Italian Forces

“Hybrid” aircraft

The aircraft of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force’s 51st Stormo in foreground is seemingly a Macchi MC.205 “Veltro” (greyhound) but in reality is a “hybrid”. In effect the aircraft has the nose of the MC.205 with the cowling of the German DB605 engine, but has the wing without the machine guns and the fixed tail wheel of the MC.202. In actuality is one of the 20-24 planes rebuilt on 1944-1945 by Aeronautica Sannita at Benevento, Southern Italy, coupling some MC.202’s original airframe out of order with DB605 salvaged somewhat everywhere (included wrecks of Luftwaffe’s Bf 109F and G). This “MC.205” was ordered by the Regia Aeronautica for compensate the lack of “trues” MC.205, only 37 at beginning of the war against the Germans, soon reduced to few exemplars by the continuous attrition. Victor Sierra