Italeri Fiat BR.20 Cicogna

The BR 20 "Cicogna" medium bomber was developed in the 1930s by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat. It entered service in 1936 and featured a metal frame and retractable landing gear. Modern and fast for the time, it was used by the "Aviazione Legionaria" and had its baptism of fire in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War. In September 1940, the "Corpo Aereo Italiano", consisting of the 13th and 43rd Stormo da Bombardamento, was also equipped with the BR-20. The Stormi were stationed in Belgium and supported the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. Despite operational comparisons with modern RAF fighters that revealed the BR-20's limitations, it was used on several fronts by several Regia Aeronautica bomber squadrons for the duration of World War II.