An Italian bomber Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 “Pipistrello” attacking a target during the hard campaign against the Greece, winter 1940-1941. Employed on active duty for the first time during the Italian-Ethiopian war, 1935-1936, this three engine fixed landing gear aircraft was the basic Aviacion Legionaria bomber during the Spanish Civil War. But at the time of Italy’s entry in the war (10 June 1940) the SM.81 was irreparably obsolete. Victor Sierra

An obsolete bomber

Sicily 1943. A RAF’s vehicle salvage an Italian fighter Macchi MC.200 “Saetta” probably of 6th. Gruppo Autonomo Caccia based at Catania. Victor Sierra

Italian fighter salvaged

Close up of one of about thirty Messerschmitt Bf-109s, in majority of G version, delivered by Germany to Italian Regia Aeronautica from the end of 1942 t0 the Spring of 1943. With this fighter was equipped two Regia Aeronautica’s fighters unit, 150th Gruppo (Squadriglie 363rd, 364th and 365th) and 3rd Gruppo (Squadriglie 153rd, 154th and 155th) both in Sicily. Almost all the Italian Bf.109s were destroyed during the fierce fighting against the Allied air forces for the Sicily’s defence on June and July. 1943. The aircraft of this photo is a Bf.109G-6/Trop. Victor Sierra