Recovery of a Regia Aeronautica’s fighter Macchi MC.200 belly landed on an unidentified Italian airport with the use of a Carro Soccorso Velivoli (aircraft recovery vehicle) with 1,500 kg capacity crane. This vehicle, developed on the truck Ceirano 47 C’s chassis, was employed by Regia Aeronautica also for handling of aircraft’s engines. Victor Sierra

MC.200’s recovery

The Macchi MC.202 “Folgore” fuselage code 378-4 of 155th Gruppo’s 378th Squadriglia, Italian Air Force. The 155th Gruppo at the beginning an autonomous fighter unit (155th Gruppo Autonomo Caccia), from April 1942 was assigned to 51st Stormo Caccia “Black Cat”. The presence of the “Black Cat” with three green mouse, 51st Stormo’s emblem, over the fuselage date therefore this photo, taken on an Italian airport, after April 1942. Note, also, the radio mast’s absence and the engine cowling’s color different from the “continental” camouflage of entire airplane, sign of use of an engine cowling coming from another aircraft. Victor Sierra

MC.202 of “Black Cat”

An aerial convoy of Italian transport aircrafts flying over the Mediterranean en route from Italy to North Africa (or vice versa) for troop’s transfer and supplies delivery view by the machine gun’s side station of a Savoia-Marchetti SM.82, perhaps on 1942 or 1943. The aircrafts of the photo are SM.82s except the plane on the center which is a SM.75. Note the slow flight altitude for avoid the enemy fighters. In this missions, very dangerous because the great Allied air superiority, the transport units of Regia Aeronautica and Luftwaffe was heavily depleted. Victor Sierra