June 16, 1940: six days after the declaration of war of Italy to France and Great Britain, an aircrafty of Italian Regia Aeronautica, the SM.79 number 194-4 M.M. 21305 of 194th Squadriglia, 87th Gruppo, 30th Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre, took off from Sciacca Airport, Sicily, for an armed reconnaissance over the Tunisian airport of El Alouina (Tunis) and Grombalia and Korbe area. During the mission the Italian bomber dropped twelve 50 kg bombs over the airport shooting some ground installations. In the photo, down, one of the bombs droppen over the target. Victor Sierra


Mission over Tunis

Runway excursion in Sicily: the SM.79 193-8, an aircraft of 193rd Squadriglia,  87th Gruppo, 30th Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre of Italian Regia Aeronautica landing at Sciacca Airport could not be stopped on the runway and overran into a row of trees beyond threshold running a military ambulance thankfully without driver or persons on board. No serious consequences also for the crew of aircraft. The absence of white strip on fuselage date the photo between the end of 1940 and beginning of 1941. Victor Sierra

Runway excursion 

A couple of Italian bomber SM.79s of Italian Air Force in flight over Mediterranean Sea, August 8, 1940. The planes are of 229th Squadriglia, 89th Gruppo of 32nd Stormo from 3 June 1940 redeployed in Sardinia, at Decimomannu. At outbreak of the war the 32nd Stormo was at once engaged in missions against the Corsica,  French North Africa and British ship. Victor Sierra




