One of the dozen “Dora” urgently delivered to Italian Regia Aeronautica by the Luftwaffe late Spring 1943, the Ju 87D MM7054, of the 206th Squadriglia abandoned likely on Chilivani airfield, Sardinia, after the Italy’s armistice, September 1943. Notice the absence of the Fascist emblems cancelled after the Mussolini’s fall, 25 July 1943. Victor Sierra

Derelict Italian “Dora”

The Fiat CR.42 RAF code BT474, former Regia Aeronautica MM5701, 95-13 (95th Squadriglia, 18th Gruppo, 56th Stormo), now in strength to RAF Air Fighting Development Unit parked on the dispersal of Air Station Duxford, Cambridgeshire, during a cold winter day. The airplane - partially repainted in the RAF camouflage without the original yellow color of the engine cowling - is anchored to ground through ropes and concrete blocks while the Pitot tube is covered by the casing protective (remove before flight!). British service man inspect the open cockpit of the Italian fighter. Victor Sierra

BT474 at Duxford

Mooring operation on an Italian air harbor (Vigna di Valle?) of a Regia Aeronautica’s maritime reconnaissance floatplane Fiat-CMASA RS.14. Designed by Manlio Stiavelli and Lucio Lazzarino, this modern all metal twin engines floatplane (two Fiat A74 RC38 each 840 HP) with all glazed nose, first flight of the prototype May 1939, was produced, 150 aircraft plus two prototypes, by CMASA (Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche Società Anonima), a company of Fiat Group, at Marina di Pisa. The performance of this aircraft, designed upon Italian Navy’s requirements for a replacement of the obsolescent CRDA Cant-Z-501, was well satisfactory, but during the tests was observed some structural problems above all with the float’s struts subject to failures during the splash down. This delayed the entry in the service of the aircraft and the first deliveries of the Reconnaissance Maritime units happened only late 1941-early 1942. The majority of the RS.14 (RS for Ricognizione Stiavelli/Reconnaissance Stiavelli) was deployed in Central and Southern Italy and in Sicily and Sardinia for maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare and convoy escort over the Tyrrhenian and Mediterranean Seas and allocated to Gruppi and Squadriglie Ricognizione Marittima (Maritime Reconnaissance Units) under the control of the Comando Aviazione Ausiliaria Regia Marina (Auxiliary Royal Navy Air Command), the Italian Air Force’s high command for the naval aviation, and effectively depending for the operations from the Comandi Militari Marittimi (Militaries Maritime Commands). After the 8 September 1943, Kingdom of Italy’s armistice with the Allies, about ten RS.14 was captured by Luftwaffe and moved to Marseilles Their fate is unknown. A dozen was employed by the Regia Aeronautica co-belligerent with the Allies in Sardinia (Cagliari-Elmas) and Apulia (Taranto) nine of them still in service at the end of the war in Europe (May 1945). The last seven survivors RS.14 was phased out in 1948 and scrapped. Victor Sierra