Italian Forces

“Alcioni” over the Channel

Stato Maggiore Aeronautica

A Cant-Z-1007bis “Alcione” of the Italian Air Force’s 172nd Squadriglia (Ricognizione Strategica Terrestre = Land Strategic Reconnaissance) warm up its engines on Chièvres airfield, Belgium, Autumn 1940, during the brief Regia Aeronautica’s involvement on the final phase of the Battle of Britain. The Cant-Z-1007bis – three Piaggio P.XI RC.40 radial engines, power each 1,000 HP at 4,000 meters, maximum speed at 4,600 meters 456 km/h, bombs load 1,200 kg –nicknamed “Alcione” (Alcyon, a legendary seabird of the Greek mythology) was the true operational version of the Filippo Zappata’s three engines bomber Cant-Z-1007 and extensively employed by the Italian Regia Aeronautica on the entire Mediterranean Theater and also, for brief time, on the Channel. The first unit equipped with the “Alcione”, at beginning with single fin tail, afterward with double fin tail, was the 47th Stormo, 106th and 107th Gruppo, based at Ghedi, Brescia, on Spring 1940. The 172nd Squadriglia RST was a little experimental unit established on September 1940 and equipped with five Cant-Z-1007bis into the Corpo Aereo Italiano, (Italian Air Corps) specifically dispatched to operations over the Britain from Belgian bases. The 172nd Squadriglia moved to Chièvres, the same base of the 43rd Stormo’s Fiat BR.20M’s bombers and location of this photo, with recce missions over the Channel and the England as specific duty. But the activity of the “Alcioni” over the Channel was only a sortie, near 4 hours of flight, when, 11 November 1940, the Cant-Z-1007bis made a diversionary action over Great Yarmouth during a BR.20’s raid over Harwich harbor, raid tragically finished for the bombers: three BR.20s down and three lost for troubles during the return flight. Because all the recce missions over the Channel Front was assured by the Luftwaffe, the further activity of the 172nd Squadriglia and its five “Alcioni” was reduced to few liaison flights between the Belgian airports base of the Italian Air Corps before the return in Italy on the first week of 1941. Victor Sierra