On 17 November, at the end of an accurate restoration activity carried out in the workshops of the Historical Museum of Vigna di Valle, the Fiat G59 4B two-seater MM 53276 is back on display to the public.
The completely original aircraft was subjected to a series of conservative restoration interventions, which also affected the cockpits, in particular the fabric parts of the harnesses and pilots cushions as well as the two child seats.
The current new livery of the G59 faithfully reproduces the gray-blue metallic color, with relative SE-7 codes and associated distinctive insignia, of his first use in the Armed Force (from the early 50s until 1961), or trainer at the School of Flight of Cagliari Elmas, 205th Squadron of the 203rd Group.
The Fiat G59 flew for the first time in 1948 and entered service in 1950. It is one of the last high-performance piston aircraft produced before the advent of jets. It was born from the pen of the engineer Giuseppe Gabrielli as a direct derivation of the previous G.55 Centauro and G.56.
The aircraft, completely in metal, was conceived by reusing most of the materials used for these two aircraft and was put into production no longer as a fighter but as a training aircraft, obtaining supply orders both from the newly reconstituted Air Force and from the Argentina.
It was built in single and two-seater versions, with a wingspan of 11,5 meters, length 9,48 meters and height 3,68 meters.
As the Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines for which the vehicle was originally designed were no longer available, Eng. Gabrielli made the necessary changes to accommodate the only engine on the market potentially suitable for the G.59, namely the British Rolls-Royce Merlin.
The model on display is in fact equipped with a V12 Rolls-Royce Merlin 500-20 engine of approximately 1440 horse-power (hp), with maximum power output of 1660 hp for 5 minutes, liquid-cooled, with mechanically operated centrifugal compressor with 2 gear ratios. With this engine it boasts an unladen mass of 2850 kg and can reach a maximum speed of 609 km / h. He was disbarred in the mid-60s.
Vigna di Valle is the headquarters of the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force, where the most significant aircraft supplied by the Armed Force are kept, including those used in the period prior to its foundation.
(See also the DO visit to the Vigna di Valle museum)
