Two floatplanes Cant-Z-506s of the Aeronautica Militare’s (Italian Air Force) 84th Gruppo SAR (Search-And-Rescue) at Vigna di Valle air harbor, Lake of Bracciano, near Rome, on the Fifties of past century. The aircraft in foreground is a Cant-Z-506B, former maritime bomber converted in rescue plane, but very interesting is the plane in background, a Cant-Z-506C (passenger version of the Cant-Z-506) which has an odd story. The plane is “Jolly”, from the playing card’s figure paint on the fuselage, a seaplane for VIP transport chosen as personal aircraft for the chief of Servizio Informazioni Militare or SIM, the Italian Military Intelligence Service. Provided of armchairs and a little lounge, were usually based at Vigna di Valle. Just before of the Italian armistice, 8 September 1943, was transferred at Kotor (Cattaro in Italian) in Montenegro. After the armistice the “Jolly” was quickly deployed on Apulia and employed by Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force. After the war, “Jolly” was assigned to 84th Gruppo SAR as search-and-rescue plane. After few years was phased out and scrapped following up the decision of Air Force to keep alive an exemplar of the most representative Cant-Z-506B. Victor Sierra

The “Jolly”’s story

Raymond Aubrac,one of the last resistance heros died at age 97 in the military hospital of Val-de-Grâce in Paris.Aubrac was the co-founder of 'Libération Sud'.He was one of the last to have known Jean Moulin,the resistance leader who tried to unite the different resistance movements in FranceAubrac was also the last survivor of a group of resistance leaders that were arrested in june 1943 in Caluire.One of the others was Jean Moulin,then leading the CRN(Comité de Résistance Nationale/National Resistance Board).Moulin was tortured,moved to Paris and died on a train for Berlin.
Aubrac managed to escape when the truck taking them from a prison in Lyon was attacked by a resistance group.He then fled with his wife to London.
In 1947 and 1950 Aubrac was a witness for the prosecution during 2 trials for resistance man René Hardy,accused of having betrayed Jean Moulin to the Gestapo.Hardy was set free because of reasonable doubt about his guilt in the alledged betrayal.
Raymond Samuel(his real name) remained a very active citizen during his life.In 2008 he recieved a standing ovation for his defence of the separation between state and church during the campaign of the socialist maire of Paris Bertrand Delanoë.
Aubracs wife Lucie,also a resistance fighter, died in 2007 at age 92.
Greetz,brummbar

French war hero has died

One of three 20 packets of Luftwaffe cigarettes, due to be auctioned by Whytes Auctioneers, Dublin, on 21 April, 2012.  The packets are unopened and, presentationally, in good condition.  Not sure whether I would care to smoke the contents, mind you.  It has been a long time.  While the fags are undoubtedly genuine, provenance is a bit hazy.  It is thought that these cigarettes were brought to Ireland by a Luftwaffe crew forced to land in the Land of the Emergency during what other people call World War II.  How they got to the auction, nobody is quite sure ... Best regards, JR.