A Macchi MC.200 “Saetta” of Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force in the large hangar of Lecce Airport, Southern Italy, 1944. The MC.200 was employed by Regia Aeronautica of South’s Kingdom only for advanced training. Note a MC.202, or MC.205 in background. Victor Sierra

Lecce Airport 1944

The color photos of the Italian co-belligerent Air Force’s aircrafts are extremely uncommon. In this photo, perhaps taken at Lecce, end 1943 or early 1944, a former bomber CRDA Cant-Z-1007bis “Alcione” of the 260th Squadriglia, 106th Gruppo Autonomo (Autonomous Group) employed for supply’s drops to Italian and partisan forces in the Balkans. Note the long exhaust pipe of the center’s engine adopted already in the previous years for night missions. Uncommon is also the aircraft’s individual number, 2 in this case, repeated over the tail. The overall finish of the plane is dark olive green. Victor Sierra

Italian co-belligerent plane in color

Usually the Italian Armed Forces which fought together the Allies after the war declaration to Germany by the Kingdom of Italy, 13 October 1943 and the beginning of the Co-belligerence’s status of the same Kingdom, are indicated with the adjective “Co-Belligerent”, in this case, a Macchi MC.202 “Folgore” fighter aircraft in front to large hangar of Lecce’s airport at this time used for overhaul, maintenance and repair, Co-Belligerent Air Force (or Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force). But the adjective “Co-Belligerent”, example Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, derived from the Co-belligerence’s status of the Kingdom of Italy within the Allies, is only conventional because officially the Kingdom of Italy was never abolished and as such officially acknowledged by the Allied Powers as only legitimate Italy’s Government. Consequently the Italian Armed Forces kept their official name: Regio Esercito (Army), Regia Marina (Navy) and Regia Aeronautica (Air Force) like so the national flag: tricolor with, over the white central section, the Savoia’s emblem. Specifically (see the photo) the Air Force changed the insignias adopting the tricolor roundels (from the exterior red, white, green) already used during the WW1 and in use until 1927 where was adopted the Fascist emblems (the tricolor roundels was in use with the modern Italian Air Force until the half of XX Century’s 90s when was replaced by the actual low visibility roundel). The Italian Armed Forces name was changed only with the proclamation of the Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana) after the popular referendum of 2 June 1946 which sanctioned the Monarchy’s end. As consequence the Italian Armed Forces adopted the new official names, still in use, of Esercito Italiano (Army, abbr. EI), Marina Militare (Navy, abbr. MM) and Aeronautica Militare (Air Force, abbr. AM). At this point a question: is correct use the adjective “Co-Belligerent”? Officially no, the adjective “Co-Belligerent” isn’t correct. However the adjective is commonly accepted as conventional designation (note, only “conventional”) of avoid any confusion between the Italian Armed Forces pre-Armistice and post-Armistice (the Armistice was signed on 3 September 1943 and announced on 8 September 1943) and so is permissible. Best regards, Victor Sierra