Italy, June 1943: a Reggiane Re.2002 "Ariete" of the 239th Squadriglia, 102nd Gruppo, 5th Stormo Tuffatori (Dive-bombers Wing) in line a Tarquinia Airport, North of Rome. Note the stores pylon under the centerline of fuselage, the canopy open and the pilot's parachute (Salvator model).  over the left wing. The highlight also the large NACA cowling of radial engine Piaggio P.XIX R.C.45 "Turbine" with air-cooling gills open, the three-blades propeller and stocky propeller spinner. In the 101st Stormo the Ariete has replaced the "Picchiatello", the JU-87 in service with Regia Aeronautica. VictorSierra

In line for the mission

This Italian torpedo aircraft S.79 of the 104th Gruppo Aerosiluranti (104th Torpedo Aircraft Group), 253rd Squadriglia, equipped with Alpha 128 engines, based at Gadouras, Rhodes, photographed early 1943, has an experimental camouflage for the torpedo aircraft. This camouflage, without the white fuselage band too much visible during the darkness missions, and fuselage number red, is knew only of 104th Gruppo’s aircrafts. Victor Sierra

Experimental camouflage

Benito Mussolini with second wife (possibly bigamously) Rachele and children, in happier prewar times.  Rachele was not dealt the best hand on the husband front.  She bore him five children - two daughters and three sons - and remained loyal to him to the end.  She also played the part of the ideal Fascist wife and mother; actually, with understandable conviction.  However, the Duce was an inveterate womanizer, something that Rachele seems to have chosen to ignore.  At the end, she was not permitted to be his companion in flight.  That role went to his current mistress, Clara Petacci.  

Perhaps, for Rachele, that was just as well.  She survived the war, went back to her native Lombardy, and ran a small pasta restaurant.  All for that.  JR.