This British Fleet Air Arm 820 Squadron’s Fairey Swordfish, tail code 4F, aircraft number P4127, of aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, during a bombing raid on Cagliari, on 2 August 1940, was hit by AA fire and forced to land on Italian Cagliari-Elmas Airfield. The crew (two men) was taken prisoner and the aircraft, captured nearly intact, was repaired by Elmas Caproni plant and fitted with an Alfa Romeo 125 radial engine. Transferred on Italian mainland, at Guidonia’s Flight Test Center, on 27 February 1941, the Swordfish P4127 was still listed as being there 6 April 1942. After this date was likely phased out and scrapped. Victor Sierra

Swordfish in Sardinia

This planes in Regia Aeronautica marking is the Hawker Hurricane Mark I fighter of Air Force of the Royal Yugoslav Army captured by Italians on Mostar Airfield on 16 April 1941, just one day before the Yugoslav Government’s surrender (17 April 1941) after only eleven day of war against the attack of Germany and Italy. This Italian Hurricane’s photo was taken at Italian Flight Test Center on Guidonia Airport where was transferred from Yugoslavia. On 29 September 1941 the former Yugoslav Hurricane was exhibited to Duce Benito Mussolini on Rome’s Ciampino Airport. Employed for various duties, included the role of “British fighter” in some propaganda’s movies, the former Yugoslav Hurricane was finally destroyed in an incident at beginning of 1943. Victor Sierra

An Italian Hurricane

Another Fairey Swordfish fell into Italian hands was the aircraft K8403 E4M of Fleet Air Arm’s 813 Squadron from HMS Eagle forced to land on Scarpanto Island, at the time, 4 September 1940, occupied by Italians. The K8403 was hit by Italian fighters CR.42s during raid on Maritza airfield, Rhodes, and the crew was take POW. The captured Swordfish was transferred at Guidonia in December 1940 (on the photo). It was kept serviceable till the middle of 1941 using spare parts coming from another captured Swordfish, the K8422 (4H), to it of HMS Eagle and to it lost on raid on Maritza airfield, 4 September 1940. The crew was taken POW by Italians and the aircraft was captured and made serviceable. Flown by 68th Squadriglia of 34th Gruppo Bombardamento for liaison duties until June 1941. Victor Sierra