Sicily, 12 January 1943: during his visit in the Island, the King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III passing through an airfield used by the German Air Force receive the homage from a Luftwaffe’s officer. Italians and Germans are still allied, but only for less than eight months. Victor Sierra

The King and the Luftwaffe

This little (wing span 7.40 m, length 7.33 m) and nearly unknown single-seat biplane is the Ca.603 proposed by Caproni to Italian Regia Aeronautica as aerobatic trainer. Designed by Raffaele Conflenti and built by Caproni Aeronautica Predappio, a Caproni Group’s factory based at Predappio, hometown of Benito Mussolini (strangely enough!), the Ca.603, engine one 215 HP Alfa Romeo 115-1, flew on 1940 and was tested between November and December 1940 with good results. The Regia Aeronautica required some modifications but, also for the engagements of the war, the project was abandoned. The only prototype was transferred at Centocelle airfield, Rome, on May 1942 and disappeared during the dramatic events of 1943. Victor Sierra

A little, unknown airplane

Manduria airfield, Apulia, 10 October 1943: the King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III reviewing the 5th Stormo Tufffatori (Dive Bombers) equipped with Reggiane Re.2002. On the right the general Renato Sandalli, Aeronautic’s secretary and Regia Aeronautica’s acting chief of staff. The Army general in background on the left is likely the General Vittorio Ambrosio, commander in chief of Italian Armed Forces. Only ten months separate this photo from the prior picture, but now the Italy, precisely the part not occupied by the Germans, is deployed on another front. The day after this photo the Kingdom of Italy, a Kingdom (the so-called Kingdom of the South) inward of the Allies (note the American high officer in background, will declare war to the Germany. But the fights between Italians and Germans are already begun just the day after the announcement of the Armistice of the Italy (8 September 1943). Victor Sierra