AEROPLANE IN OUTLINE
Number 56
THE AvrATroN world is one full of
contrasts:but mrely do we have such
a comparison to offer among con-
temporary single-seattypes as with
rhe c 9l and the F-105detailedlast
month. The Fiat is to be the 6rst
NATO strike fighter, and as such
meets thc entirely European specifi-
cation laid down March, 1954, bY
Air Marshal Sir Basil Embry, then
Commanderofthe Allied Air Fotces,
For that reason it is a relatively
small machine (though not far
rcmoved in size from the MiG t5)
capable of operating out of gmss
airfields and meeting a stringent
series of mission requircmentsplus
quick turn-round time for re-fu€lling
anq te-ailnlng.
Three aircraft were designed and
built speciallyfor this NATO speci-
fication. The Breguet l00l Taon,
DassaultEtendard Vl and the C 91.
In addition, the Sud Aviation
Baroudeur and Dassault Etendard
IV were admitted to the technical
trials at Bretigny in Septemberand
October. 1957.so that five different
tvD€s were up for selection. An
iiriernational team of the most
qualified pilots and engineersin lhe
Allied Countries put each aircraft
throush the most exhaustiveexam-
ination, and the result was that the
C9l has now been awarded the
contracts.
The first batch of 148G 9lAs with
leadingedge slat modificationwill
ao to the ltelian. French and
berman Air Forces. Already, a
oroving squadron,with pilots from
Francel cermanv, Greece,Italv and
Turkey have madeevaluatingflights
wirh the initial batch of Droduction
aircrafl and delegationsfrom Austiia
and Belgium have made a study of
the lype. No fighrer has ever had
such an lnternationalbackground,
and with airframe by Italy, British
Drawn by E. Tate Larscn ,
reproduced below indicates, the
Bristol Orpheus engine is mounted
well to the rear of the fuselage,and
the centml bay occupied by fuel
tanks. In the G 91A version,
sections of the wing have b€en
sealed off for additional tankage,
and the pylons carry disposable
overload tanks to boost the range.
One of the most demandingfeatures
of the original NATo specification
was that the fight€r should be light,
yet still carrying ample protection
for the Dilot and fuel tanks. and
should also have a high laie of
engine-the Bristol Orpheus-and acceleEtion. The G9l can reach
Marlin-Baker ejector seat, with 37? knot6 within 90 s€conds of
French undeacarriage gear, it really "brakes off" and will ac.elerate in
does signify a closely knit Pro- the air at 5,000ft. from 280 knots
duction effort within the NATO to ,1O0 knots in 30 s€c.-ample
powers. evidenc€that th€ Bristol engine has
Lic€nsed Droduction of the G 9l moae than met the power demands,
in Germant (Dornier, Heinkel and and with promise of Orpheus units
MesscNchmitt sent their represen- of higher poner, the C 9l perform-
tatives to study C 9l engine€ringlast anc€ *ill continue to meet the
October) seems to be a logical annual advanc€ofpurposeS, develoDment.
develoDment.and it has been re- For modelling the con-
Dort€d that an R.A.F. mission has ventional lines which are reminisc€nt
ilso made ao examination of the of the F-86 Sabre manufactured
rype. under lic€nceby Fiat at Turin, make
the G9l a natural selection for
To tmin new Dilots, the G 9l T ducted fan flying. It is not often that
two-seat trainer version has been we are Siven such a convenient
ordered by the Italian Air Force, fuselagedoss-sectionfor this amount
and the C 9lR rpconnaissancc of useful wing a.ea and swe€pback,
variant with a camerain the pointed and we look forward to hearincof
nose and two oth€I lateral came€s successfulmodels in the near futirc.
above th€ intake will also cafty Could we suggest 8xthe | /?2nd
nomal armament. This can be scale plan opposite for l-llc.c.?
0'5 in,, 20 mm. or 30 mm. guns Plus
winc Dvlon mounted rockets or ,172,4.cdt. r.ori.t. or t,,i.
mis;lei. The firc-Dowerof the G 9l il.d|.i^t .d ttisth.rdti dt..
,i^e Dttit. ..;
is in fact as heat as that of many A.P.S. pric. 6.L .nl ou.ir.bt.
-
tr;^
much largerfighters,and itsflexibility 1.. r..pacrio.th ..1.t
a great advantage.
- As itrhe
rives 5.t. Do.r.t .nd oaot.
Fiat sectional drawing Pt ; 2zt5' Fl
drawing