`    This is the text i struggle to post in G.91 page. Just to realize how i want to contribute to wiki, and how someone don't want i do it:     The Aeritalia G.91, also known as the Fiat G.91 and nicknamed Gina, was an light Italian fighter aircraft that was intended to serve as standard equipment for NATO air forces in the 1960s. It was eventually only adopted by three - the Italian Air Force, West Germany's Luftwaffe, and the Portuguese Air Force, but enjoyed a long service life that extended over 35 years.  ==Development== In 1953, European aircraft manufacturers were invited by NATO to submit aircraft for evaluation for the Light Weight Strike Fighter (LWSF) role. The G.91 was designed to the specification by the famous Italian engineer Giuseppe Gabrielli, hence the ``G`` designation. The competition was intended to produce an aircraft that was light, small, expendable, equipped with basic weapons and avionics and capable of operating with minimal ground support. These specifications were developed for two reasons: the first was the nuclear threat and the other was to counter the trend towards larger and more expensive aircraft.  The technical requirements were:  * 1,100 m take-off distance over a 15 m obstacle * Capability to operate from grass strips and streets * Max speed of 0.95 Mach * Range of 280 km with 10 min over the target * Armoured protection for the pilot and the fuel tanks * 4x12.7 mm or 2x20 mm or 30 mm guns * A maximum of 2,200 kg empty weight and 4,700 kg max weightFerrari 1992, p. 83.  The challengher proposals must had been presented within two months after the request. The projecting work was only apparently an easy task, because making a very small aircraft yet capable to cover these NATO specifications was difficult.   Fiat Aviazione presented G.91 and so did other competitors with a total of 10 projects, analysed since 18 March by AGARD (Advisory Group for Aeronautical Research and Development), led by Theodore Von Karman. The finalists were declared Breguet Taon, Dassault Etendard, Fiat G.91 and Folland Gnat. Another interesting project was Sud Aviation Badoleur, that solved drastically the problem of a proper landing undercarriage, simply omitted and sobstitued with a landing and take off skid (aircraft was moved in ground operations with a special trailer). This, however, was not ufficially presented to AGARD, that choose, on paper, the Taon as winner.  In the meanwhile, there was the problem of the engine, that must been light yet enough powerful and reliable, with easy and cheap maintenance, like the whole aircraft. The solution was realized by Bristol with the Bristol Orpheus, a simple and effective turbojet. It was adopted to all the finalists, so Bristol will won the contest in every case. G.91R, presented by Fiat, was also called 'little Sabre'. It was due by the knowledge gained with license-production of a modern aircraft, the F-86K, that helped to make much experience with advanced jet aircrafts, . It was similar to F-86 as overall design, but smaller and capable to operate from semi-prepared airstrips.  G.91R was 20% heavier than the estimates and this was due partly to testing hardware, but it was powered by a Bristol Orpheus B.Or 801, 1,800 kg/t.  It was yet capable to supersonic speed in dives, as shown by the flight made in 20 February 1957 when it was able to break the sound barrier four times with 9,000 m dives. His test pilot Riccardo Bignamini, a famous one of that times (he won McKenna Trophy at Empire Test School) was a key element to solve the G.91 shortcomings and the first flight was made in 9 August 1956 at Torino-Caselle airfield.   Few days after it was tested at high speed and at 1,300 m ceiling, but lost control and Bignamini was forced to bail out, resulting wounded in the dorsal spin.  The re-engineering work on G.91 was very intensive and the second prototype had a bigger tail, 6 cm taller canopy, a ventral control surface and some other modifics. It flew in July 1957, but it was not sent to the final evaluation.  The third and fourth prototypes were sent at Bretigny, France, facing with homeland competitors. After several days of flight tests, G.91 won against the supposed winner, Taon, and the Etendard. Gnat was retired before this trial due to some still unsolved problems. After 15 days of intensive tests, in September 1957 the evaluation was in favour of Gabrielli’s fighter, and during Jeanuary 1958, Fiat G.91 was declared the winner.,     ==Tecnical description==  G.91 was a small, single engine and single seat (in the initial, standard version) machine, all metallic, with multi-role capabilities. It was (after the introduction of the 'R-nose') a short range fighter-bomber-recce aircraft (CBR), the only real all-around fighter that served in AMI, but this was not without limitation in every task. It had nothing to do with actual multi-role capabilities like JAS-39 Gripen have.  The engine was a foreign one, as usual for italian aircrafts, and it worths remark that british engine industry was, at that time, the leader in Europe (having the more direct opponent, Germany, lost the WWII UK with all the conseguences related) and also the other successful coevus italian jet, MB.326, was engined with a british model, in this case R.R. Viper series, another small and efficient turbojet, used even for the successor MB.339. Bristol B.Or 803 was produced under license by Fiat Avio as 4023.2 with 2,270 kg/t at take off and 1900 continuous, to increase the weight increment Ferrari, p. 88 .  G.91 was meant a fighter, so it was faster than MB.326 and so it  not had the same low speed and endurance capabilities, to have a more performing airframe.   It had a sweep wing made with three elements. Angle was 37°13’24’’ at 25% chord, thickness was 11-12%, length ratio 4,46:1, negative diedral angle was 1°30’. The construction followed the traditional criterias, being made with two-spars and a third false spar, supporting the undercarriage gear. Control surfaces had flaps and ailerons, but not slats.   Fuselage was made with three sections: cockpit/nose, central fuselage and aft fuselage, with the engine. Despite the swept wing,  the minimum speed was still only 205 kmh allowing to use relatively short airstrips Ferrari, p. 87 .   Fuel was 1,600 l (twice than MB.326), fuel tanks were in the centre of fuselage, for a total of nine made with nylon and rubber (selfsealing). Another 1,040 l was in two external tanks -only for ferrying- but the normal for tactical mission was 520 l (2 x 260 l each).   The pilot had a small cockpit with a bubble canopy and a pointed nose allowing a quite good forward visibiility. It was available only a limited instruments  set, especially in R1 version, while R3 and R1B were the 'mature' G-91Rs made with german requirements. Windscreen was three pieces, the central was armoured. Ejection seat was Martin-Baker MK.W4 with 0 m alt-190 km/h minimum speed. Only in 1974 began the replacement with the most modern 0-0 set MK.6 Sgarlato p. 34.   Weaponry was limited to only four 12,7 M3 machine-guns, fitted in the flanks. Covered with panels, they were easily accessibles and re-loadables, with 1200 round belts (total). F-86 Sabre had six M3s, F.86K had 4 20 mm guns, but the G.91R was quite smaller. To solve this shortcoming in firepower R3 had 2 30 mm DEFA guns (240 crt. total) Ferrari, p. 90. .   One of the winner capabilities of G.91R was the undercarriage gear. It had both vertical and horizontal shock-absorbers, to operate at best even over non-prepared terrains. It was made by Messier-Bugatti and the forward element could steer up to 90° for every side with double axis amortization to better absorb terrain solicitations Ferrari, p. 87. .  External stores had only two pylons capables of 227 kg (in practice, 900 kg but only with fuel tanks), R1 (seldom), R3 and R4 had another pair under wings pylons, capable to carry 113 kg. This allowed to use both tanks (with 260 l capability) and stores, differently this aircraft was forced to choose between a decent range or a sufficient weaponry. With ext. tanks the machine had 640 km range at best conditions, with external stores without tanks it had 300-320 km. The reconnaissance capability (from G-91R/1A) was always retained.   The weapons usually carried were rockets (two 25x50 mm Aero L50 launchers with 1200 m useful range, or 68, 70 and even 127 mm caliber), 113 or 227 kg bombs