Rearming the two 12,7 mm Breda-Safat machine guns of an Italian fighter Macchi MC.202 “Folgore” somewhere in Southern Italy in the Summer’s sun. Note the dog, certainly the mascot of the Squadriglia, over the wing. Victor Sierra

Rearming the “Folgore”

This lateral view of an aircraft of 252nd Squadriglia, 104th Gruppo, 46th Stormo Bombardamento (Bombardment Wing) highlight the nacelle under the fuselage of the S.79 in configuration Bomber housing the ventral gunner's and the bombardier's stations. This nacelle was removed, for housing the torpedo, on the S.79s converted in torpedo bomber. The aircraft of the photo, taken soon after the entry in the war of Italy, has both the upper machine guns. The 46th Stormo was transferred from Pisa, his first base, to Albania and, finally, transformed in torpedo bomber’s unit. Victor Sierra

S.79 in flight

To avoid bad luck a group of Italian fighter pilots, before the mission, playing with the mascot of their Squadriglia (perhaps 374th Squadriglia) which salute “romanamente” (the Fascist salute) with the right leg. The fighter is a Macchi MC.202. Victor Sierra