Italian Forces

Russian winter

Stato Maggiore Aeronautica

Russia, Winter 1941: with the help of one heater the aircraft airmen warm the engines, the right engine is still covert by canvas, of an Italian transport aircraft Savoia-Marchetti S.81. Already downgraded from bomber to transport role, the S.81s carried out a hard, but precious work supporting the Italian troops on the very difficult weather and environmental conditions of Russian Front. The air component of Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia, afterwards Italian Army in Russia, had a Sezione Trasporti (Transport Section) at the beginning with two Squadriglie: 245th Squadriglia (Capt Ernesto Caprioglio) and 246th Squadriglia (Capt Nicola Fattibene), both with about twenty S.81, based at Krivoi Rog. Victor Sierra