appears to be the most recent on the topic of G.55 though. I've been collecting info on italian plans for awhile now and just received some info in the mail from the Smithsonian which is pertinent to this thread. I was going to bump the lobbying thread but that is just a flame fest.

Apologies for the image sizes. Due to the rather poor quality photocopies they sent me I scanned them in high detail to retain as much detail as i could. Anyway, enjoy.

g55 report 1
g55 report 2
g56 report page 1
g56 report page 2

[Templar]

+1 HTC will prioritize as they wish so I don't see any point in arguing priorities. Does the plane meet criteria? YES. Does the plane fill a void in our planeset? YES (as another Non-American aircraft) Is the plane historically significant? Overall NO (YES for Italians, they didn't have a whole lot to be proud of during the war and this decent aircraft is one of their highlights). Also an Italian bomber would be nice to have (see relevant threads). I would also like to point out that indigenous French aircraft are under-represented in our planeset. (Anyone want to buy a french warbird? Good condition, only flown once....to deliver a surrender plea.....    ) just a joke,    to our French associates.

[RaptorL]

I'm all for Italian planes. +

[madrebel]

+1 HTC will prioritize as they wish so I don't see any point in arguing priorities. Does the plane meet criteria? YES. Does the plane fill a void in our planeset? YES (as another Non-American aircraft) Is the plane historically significant? Overall NO (YES for Italians, they didn't have a whole lot to be proud of during the war and this decent aircraft is one of their highlights). Also an Italian bomber would be nice to have (see relevant threads). I would also like to point out that indigenous French aircraft are under-represented in our planeset. (Anyone want to buy a french warbird? Good condition, only flown once....to deliver a surrender plea.....    ) just a joke,    to our French associates.

the only organic french design worth of modeling would be the d520. the bloch aircraft are interesting. well armed but slow. some 400+ mb.152s were built and from what i've read some 29 mb.155s were built. These were still slower than 109E3s and E4s though. Although 2 hispano suiza 20mm cannons doesnt suck for such an early design.

then you have the maurane sualnier 406. Again though, this thing was slower than a hurricane mk1. It did have a cannon though and has some signifigance in that it was used by both the finns and the swiss. The finns actually made it into a not entirely terrible plane by installing russian klimov engines (license built hispano suiza 12Y engines). It was never a very good fighter though even with the uprated russian engines.

Another option, albeit a real historical reach, would be the arsenal vg.33. By all accounts the vg.33 was an exceptional design. 160 near completeion at the fall of france, unkown number completed. the follow up prototype was already completed that being the vg.39.

I'd love for one of these ww2 simulators, be it aces high, il2, or ww2ol but i would love to see someone build prototypes. Take the d520 and do the later 523 and 530 prototypes. Base the power curves on the russian license built engines with french super chargers.  build the vg.33 and the later vg.39. slap in the american radials on the bloch planes etc. its not so much that i'm bored of the normal plane sets but i think it would be cool to do a tactical level simulation that takes a historical leap like heart of iron 2 does at a strategic level. german aircraft carriers, french fighters, etc. i think that would be cool.

</digress>

[Boozeman]

Madrebel, those are very intresting scans of G.55 data. In case HTC does not have them yet, those climb and speed charts go a long way in helping to model the plane accurately. I suggest you send these pictures or maybe copies to HTC directly for consideration.

Thank you very much for your effort and contribution ! 

[Anaxogoras]

The G.55 would not be a super plane.  It would be better than a C.205, but without an engine upgrade over the standard DB605A, it's another "midwar" fighter.  The G.50, Mc 200, and Cr.42 are far more important for filling out the MTO planeset.

[Stoney]

The G.50, Mc 202, and Cr.42 are far more important for filling out the MTO planeset.

Unfortunately, the stats on these planes just don't encourage the same type of enthusiasm, even if they were the meat and potatoes of the Italian Air Force, for pretty much the entire war.  It'd kind of be like a U.S. fanboi clamoring for the P-63 but not the P-40.

[Anaxogoras]

Unfortunately, the stats on these planes just don't encourage the same type of enthusiasm, even if they were the meat and potatoes of the Italian Air Force, for pretty much the entire war.  It'd kind of be like a U.S. fanboi clamoring for the P-63 but not the P-40.

Yeah, and I meant to say Mc 200, not 202.

[oakranger]

G55, well it was the best AC for the Italian next to MC 205 and Reggiane 2005.  First saw action in the Battle of Rome, armament: three 20 mm Mauser MG Cannon, two 12.7 -mm, two 160kg bombs and the G.55S carried a torpedo.  However, it was shot lived AC as vary few where produced and saw little combat (April 1942-1943 when they surrender). 

There where some still in production after the surrender if Italy.  As a small number where still flying under Fascist Aeroonautica Nazionale Repubblicana along side the LF. 

[Boozeman]

The G.55 would not be a super plane.  It would be better than a C.205, but without an engine upgrade over the standard DB605A, it's another "midwar" fighter.  The G.50, Mc 200, and Cr.42 are far more important for filling out the MTO planeset.

Being better than the C.205 is quite a statement though, fixing the biggest deficies it has, and further addig to it's strong points. Though a midwar plane, it would be very competent in the LWAs.