COBI Fiat G.55 Centauro Set 5867

COBI's Fiat G.55 Centauro is a 1:48 model built from 192 blocks, 19.5 cm long with a 24.5 cm wingspan, in Mediterranean camouflage with printed Italian air force markings.

The Germans wanted to build it themselves

In February 1943 the Luftwaffe ran a comparative trial at Guidonia, near Rome, flying the three best Italian fighters against a Bf 109G and an Fw 190. The German assessment of the G.55 was that it was the best Axis fighter in the Mediterranean and better in several respects than either German aircraft.

Germany then proposed building the G.55 under licence in place of German types, and serious discussions took place. The plan died on arithmetic: the Centauro took roughly twice as many man-hours to build as a Bf 109, and Germany in 1943 needed numbers more than it needed quality.

Only around 300 were completed before Italy's surrender ended production. The engine, incidentally, was German — a Daimler-Benz DB 605 built under licence by Fiat, the same unit as in the Bf 109G.

In the COBI range

Set 5760 is the Macchi C.202 Folgore at 1:32 — the other great Italian fighter, powered by the earlier DB 601.

Specifications

Pieces: 192 · Scale: 1:48
Model dimensions: 19.5 × 24.5 × 9 cm (7.7 × 9.6 × 3.5 in)