Macchi MC.202s "Folgore" of 1st Stormo under enemy attack, Libyan desert, perhaps 1942. Two men pushing an aircraft under cover, another rushing to another plane, while a MC.202, hit by enemy fire, is burning. Victor Sierra

Under  enemy attack

Take off from an aisrtrip of Libyan desert for a combat mission of two Macchi MC.202s &quot;Folgore&quot; of 88th Squadriglia, 6th Gruppo of 1st Stormo Caccia Terrestre (note the coat of Stormo, the &quot;Archer&quot;, over the white strip on fuselage), 1942. Remarkable the great amount of sand raised by propellers wich force to mount the anti-sand filter (on the MC.202 on left side of cowling). The 1st Stormo was the first unit of Regia Aeronautica equipped with the &quot;Folgore&quot; from May 1941, beginning with 17th Gruppo transferred in Libya at November 1941, soon reached by the other, the 6th Gruppo. Within 1942 with the MC.202 was equipped the entire first line of fighter of Regia Aeronautica. Victor Sierra

Take off from desert

The Macchi MC.202 &quot;Folgore, Matricola Militare MM7848, aircraft number 378-11, of 378th Squadriglia, 155th Gruppo, 51st  Stormo (note the insigna of Stormo, the &quot;Black Cat&quot;), at the time based in Sicily, airports of Sciacca and Castelvetrano, shot down, July 27, 1942, by the Spitfire Mk V of Canadian ace George &quot;Buzz&quot; Beurling while, with other &quot;Folgores&quot;  escorting nine German bombers Junkers Ju-88 in missione over Malta. The pilot of 378-11, sergente maggiore Faliero Gelli (wich had previously claimed three Spitfires shot down over Malta) managed to crash land on the island of Gozo, escape with minor injures and was taken POW. In the same combat the commander of 155th Squadriglia, the recordmen and ace capitano Furio Niclot Doglio, was shot down and killed by the same &quot;Buzz&quot; Beurling. Victor Sierra