page_title: Fiat CR.42
section_title: Swedish Air Force
hierarchical_section_title: Fiat CR.42 / Operational history / Swedish Air Force
caption_attribution_description: Fiat CR 42, Swedish Air Force J 11
context_page_description: The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter developed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione. It served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica both before and during the Second World War.
  The CR.42 was an evolutionary design of Fiat’s earlier CR.32 fighter, featuring a more powerful supercharged Fiat A.74R1C.38 air-cooled radial engine and aerodynamic improvements to its relatively clean exterior surfaces. The aircraft proved to be relatively agile in flight, a factor that had been attributed to its very low wing loading and a sometimes decisive tactical advantage. RAF Intelligence praised its exceptional maneuverability, further noting that "the plane was immensely strong", though it was technically outclassed by faster, more heavily armed monoplanes. While primarily used as a fighter, various other roles were adopted for some variants of the type, such as the CR.42CN dedicated night fighter model, the CR.42AS ground attack aircraft, and the CR.42B Biposto twin-seat trainer aircraft.
  During May 1939, the CR.42 entered service with the Regia Aeronautica; it was the last of the Fiat biplane fighters to enter front line service.
context_section_description: Sweden was the largest export customer for the CR.42. The Swedish Air Force purchased various types of Italian combat aircraft during 1939–1941, as an emergency measure enacted in response to the outbreak of the Second World War. As a consequence of the war, no other nations were willing to supply fighter aircraft to a small neutral country, while Sweden's domestic production would be insufficient until at least 1943. Between February 1940 and September 1941, Sweden received a total of 72 CR.42s; these fighters were equipped with radio sets, 20-millimetre (0.79 in) armour plate behind the pilot and ski landing gear for winter operations. The Swedish aircraft were designated J 11.
  The J 11s were initially assigned to the F 9 wing, responsible for the air defence of Gothenburg, but were transferred to the newly established Bråvalla Air Force Wing (F 13) in Norrköping in 1943 when F 9 received more advanced J 22 fighters. The J 11s operating from Kiruna, in the north of Sweden, were equipped with a ski undercarriage. During the spring of 1942, the J 11s of 1. Division were transferred to Luleå airfield. The J 11s scrambled several times to intercept German aircraft that violated Sweden's borders, but usually failed to make contact with intruders. The J 11s of 2. and 3. Divisions based in Gothenburg managed to intercept intruders a few times, forcing them to leave Swedish airspace.
  During their service in Swedish Air Force, the CR.42 suffered many accidents, sometimes because of the poor quality of materials that had been used by the Fiat factory. By the end of 1942, eight fighters had been lost, while 17 more had followed by the end of 1943. In total, in excess of 30 CR.42s were lost due to accidents and mechanical failure. Swedish pilots appreciated the J 11's formidable close-in dogfighting abilities; however, they would often complain about the type's low speed, insufficient armament and the open cockpits that were unsuited for the severe climate of Scandinavia. By 1945, the Swedish CR.42s were considered to be obsolete.
  By 14 March 1945, the remaining J 11s of the F 13 wing were decommissioned for good by the Swedish Air Force. A total of 19 aircraft were sold to a civilian contractor, Svensk Flygtjänst AB, who used 13 of them as target tugs for at least one season, although the type was not well suited for the role. Another six J 11s were delivered to Svensk Flygtjänst AB as a source for spare parts. Secondhand aircraft were given Swedish civil registrations. The last J 11 was removed from the register during 1949. A single surviving Swedish "Falco" was preserved. It was stored at the F 3 wing; the aircraft had been deliberately "hidden away" with the intent of it being displayed in a future museum. Number NC.2453, marked as 9 9, is today on permanent static display in the Swedish Air Force Museum (Flygvapenmuseum) in Linköping.
caption: A Swedish Air Force J 11
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