Other Forces

The unique story of a Yugoslav airplane

This airplane with clearly bogus British markings is the Hawker Hurricane captured by Italians after the Yugoslav’s surrender (17 April 1941) and show by a sequence of the movie “Un pilota ritorna” (A pilot return) shot on 1942 with authentic aircrafts, as the Cant-Z-1007bis of the 30th Stormo based at Viterbo, by Roberto Rossellini. Rossellini, one of the leader of the post-war great Italian cinema, used as “enemy aircraft” also the RAF Bristol Blenheim Mk IV N3589 landed for a mistake at Pantelleria on September 1941 and therein seized, and, indeed, this Hurricane. The late was the Hurricane serial number 2337 built under British license in Yugoslavia by Fabrika Aeroplana I Idroplana “Zmaj” at Zemun, near Belgrade, and captured by the Italians in Nikšić, Montenegro. After the capture, the Hurricane, the only aircraft of this type seized by the Italians in Yugoslavia and not two as reported by few sources, was flew to Tirana, in Albania, and soon after, already with the Regia Aeronautica’s markings, moved to Guidonia’s Flight Test Center. Late September 1941 was exhibited to Mussolini. At Guidonia the Hurricane was tested by many Italian pilots and, at the end, used also for propaganda’s footage. The aircraft was finally destroyed in an incident at beginning of 1943. Victor Sierra