Italian Forces

On a Russian airfield

IMC Archives

The Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 I-LAVO, military registration MM60389, of the Nucleo Comunicazioni Ala Littoria (Ala Littoria’s Communications Unit) on a Russian airfield (likely Saporoshje or Voroscilovgrad), late 1943-early 1943 with, in background, another aircraft of the same type. The Nucleo Comunicazioni Ala Littoria was one of two Nuclei Comunicazione – the other was the Nucleo Comunicazioni LATI for long range lines – established inside the Comando Servizi Aerei Speciali (Special Air Services Command) in turn founded on 4 June 1940, for guarantee the continuation of some civil air services with allied or neutral countries as well as the transport of mail to the front. The distinction from the other component of the Special Air Services Command, the Reparti T (Reparti T/Air Transport Units) with exclusive military transport’s goal was retained upon during the entire conflict, but often Nuclei Comunicazione and Reparti T accomplished same missions as the troop transportation. I-LAVO, an 1st series SM.75 with 1,000 HP Fiat A.80RC-41 radial engines delivered to Ala Littoria on 1939, was one of three Nucleo Comunicazioni Ala Littoria’s SM.75 - militarized with military registration and marking (MM/Matricola Militare, MM60389 for the I-LAVO) but retaining the original civil registration – committed to a line from Italy to Russian front along the route Rome/Ciampino-Belgrade-Bucharest-Saporoshje-Voroscilovgrad in attendance of the Italian troops. I-LAVO was already committed in many missions as, from 18 to 23 November 1940, the troops transport from Italy (Brindisi) to Albania(Tirana), together the I-LAOS, I-LIAN, I-TINA and I-TITO. On 20 December 1940, during a mission in Libya, I-LAVO was damaged at Castel Benito airfield, Tripoli, by an enemy raid. On 19 April 1942 I-LAVO is one of 19 SM.75 in strength to Nucleo Comunicazioni Ala Littoria. One year later, on 14 May 1943, I-LAVO was destroyed in Sardinia, on Alghero airfield, by an enemy raid. Victor Sierra