Italian Forces

Centauro’s guarding duty

A serviceman guard duty with the pistol service on the case, likely the classic Beretta, of an Italian fighter Fiat G.55 Centauro (Centaur). The white band on fuselage suggest one of Regia Aeronautica’s aircraft, in this case a G.55 Sottoserie 0 (Sub-Series Zero) without wing cannons but with the weapons on the nose. Note also the absence of the Fascist symbol (Fascio Littorio) under the cockpit, sign of a photo taken after 25 July 1943 (Mussolini’s fall) and prior of 8 September 1943 (Armistice of Italy). Another detail: the plane hasn’t the individual aircraft number and the Squadriglia’s number., perhaps is an aircraft just delivered waiting for the unit’s code. But may be one of few Centauro not delivered to Regia Aeronautica and afterwards embedded in Repubblica Sociale Italiana’s air force. A photo of a G.55 commandeered by the Germans show an aircraft still the white band. In effect it’s impossible in this photo to watch the exactly the lapel badge of the Sahariana’s serviceman: “stellette” (five points little stars) for Kingdom of Italy’s Armed Forces or Gladio (Roman sword) for the RSI’s Armed Forces. Victor Sierra