“Ice cream man”: the nickname stuck to Italian fighter pilots which flew in Libya with the white nose Macchi MC.202s fighter. In the photo, one “Ice cream man” fighter on a Libyan airfield, 1942. The insignia on the engine cowling its perhaps a personal emblem of pilot, a practice not encouraged by the Regia Aeronautica’s high commands which preferred the Unit’s emblem. Victor Sierra

The “Ice cream man” fighter

A photo like the prior, perhaps the same from another frame. Note the sand filter on the engine cowling, always on the left hand side, and the two camouflage’s different types, sign of MC.202s built by two different manufactures. The propeller spin white was characteristic of MC.202s employed in North Africa. In background a transport aircraft SM.82 of 604th Squadriglia SAS-Servizi Aerei Speciali (Special Air Services). Victor Sierra

Relax

Journalist and political activist Benito Mussolini was in his mid 30s when, having abandoned Internationalist Revolutionary Socialism in favour of a pre-Fascist National Revolutionary stance, he volunteered for service in the Italian Army.  Quite a turn-around - as a young Internationalist, he had fled Italy temporarily to avoid military service.  He spent the best part of a year on the front line at the Isonzo, before being discharged in 1917 following a severe wounding caused by a grenade explosion in his trench - a very common occurrance in Italian trenches on the Isonzo.  Italian records indicate that he was an exemplary soldier.  Good view of his M91 rifle, a model (in several variants) still standard in the Italian Army in WW2.  Best regards, JR.