Italian Forces

Also French fighters for the last battle

Stato Maggiore Aeronautica

An operational Italian Air Force’s Dewoitine D 520 during the refueling likely on a Southern Italy’s airfield. The aircraft has still the original French camouflage and markings (note the name of the aircraft’s type, Dewoitine D 520, over the rudder) and also the fuselage number, 14 in this case, is “French style”. The only Italian markings are the white strip on the fuselage and the withe cross on the tail (but without the Savoia’s emblem). Note also the absence of the Fascist emblems, sign of a photo taken after the 25 July 1943 (Mussolini’s fall). The D 520 was the only prey of war’s French aircraft employed by the Italians on active duties most all to fill the worn-out fighter line immediately before the crucial match with the Allied air forces for the last defence of the Italian skies on the Summer 1943. The former Vichy Air Force’s fighter was transferred in Italy by Italian pilots with stopover at Villanova d’Albenga airfield, Liguria. The first airplanes was assigned, February 1943, to 2nd Stormo’s 8th Gruppo, Torino-Caselle airport, but late February was switched to Naples. On late Spring and Summer 1943, impending the Allied air offensive against Sicily and Southern Italy, the D 520 was assigned to 161st Gruppo Autonomo Caccia (Autonomous Fighter Group) based in Southern Italy with its three Squadriglie: 163rd at Grottaglie, Apulia, 162nd at Crotone and 164th at Reggio Calabria, both in Calabria. Most Italian D 520s was destroyed in air combat and by the Allied air-to-ground attacks. The few survivors disappeared during the days after the Kingdom of Italy’s Armistice (8 September 1943). Victor Sierra