The Fiat A.30 R.A. was an Italian water-cooled

aircraft engine An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbines, although a few have been rocket powered and in recent years ma ...

from the 1920s, built in large numbers and serving with several air forces up to the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. It produced 447 kW (600 hp).

Design and development

During the second half of the 1920s Fiat introduced several water-cooled aircraft engines, including the A.20, A.23, A.24, A.25 and A.30. They were all upright V-12s with 60° between the

cylinder bank The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...

s; capacities ranged between 18.7 L and 54.5 L (1,141-3,326 cu in) and power outputs between 320 kW and 745 kW (430-1,000 hp). Producing 447 kW (600 hp) from 24.0 L (1,464 cu in), the A.30RA was towards the low power end of these ranges. The R, (''Riduttori'' - reduced), indicated that the output was geared down. Many of the production A.30 R.A.s were fitted in Fiat's own fighters and fighter trainers, particularly in the

Fiat C.R.32 The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to i ...

. Both this aircraft type and the Meridionali Ro.37 remained in service with the

Regia Aeronautica The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Regio Esercito, Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the mon ...

when Italy joined in

in 1940; by then the engine was seriously dated. Before the war similarly powered CR.30s had been sold to the air forces of

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, China and

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

, the Austrian aircraft ending their service with the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...

after the

Anschluss The (, or , ), also known as the (, en, Annexation of Austria), was the annexation of the Federal State of Austria into the Nazi Germany, German Reich on 13 March 1938. The idea of an (a united Austria and Germany that would form a "Ger ...

. Ultimately 2,679 A.30 R.A. and A.30 R.A.bis engines were built.

Variants

''From Thompson'' ;A.30 R.A.: ;A.30 R.A.bis:

Applications

''From Thompson'' * CMASA MF.10 *

Fiat CR.30 The Fiat CR.30 was a 1930s Italian single-seat biplane fighter aircraft designed by Celestino Rosatelli and built by Fiat. Design and development The Fiat CR.30 was a new design by Celestino Rosatelli for a single-seat fighter. Four prototypes ...

* Fiat CR.32 * Fiat CANSA FC.12 * IMAM Ro.37

Specifications (A.30 R.A.)

References

{{Fiat aeroengines 1920s aircraft piston engines A30

Design and development

Variants

Applications

Specifications (A.30 R.A.)

See also

References