Italian Forces

An Italian seaplane

Stato Maggiore Aeronautica

Italian seaplane Cant-Z-506B “Airone” (Heron) of the 287th Squadriglia Autonoma da Ricognizione Marittima Lontana (Autonomous Long Range Range Flight Maritime Reconnaissance), based in Sardinia, in flight over the Mediterranean. The photo date after June 1941 when the Gruppi Gruppi Bombardamento Marittimo (Maritime Bombardment Groups) was disbanded and transformed in units of Maritime Reconnaissance armed only with anti-submarine bombs. Another change was the finish: after the disbandment of the Maritime Bombardment Groups the original all-silver livery with diagonal red strips upper the wing and with cross over a black rudder was adopted a complete dark grey-blue finish as over the airplane of this photo. Victor Sierra