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






First missions

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

Today the large airport of Decimomannu, in Sardinia, &quot;Decimo&quot; in the slang of Italian Air Force, is most important European air base for fire training used by air forces Nato and no Nato. The origin of &quot;Decimo&quot;, 25 km N-NW of Cagliari, date back to 1939 when, in foresight of a war, at airport foresight existing in Sardinia, additional bases were set up called &quot;campi di manovra &quot; (&quot;manoevering areas&quot; or &quot;training areas&quot;) among the most important were Villacidro and Decimomannu. The latter was designated Campo di manovra number 39. The first unit at Decimomannu was the 32nd Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre transferred to new airfield from Cagliari-Elmas at June 1940 with its Gruppi (38th and 89th Gruppo) equipped with Savoia-Marchetti SM.79. With the 8th Stormo, they too based in Sardinia at &quot;Campo di manovra&quot; of Villacidro, established X Brigata da Bombardamento &quot;Marte&quot; (Tenth Bombardment Brigade). In the photo, taken between the end of 1940 and the beginning of 1941, a SM.79 of 32nd Stormo (228th Squadriglia) overflying Decimomannu Airport. Note many aircraft on dispersal areas. Victor Sierra