Italian Forces

Italian Spitfire

In Summer 1944 the Allies Authorities gived to Italian Regia Aeronautica Co-Belligerent British and American fighter to replace most ageing Italian aircrafts depleting for wear and lack of spare parts (the Italian industries were at the time in Northern Italy occupied by Germans). The fighters were Bell P-39 Airacobra and Supermarine Spitfire V. The Spitfire V (Vc and Vb) tropicalized gived to Regia Aeronautica were fifty-three, but only thirthy-three were in good conditions and ables to afford safely the flight because were aircraft already for a long time used before by RAF, mainly in North Africa, and after by Yugoslav Air Force. The Spit were assigned to 20th Gruppo of 51st Stormo at Leverano. The first nine (Vc), former No 352 Squadron (Yugo) were delivered at the date of 15 September 1944 followed after by the others. In Autumn of same year, the 20th Gruppo was transferred at Lecce-Galatina and afterwards, with the other Gruppis of the 51st Stormo all equipped with Macchi 202 and 205, February 1945, at Termoli, near Canne, Puglia. The first mission with Spitfire date to 4 November 1945: three aircraft strafed German targets in Balkans and one Spit downed by Flak. The 5 May 1945 last mission of war. Afterwards the end of the war the last Spitfires serviceable were retired, scrapped and, at summer 1946, replaced by Spitfire IX. One Spit V of Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force was, for many years, displayed in the principal square of Nettuno in a war memorial of Nettuno's landing. Transferred to Anti-aircraft Artillery School of Italian Army at Sabaudia (near Latina), reduced more than a derelict, was salvaged by Italian Air Force, restored and displayed in Badoni Hangar (aircraft of WW2) of Air Force Museum of Vigna di Valle where is again. The plane of the photo, note an half-wing on the ground, has the original British camouflage. Other Italian Spitfire Vs, like the aircraft at Vigna di Valle, were completely olive-drab. Victor Sierra