Name: Name: | Army Heavy Bomber Type 1 Model 100 | Army Heavy Bomber Type 1 Model 100 |
Original Name: Original Name: | Fiat BR.20 | |
Category: Category: | bomber aeroplane | bomber aeroplane |
Manufacturer: Producer: | Societé Anonima Aeronautica ď Italia (FIAT) Torino | |
Period use in Japan: Period use in Japan: | DD.MM.1938-DD.MM.1941 | |
Number of Units Imported: Number of Imported: | 75 | |
User: User: | Imperial Army Air Force | Imperial Japanese Army Air Service |
Note: Note: | 伊フィアット - Ji-chi-ki Codename: Ruth The Japanese Army Air Force did not have a heavy bomber aircraft that could be deployed in the expected battles over China in the second half of the 1930s. Bomber aircraft Micubishi Ki-1 were already obsolete, and the new Micubishi Ki-21 bomber was just undergoing comparison trials. The solution was to buy the necessary bomber aircraft abroad. The Japanese at the time were keenly following aircraft developments in Europe, and did not miss the interesting and promising performance of the Italian Fiat BR.20 bombers when deployed in Spain in 1937. Later that year, the Japanese Purchasing Commission negotiated a contract with the Fiat factory for the purchase of 75 aircraft, including spare engines and other parts. The price was set at 182,000,000 lire, and the contract included a rider for the possibility of building 10 more aircraft in 1939 for 25,000,000 lire. The deliveries of foreign bombers began in February 1938, and the Fiats entered the armament of two bomber units, the 12th and 98th. Sentai, replacing the obsolete Ki-1s there. Both units intervened in the fighting in the second Sino-Japanese conflict. The targets of the Japanese Fiats were remote Chinese cities and seigneuries. The Japanese Fiats flew these long missions mostly without fighter escort, resulting in losses. Japanese pilots faulted the Fiats for weak and ineffective armament, as well as their great vulnerability. If we compare the Japanese designs of the time and the Fiat BR.20, we conclude that the Japanese were not entirely objective in their assessment. The Japanese took their Fiats out of service as soon as possible and replaced them with their new Micubishi Ki-21 heavy bombers, but these were not much more successful. The first unit to receive the new Micubishi Ki-21s was the 12th. Sentai. | 伊フィアット - Ji-shi-ki Allied Code Name: "Ruth". In July 1937, when Japan entered into Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese Army Air Force found itself short of modern long-range bombers pending delivery of the Mitsubishi Ki-21 "Sally", which was undergoing prototype trials, and so required an interim purchase of aircraft from abroad. Italy was willing to give priority to any Japanese orders over its own requirements, and offered the BR.20. The BR.20 closely matched the specification and was placed in 1937 for 75 Br.20s. Deliveries to Manchuria commenced in February 1938 and replaced the obsolete Mitsubishi Ki-1, equipping two Sentais (the 12th and 20th Sentai), which were heavily deployed on long-range bombing missions against Chinese cities and supply centres during the winter of 1938-39. The Japanese BR.20s were operating with no fighter cover at the extremes of their range and consequently incurred heavy losses from Chinese fighters (as did the later Ki-21s). The 12th Sentai was redeployed to the Mongolian-Manchurian border to fight in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, but when this war ended, in September 1939, the BR.20s were progressively withdrawn and replaced by the Ki-21.The BR.20s began to be removed from operational service. |
Resources: Sources: | Chris Bishop, The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Barnes & Noble, 1998, New York, ISBN 0-7607-1022-8 Profile Publications The Fiat B.R.20, Number 110, Two Shillings, Profile Publications Ltd., 1a North street, Leatherhead, Surrey, England, No ISBN. Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-45 - Henry Sakaida, 1997 Osprey Publishing, London, ISBN 1-85532-529-2 Václav Němeček, Vojenská letadla 3. vol., Naše Vojsko, Praha 1992, ISBN 80-206-0117-1 David Donald, The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, Barnes & Nobles Books, year 1997, ISBN-10: 0760705925 http://www.airwar.ru/enc/bww2/br20.html www.eichhorn.ws http://www.base13.glasnet.ru/text/ap/br20.htm author's archive |