The Fiat CR.30 was a new design by
Celestino Rosatelli for a single-seat fighter. Four
prototypes were built with the first flight occurring in March 1932. The CR.30 was a biplane with W-form
interplane struts and a fixed
tailwheel landing gear. The aircraft was powered by a 447 kW (600 hp)
Fiat A.30 R.A. V-12
piston engine. Two prototypes were entered into an international meeting in
Zurich in July 1932 and won the speed circuit contest at average speeds of 340 km/h (211 mph) and 330 km/h (205 mph). The impressive performance led to orders from the
Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) for 121 aircraft. Two of the prototypes were converted into two-seaters designated
CR.30B for use as refresher
trainers and
liaison aircraft. A large number of single-seaters were converted into two-seaters as they were replaced with more modern equipment. The air force later ordered an additional 20 new-build CR.30Bs. Two aircraft were converted to
seaplanes with the designation
CR.30 Idro. The aircraft was also operated by other European air forces with the
Hungarian Air Force being the largest foreign operator, using two CR.30s from 1936 and one single-seater and ten CR.30bs from 1938. ==Variants==