An Italian recce plane Caproni Ca.311M (M for Modified) of the Regia Aeronautica’s 71st Gruppo Osservazione Aerea (Air Reconnaissance Group, Squadriglie 38th and 116th) warming up the engines on an Eastern Front airfield, likely Stalino, today Donec'k, Ukraina, Summer 1942. Notice the aircraft’s upper turret Caproni Lanciani Delta E armed with an Isotta-Fraschini Lanciani 7.7mm MG (traversed to rear, the large front tube is a balance mass for the machine-gun). In background a biplane Caproni Ca.164 employed as liaison aircraft. Victor Sierra

Italian planes in the Eastern Front

A Black Shirt writes home in the wagon taking him and the mules to the Russian front. The mules, very useful in an mountain environment, are much less in a frozen plain... Also these troops were originally intended to serve in the Caucaso. DVX

Leaving with some friends

Black Shirt portrait. The 2 bars on the sleeve indicate 2 wounds in combat. DVX