Italian paratrooper with the full parachuting suit. Probably he belongs to the Air Force paratroopers or ADRA, Arditi Distruttori Regia Aeronautica. DVX

Ardito

Somewhere in North Africa: a funeral monument, surmounted by a Fascist emblem, as memorial of an Italian CR.42 pilot killed in action. Behind the monument, likely built by the pilot’s comrades, the CR.42’s burned wreck. Date unknown. Victor Sierra

In memory of an Italian pilot

Italian Air Force’s Savoia-Marchetti S.79 over the Malta’s Miqabba airfield on first months of 1940 (probably photomontage by the Italian Air Ministry’s propaganda services). From 11 June 1940 and until the end of the year, except for few days, 12-25 June, because the brief operations against the France, the Italian bombers dropped directly over Malta 283,000 kg of bombs, plus other 270,000 against military and merchant ships on the water overlooking the Island, frequently also during two or plus mission by day (night missions included). The bombers, mainly S.79, flew over Malta 1,000 hours for bombing missions plus other 108 hours for recce flight. Thirty-five Regia Aeronautica’s aircraft was loss during the raid over the Island: twenty-seven (18 bombers and 9 fighters) down by the Malta’s fighters, and eight by the AA (five bombers and three fighters) by the AA fire. The crew’s loss was 124 KIA or MIA (112 bombers crew and 12 fighter pilots). Victor Sierra