Wrecked italian aircrafts on the Reggio Calabria airport (in front to Streets of Messina) just taken by Allied forces, September 1943. Note in foreground the wreck of a former French Air Force Dewoitine D-520 taken by Italians in occupied territory of Provence, 1942, and employed by Regia Aeronautica. Behind a Fiat G.50bis "Freccia" and the fuselage of a Caproni Ca.314, a bombed hangar (British Admiralty Photograph BNA6409 via AWM). Victor Sierra

Reggio Calabria 1943

After the armistice, officially announced September 8, 1943, but signed at Cassibile (Sicily) September 3, 1943, the Kingdom of Italy changed the alliance: former enemies turned into alllies, former allies, the Germans, turnded into enemies. In this photo, at Grottaglie's airport (Puglia), a group portrait of Royal Australian Air Force and Italian airmen who are working on the same airfield. The aircraft is a Curtiss P-40 of RAAF. Victor Sierra

Change of alliance

Catania, Sicily, c. July 1943. Three Australian servicemen examine a bomb crater four metres deep caused by Allied shelling and bombing of the Catania airfield. In background three Italian fighter destroyed or heavily damaged during the raids: left, a Fiat CR.42, right two Reggiane Re.2005's "Sagittario". Victor Sierra