- Yes
- No
In December 1953 the SHAPE (Supreme Headquarter Allied Powers Europe) issued a specification called LWSF (Light Weight Strike Fighter) related to a light tactical fighter that was to equip all NATO member countries. Italy participated in this competition with the FIAT G91 designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli specially designed to meet NATO specification. After several tests in July 1955 the examining commission chose the G91 as the winner of the NATO competition by beating the competition of the other participants, Breguet 1001 TAON, Dassault Etendard II, Folland Fo. 145 Gnat, Hawker Hunter and SNCASE SE5003 Baroudeur. The FIAT G91 was chosen by the examining commission because it was a weapon system complete, with specific logistics equipment, and above all capable of operate in all weather conditions and from unprepared land, also the factor not to underestimate was the possibility of being a good scout. In 1956 it started in Italy the pre-production of the FIAT G91, in 1958 the G91 became operational, equipping the 103rd Italian Air Force Group. Germany was interested in the G91 he ordered 50 copies from FIAT of a specially designed version designated G91R3. In 1960 the G91 also became operational in Germany, which produced 294 under license examples of the 504 used in different versions. In 1966 Germany supplied 40 specimensof G91R4 to Portugal, between 1976 and 1982. In the summer of 1974, Germany offered Portugal the possibility of purchasing, at low cost, 96 T/3 and R/3 aircraft, to be delivered in stages between 1976 and 1982, of which only 33 R/3s and 11 T/3s served operationally, the rest were cannibalized, used as targets or in tests and static instruction in various units of the FAP. The last Portuguese G91R3 remained in service until 1993 reaching 75,000 flight hours. Where could this plane find a seat? In a hypothetical Portuguese/Iberian TT?
I think it can easily be added as a premium aircraft (due to the fact that can carry AIM-9B air-to-air missiles) both in the German TT and in the Italian TT especially in the latter since it is totally designed and tested in Italy, a nation and in this moment does not have the best version of the FIAT G91.
Specifications: FIAT G91R3 (Portuguese service)
Crew: 1
Length: 10.3 m
Wingspan: 8.56 m
Height: 4 m
Wing area: 16.4 m2
Empty weight: 3674 kg
Max weight: 5850 kg
Performance:
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls Royce Bristol “Orpheus” 803-D11 turbine with 2270 Kgf thrust
Maximum speed: 1075 km/h
Range: 1150 km
Service ceiling: 13100 m
Rate of climb: 30 m/s
Wing loading: 331 kg/m2
Armament:
2 x 30 mm DEFA cannons (125 rpg)
Hardpoints: 4 x under-wing pylon stations with a capacity of 680 kg
2 x AIM-9 B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
Launchers LAU-32 and LAU-5002
FFAR rockets and CRV7 rockets of 2.75 inch
bombs of 100 Lbs (45 Kg)
bombs of 110 Lbs (50 Kg)
bombs of 250 Lbs (114 Kg)
bombs of 500 Lbs (227 Kg)
bombs of 750 Lbs (340 Kg)
cluster bombs 440 Lbs (200 Kg)
BL755 fragmentation bombs of 450 Kg
bombs with retardant “Snakeye”
bombs “Rockeye”
bombs Napalm Model 65 cap 13 Gal (60 l)
Napalm tanks cap 300 l
Photos:
Sources: