Fiat Br.20 Cicogna "Bomber over Two Continents"

The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (Italian for "stork") was the only Italian twin-engine bomber in service with the Regia Aeronautica in World War II.
In 1934, the Italian Air Ministry published specifications for a new heavy twin-engine bomber.
The first prototype BR.20 took off on 10 February 1936 and entered service in September of that year.
Initial production batches had a Breda D.R dorsal turret with two 7.7 mm machine guns.
Later batches received the Breda M.1 dorsal turret with a 12.7 mm machine gun.
Compared to the rival SM.79, the Fiat BR.20 had a shorter range but a larger payload and more suitable bomb storage.
Because of this, it achieved far greater accuracy than other Italian bombers.
Italy tested its Fiat BR.20s in service with the Aviazione Legionaria on the side of Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War.
A total of thirteen machines were used in Spain.
They took part in raids at the Battle of the Elbro and the Bombing of Teruel and proved their worth.
By the start of World War II, some obsolescence was already apparent, but Fiats were still fighting over southern France in 1940, as well as over the Mediterranean, Albania, Yugoslavia and Greece.
In response to the gradual obsolescence of the Fiat BR.20, a modernized version BR.20M was designed and entered production in 1939.
BR.20 Fiats were also exported.
The only Fiat purchased by Venezuela is a marginal one, the second export was much more significant.
By the end of 1937, Japan ordered a total of 82 BR.20 machines.
Japan had been fighting in China since July 1937 and was in desperate need of heavy bombers.
BR.20s were used in combat from February 1938.
Since the BR.20 operated at long distances without fighter protection, they suffered quite significant losses.
The Japanese also did not like the complexity and high maintenance costs.
In the second half of 1939, the BR.20s were gradually taken out of training and replaced by new Ki-21s.

Plastic model kit

• with photo-etched parts
• with resin parts

Scale 1:48

unbuilt / unpainted

Paint and glue not included