Fiat CR42 being restored.

[1089maul]

Evening all.
Last week I was very fortunate to visit the UK Imperial War Museum located in Duxford, Cambridgeshire. If anyone has the opportunity to visit the museum then I wholly recommend it. It is a museum dedicated to aircraft.
I was delighted that I had the opportunity to look at a Fiat CR42 being restored to hopefully airworthy condition. Alas, on my visit it was in pieces as the photographs will show.
This is the fourth CR42 in existence. One is located in the RAF museum In Hendon, London. This example crashed in the UK during WW2 as and is complete and original. A Swedish example resides in Sweden and a third is in Rome. The Rome example is a composite of three different planes.
The example in Duxford is a Swedish plane which crashed and lay for many years before being recovered. I am happy to say that the plane is being restored in Regia Aeronautica colours! I attach a few of the many photographs that I took!
Regards to all,
Bob

 

[Saetta]

excellent news, thank you for sharing Bob!

 

[jwsleser]

Very nice.

 

[1089maul]

Just an afterthought, below is a photo of the Falco at a recent display. My understanding is that the place is complete and that all that is required is engine and cockpit parts which have to be made. Why it is pieces is not known to me!
Bob

 

[Saetta]

If they are indeed making it airworthy the plane would require a complete Overhaul with every part certified to EASA specifications, so the dismantling is expected. Curious how they overhaul these things though because there aren't really OEM's any more that can manufacture parts for a CR.42. I suspect there would be a process of using Designated Engineer Repairs (DER) implemented to bring her up to legal airworthiness standards.

 

[1089maul]

Saetta,
My understanding is that the actual plane and engine are ready but is the associated equipment such as oxygen bottles, fuel pumps, instrument panel stuff etc that are needed. To that end, technicians will be visiting the Swedish example of the falcon to examine the parts they need to replicate them. Hopefully then they will be able to get the UK certificates they require to enable it to fly. Will require money so imagine it will take more time! I would offer to fly it free of charge but I cannot fly!! It is an exciting project though.
Bob

 

[1089maul]

I was fortunate enough to visit Duxford again this week. Next month is a flying day where the planes are exhibited. I was hoping that the Fiat had been put together. Alas, no. It has been moved in the hangar but is still in pieces. I attach a photo from last year when it was exhibited. I was also fortunate that I was able to have a chat with one of the restorers. He explained that because the intention is to get airwave that the project expected to take up to 20 years to complete!! This is because all missing parts need to be made as there are ‘Spares’ available. This will take time and money. He further explained that the plane is in pieces to protect the fabric from damage whilst they work on it. He was actually do work on one the under carriages. They concentrate on flying exhibits and only work on the restoration jobs part time. I just hope that will be here in 20 years time. Regards, Bob

 

[1089maul]

Sorry all, predictive thping! Substitute airwave with airworthy, there are spares with no spares and do with doing!!

 

[jwsleser]

Thanks for the update.

RE: Airworthiness. The process would have been quicker if they had original parts. As they need to make their own new parts, those will need to be certified.

While I would love to see this aircraft fly, I am becoming fearful of plane crashes. The world has lost several irreplaceable aircraft in the past few years.

Pista! Jeff

 

[DrG]

While I would love to see this aircraft fly, I am becoming fearful of plane crashes. The world has lost several irreplaceable aircraft in the past few years.

I agree. The last flightworthy Macchi C.205V Veltro almost crashed during a show in Venegono in 1988, and its damages were very limited just thanks to the exceptional ability of the pilot and a bit of good luck. But without these positive factors the outcome could have been dramatic.