Italian Forces

Preparation for the mission

An Italian fighter pilot making preparations for a mission with its Macchi MC.202 "Folgore". Unit and location unkown, perhaps in Italy in autumn or winter (the dress of pilot and ground crew isn't of African theater). Speaking of the "Folgore", Clive Caldwell, the leading Australian air ace officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties plus six probables and 15 damaged in North Africa and Pacific, said that the C.202 would have been superior to the Messerschmitt BF 109, had it been better equipped with weapons. Victor Sierra