Full equipped for the flight, leather flight helmet, Marus flight jacket and goggles, an Italian Macchi MC.200s fighter pilot is ready for take-off. Note the particular shape of open canopy which replaced the closed and sliding canopy of the MC.200’s first version. On the left, behind the windscreen, the collimator. Victor Sierra

Ready for take-off

An Italian Regia Aeronautica’s fighter pilot and his serviceman before a take-off. Note the complete pilot’s winter flight suit with flight jacket Marus with lamb fur collar and dark leather helmet. On the pilot’s back the Salvator parachute, standard on Italian Air Force for many years, string not yet hooked. The aircraft is a Macchi MC.202 “Folgore” still equipped with anti-sand filter (left side of the nose) for operations in North Africa. In effect she’s a photo taken surely in Italy. Victor Sierra

Pilot and serviceman

Italian fighter pilots talking near a Macchi MC.200 “Saetta” now equipped with radio (note the large antenna) and with the all dark olive drab finish adopted on the last period of the war (obviously before the Armistice of 8 September 1943). Unit unknown, location perhaps in Southern Italy perhaps on Spring 1943 (note one pilot has the white flight suite, typical of hot climate, but the other have still the Marus jacket). The Fascist emblem under the cockpit indicate a photo taken before the Mussolini’s fall. Victor Sierra