The same soldiers of the previous photo standing in front to another MC.200 “Sattea” abandoned on Benghazi airfield, Libya, November 1942. The plane of this photo, 37th Squadriglia, experienced likely a belly landing with engine running. Note in fact all the three propeller’s blades crushed by the scratch over the ground. Victor Sierra

Australian soldiers and “Saetta”

Australian soldiers in front to an Italian fighter Macchi MC.200 “Saetta” (Thunderbolt) abandoned on Benghazi airfield after an undercarriage failure. The photo, taken after the Allied conquest of this town, November 1942, show a MC.200 downgraded to version CB (Caccia-Bombardiere/Fighter-Bomber) with two 160 kg bombs under the wing. Note in effect a bomb rack under the right wing also suitable for 150 liters auxiliary tanks. The most famous MC.200CB’s operation was the counterattack to “Operation Agreement”, the attempted and unsuccessfully landing at Tobruk made by British Forces during the night of 13–14 September 1942. The Italian fighter-bombers strafed the British troops and the MC.200CBs sunk the destroyer HMS Zulu. Victor Sierra


“Saetta” fighter-bomber

Vertical aerial-reconnaissance view of the Italian tanker “Portofino”, with a load of 2,200 tons of fuel, on fire in Benghazi harbor following an attack by aircraft of the USAAF in the evening of 6 November 1942, a great loss for the Axis forces during the final phase of the battle of El Alamein. The movement of the “Portofino”, as of other Italian transport ships like the tankers “Proserpina” and “Luisiana”, and the cargo “Tergestea”, all sunk on the previous days, were well known by the British commands thanks the decryption through Ultra of the messages transmitted from the Germany embassy in Rome to the OKW in Berlin. Victor Sierra