An Italian maritime recce and bombardment seaplane CRDA Cant-Z-506 hauled at Mondello, today a beach “à la mode” of Palermo. This photo was taken perhaps after the entry of Allies in the capital of Sicily, Summer 1943. Indeed the plane, apparently abandoned, has the under wing Fascist emblem deleted, like happened for Regia Aeronautica’s aircraft after 25 July 1943 (Mussolini’s downfall), while the soldier in foreground seem clearly an Allied. Victor Sierra

On the Palermo’s beach

Savoia-Marchetti S.81 of Gruppo “Terracciano”, one of two transport units of Repubblica Sociale Italiana’s Air Force (Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, or ANR) which the Germans employed on Eastern Front to bring new life into her transport units severely distressed by years of war. Like all the multi engine aircrafts of ANR, also this plane has German markings, for avoid mistakes, with a little Italian flag behind the lateral glass of the cockpit (note in the photo). The origin of Gruppo “Terracciano” date back to end of 1943 when the unit, under the command of Maggiore Egidio Pellizzari, former pilot of Regia Aeronautica’s Servizi Aerei Speciali (Special Air Services), was formed in Northern Italy, at Bergamo-Orio al Serio Airport. At second half of 1944 the “Terracciano” moved in Central Germany, at Goslar where the Luftwaffe had parked about 60 former bombers S.81 converted in transport aircrafts seized in Italy and in Balkans after the Armistice of the Kingdom of Italy. The planes really accepted were thirty-six and the Gruppo “Terracciano”, embedded in Luftwaffe like 10 TransportGruppe, moved in Lithuania, at Siauliai. The Gruppo, with three Squadriglie, was employed in very large areas of Eastern Front from Lithuania to Finland, Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, in transport missions for German forces. At September 1944 the “Terracciano” moved back in Germany, at Bautzen, near Dresden. But the conditions of flight material were very poor and the surviving S.81s were phased out, while the personnel returned in Italy. Victor Sierra

Gruppo “Terracciano”

An Italian maritime recce flying boat CRDA Cant-Z-501 moored in an unspecified North African harbor. The Cant-Z.501s was employed by Squadriglie da Ricognizione Marittima (Maritime Reconnaissance Squadrons) embedded in Aviazione per la Regia Marina (Aeronautics for Royal Navy) with mixed crews of Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) and Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy). Date of the photo (Deutsches Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-424-0282-08) unspecified. Victor Sierra