[harryfighter]

Hello Denes, hello Stig!

The Austrian Air Force bought 45 "Chirri's" in 1936 to equip the Jagdgeschwader II in Wr.Neustadt. There was no connection between the Werk-Nr. (construction number) from Fiat and the Dienstnummer in Austria. The system of Dienstnummern was the military registration system, the DNr. helps to find out what kind of aircraft is this 1.. means fighter aircraft, 2.. means recce, 3.. is a bomber and so on. Also there is no connection to a civil registration. This was not necessary anymore in 1936! For example the DNr. 165 was a fighter from the type Fiat Cr32 and had the running number 65 in this block, the construction number was 524.
In 1938 the Jagdgeschwader II with the Cr32 became the I/JG135 and the I/JG138. The commander of the I/JG138 was Hptm. Wilfried Müller-Rienzburg, the former commander of the Jagdgeschwader II. The Gruppe was based in Wien-Aspern, therfore the famous enblem "Löwe von Aspern" lion from Aspern of the Deutsche Luftwaffe. This enblem exist still today with the Austrian Air Force, many years with the Draken and now with the Eurofighter of the Überwachungsgeschwader.

There were no Chirri's directly sold from the Austrian Air Force to Hungary but likely later from the Luftwaffe. I don't believe that Hungary used the DNr. for the ex Austrian Cr 32. George Punka states in his booklet "Hungarian Air Force" the registration V.060,.. for 36 ex Austrian aircraft.

In addition the Air Force bought also three Fiat Cr 30 monoposto with the DNr. 183, 184 and 186 and three Fiat Cr 30 biposto with the DNr. 180, 181 and 182.

Best wishes from Austria,

Harald