fuselage was composed of a welded steel tube structure. A duralumin skin of the forward and center fuselage, and fabric covering the rear fuselage. The BR.20 had 74 m² (796 ft²) metal-skinned wings, comprising a pair of spars and 50 ribs (also composed of duralumin) along with fabric-covered flight control surfaces. The wing was built in three sections, the central being integral with the fuselage and the other two being tapered outer sections. As a consequence of the low wing loading, the takeoff and landing distances were relatively short while the thickness of the wing did not compromise the achievable speed. It was also provided with a retractable main undercarriage, the elements of which would retract into the engine's nacelles via a hydraulically-actuated mechanism. The BR.20 possessed a twin-tail configuration and a nose section that was separated into cockpit and navigator stations, while the twin tail arrangement allowed a good field of fire from the dorsal gun turret. Crewed by four or five, the BR.20's two pilots sat side by side with the engineer/radio operator/gunner behind. The radio operator's equipment included a R.A. 350-I radio-transmitter, A.R.5 receiver and P.3N radio compass. The navigator/bomb-aimer sat at a station located within the nose; this position was equipped with both bombsights and a vertical camera. Another two or three crew members occupied the nose and the mid-fuselage, performing functions as the radio-operator, navigator and gunners. The radio operator was also the ventral gunner, while the last crew member was the dorsal gunner. Operational history Early service When, near the end of 1936, the 13° Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre (in Lonate Pozzolo) was equipped with the "Cicognas" it was probably the most modern bombing unit in the world at that time. Shortly after entering service with the Regia Aeronautica, the aircraft became central to the propaganda campaign lauding Italian engineering. During 1937, a pair of stripped-down BR.20s, designated as the BR.20A, were custom-built for entry into the prestigious Istres–Damascus air race; these aircraft were able to obtain sixth and seventh place in the race while rivals S.M.79s achieved the first place, the Fiat-built bomber being obviously slower. The BR.20A featured a rounded nose, similar to civil aircraft, while all of the normal military hardware, such as defensive turrets, had been removed. In its place, the internal fuel capacity was increased to 7,700 L (2,034 US gal), bringing the maximum range to 6,200 km (3,850 mi).