The Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, or ANR (in the photo one of its fighter), the Air Force of the Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI, the Fascist Republic founded by Mussolini after his return in Italy, was established on 10 October 1943 with the Lt. Col. Ernesto Botto (“Gamba di Ferro”/Iron Leg) as first commander in chief (Deputy Secretary of Aeronautics) from 23 September 1943. But the Germans never view high an independent ANR and the Luftflotte 2’s commander, Feldmarschall Wolfram von Richthofen, a cousin of the famous “Red Baron”, started the incorporation, more or less voluntary, of former Italian Air Force’s personnel in the Luftwaffe, in particular in the Flak, provoking the Botto’s complain. The ANR begun its operations only on November 1943 after a Hitler’s order, but its life was constantly characterized by relationship with the Luftwaffe and the German high commands rather strained and with mutual lack of confidence. This until to von Richtofen’s attempt on August 1944 of forced break up the ANR and its merger into Luftwaffe. The result was the ANR’s rebellion and only an Mussolini’s wire to Hitler saved a situation being degenerating into armed clashes. Victor Sierra

ANR-Luftwaffe: a difficult relationship

The unusual shape of the Alessandro Marchetti’s “twin fuselage” Savoia-Marchetti SM.92. The airplane has the Luftwaffe markings because the only SM.92’s prototype (MM531) flew at Savoia-Marchetti’s Vergiate airfield on 12 November 1943 (test crew Aldo Moggi, pilot, and Carlo Balzarini, flight engineer) when, after the Kingdom of Italy’s armistice with the Allies, the Northern Italy were under German control. Alessandro Marchetti, one of most fine of Italian aircraft designers, developed the SM.92 from the twin engines “P-38 style” SM.91 (only two prototypes produced) removing the central nacelle and carrying the two tandem seat cockpit on the left’s fuselage, reducing wing span (18.55 m), wing surface (38.52 square meters), empty weight (6,250 kg) and forward section. The performances were remarkable: maximum speed 615 km/h, time of climb to 6,000 meters 7' and 10", range 2,000 km, ceiling 12,000 meters with a heavy armament composed by three 20mm cannons (two under the fuselage, one on the right engine) and five 12.7mm machine guns (two on the right engine, two on the left engine, one remote controlled on a rear nacelle under the horizontal tail plane). After the first flight, the test of the only SM.92 built continued on the following year but on 17 March 1944 the aircraft was victim of the “friendly fire” when, mistook for a P-38, was fired by the Lt. Mazzei’s MC.205 of the ANR’s Squadriglia "Montefusco" took off from Venaria Reale, near Turin. An engine of the SM.92 was damaged and its pilot landed in emergency at Lonate Pozzolo. The plane was repaired and returned to flight on June 1944. Despite none really interest by the German, the SM.92 carried on few other flights, but, with the SM.91, was completely destroyed by an American raid over the Vergiate’s Savoia-Marchetti factory on 27 December 1944. The total flight time of the SM.92 was 21 hours and 3 minutes. Victor Sierra

The Alessandro Marchetti’s twin fuselage airplane

The attempt from long time got by the Luftflotte 2’s commander, Feldmarschall Wolfram von Richthofen, of encompass the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana-ANR, the Repubblica Sociale Italiana’s Air Force in the German Air Force, with the implied assent of the Luftwaffe’s upper echelons at Berlin, led into an authentic Blitz on 25 August 1944 when began the Operation Phoenix. With the connivance of few ANR’s officer, as the General Tessari which had ousted Botto “resigned” to ANR’s high command, and virtually without Mussolini’s knowledge, vaguely informed only of the lack of aircraft and fuel, German armed units surrounded the ANR’s Milan Command, at Piazza Novelli, and all the ANR’s bases and airports, cutting the telephone, stopping and threating with death officers, NCO and aircraftmen. In the same time the German liaison officers read a von Richtofen’s proclamation, in the form of an ultimatum, ordering the forced dissolution of the RSI’s air units and the transfer of the all personnel or to Flak or to a new Legione Aerea Italiana (Italian Air Legion) assigned to Luftwaffe under the outward command of Tessari, but under strict German control carried out by a Luftwaffe’s air staff. De facto a Luftawaffe’s Italian section replacing the German fighter units returning in Germany for the III Reich’s skies defence. The result was the all contrary of the von Richtofen’s expectation because the Italian reaction was extremely violent. While the attempt caused the stamped of many conscripts, the RSI’s paratroopers, embedded on the Air Force, completely armed, marched from Tradate on Milan to free the ANR’s command. In same time the Squadron leaders, as Visconti, 1st Gruppo’s commander, received the Germans hard-nosed and one of them, Alessandrini, leader of 2nd Gruppo Caccia, on Valeggio, and his men drew the weapons, ready to open fire, against the Luftwaffe platoon leaded by the Colonel Steinhoff. And in any case to prevent the seizing of the aircraft by the Germans, many fighter planes was intentionally damaged and burned. Three ANR’s officers, Colonel Foschini, chief of the Fighter Inspectorate, Colonel Morino, chief of the Air Transport, and the Squadron Leader Visconti, rushed on Gargnano to Mussolini. The Duce  put some proposals to top German commanders in Italy, for make up a situation being degenerating into armed clashes, but without answer. Five days later, on 30 August, Mussolini wired directly to Hitler, most probably in the dark of the Richtofen’s clumsy attempt, relating the facts with «a serious crisis in the Italian Aviation leading to material and moral disbandment with ripple on the other Armed Forces», denouncing «this painful event» and «the serious and incomprehensible humiliation inflicted to officers and soldiers» a part the he himself. The Hitler’s answer was immediate. The von Richtofen’s action was rejected and the same von Richtofen was called back in Germany and replaced by Maximillian Ritter von Pohl as General der Flieger u.Kommandierender General der Deutsche Luftwaffe in Italien (General Commander of the German Air Force in Italy). But the damage was serious and the ANR will return to combat, and with German built fighters, only late Autumn 1944. (In the photo pilots of the ANR’s 1st Gruppo Caccia). Victor Sierra