Italian Fiat G-91 fired up

The G91R will fly again in Italy, as a civil registered aircraft (registration still unknown) and it will be one of the centerpieces of the Aeronautica Militare 100 years celebrations at Pratica di Mare (RM) in 2023.

The G91R that will be restored to airworthy conditions is a G91R/1A version (R1 version with improved navigational equipment) and has Matricola Militare (Military Registration) 6305 (c/n 169) and latest unit code 2-57. It used to be preserved at Parco Velivolo Storici 'Deltaland' at San Possidonio just south of the village, on the road to Carpi.

In 2009 it went to the Collezione Renzo Catellani at the restoration facility of the Associazione Cultural 'Museo dell'Araba Fenice' at the airport Reggio Emilia at Poviglio (RE). In 2019 it was noted dismantled under tarpaulin, situated on the apron outside the furthest hangar.

For spare parts a second G91R is used. This is a G91R/1 version (basic version for the Aeronautica Militare with three nose cameras) and had Matricola Militare (Military Registration) 6272 (c/n 38) and latest unit code 2-31 After its operational career it was in 1985 withdrawn from use at Treviso-Sant'Angelo (TV). From there it went to the nearby Istituto Tecnico Industriale 'Arturo Malignani' (Technical School) at Udine. It was delivered on 19 September 1985. In March 2021 it was transported on a flatbed truck to the airbase Piacenza-San Damiano (PC).

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Photo: Volafenice