Italian Forces

ANR’s personnel

Personnel of Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR), the Air Force of the Fascist Repubblica Sociale Italiana (RSI), on an airport of Northern Italy (Lonate Pozzolo?), Spring or Summer 1944. The serviceman in foreground whit a briefcase is an officer, precisely a lieutenant, notably from the ranks over the jacket’s sleeve, not of the flying personnel (is has a fine pair of glasses!), but of the ground services (technical or likely administrative). Note also a serviceman with a bicycle, at this time the mean of transport most widespread, a regular equipment of military units. The plane is a three engine bomber CRDA Cant-Z-1007ter, one of very few exemplars of the last version of well known “Alcione” on line with the ANR but never employed for combat duties by the RSI’s Air Force. As the other multi-engine aircraft of ANR, also this plane has the German crosses under the wing to avoid mistakes. Victor Sierra