In Service with the Regia Aeronautica

During his brief career Nino flew many aircraft:
Breda Ba.25 (trainer)
IMAM Ro.41 (trainer)
FIAT CR.30 (biplane fighter)
FIAT CR.42 "Falco" ("Falcon") (biplane fighter)
Caproni Ca.133 (bomber, but Nino would rescue shipwrecked people with it)
Caproni Ca.100 (sesquiplane liason/trainer)
Caproni Ca.310 "Libeccio" (a south west wind) (transport plane)
Caproni Ca.164 (sesquiplane liason/trainer)
Nardi Fn.305 (liaison plane)
Reggiane Re.2000 "Falco I" (fighter)
Macchi C.200 "Saetta" ("Lightning") (fighter)
Macchi C.205 "Veltro" ("Greyhound") (fighter)
Here you will find photos of some of those aircraft and of others.

Nino and a Macchi C.200 "Saetta" ("Lightning"). It is finished in the typical Macchi camouflage: Giallo Mimetico 4 (Camouflage Yellow) and Bruno Mimetico (Camouflage Brown) mottles on a Verde Mimetico 2 (Camouflage Green) background. The engine cowling is Giallo Cromo (Chrome Yellow).


Nino and his friends in a moment of relaxation, close to the wings of two aircraft unknown to me.


The silhouette of a CRDA Cant Z.1007 bis "Alcione" ("Halcyon", mythological name of the kingfisher). This aircraft is the double tailfin version of the Alcione. "Bis" is Latin for "second". This is a rather fuzzy image.


The emblem of the 2o Gruppo Caccia (2nd Fighter Group). The little airplane silhouettes indicate the victories of the 2o Gruppo up to July, 7, 1942.


A Heinkel He.111 of the Luftwaffe loaded with two torpedoes. It bears the "Vestigium Leonis" (The Lion's footprint) emblem of Staffel II, Kampfgruppe 26. The location is Sicily, January 1941.


Nino and a Junkers Ju.87 "Stuka" at Comiso in January 1941. Usually, Italian Ju.87s retained their original Luftwaffe colors of Schwarzgrun 70 (black green) upper surfaces and Hellblau 65 (light blue) under surfaces.


Another photo of the same Stuka. It belongs to the 237a Squadriglia.


Italian Stukas are taking off. Another fuzzy photo, unfortunately.


A Savoia Marchetti S.79 "Sparviero" ("Sparrowhawk") has crashed. Nino took this photo at Comiso in January 1941.


A Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I (in Sicily?), probably finished with yellow splotches on green background. The engine cowling is black.


A Reggiane Re.2000 Falco I behind Nino and two of his comrades. It seems to be finished in Verde Oliva Scuro 2 (Dark Olive Green) and Grigio Azzurro Chiaro 1 (Light Blue Grey).


A Macchi aircraft, either an C.202 "Folgore" ("Thunderbolt") or an C.205V "Veltro" ("Greyhound"), in Sciacca airport, Sicily. One way to tell apart the C.202 and C.205 is to look at the tail wheel. The C.205 had a retractable tail wheel. Later versions of the C.205 also had wing cannon. Moreover the C.205 had a much more rounded spinner; a split, cigar shaped, oil radiator; and a thicker antenna mast. This poor quality photo does not allow me to identify which plane this is, as the landing gear is extended and the part of the wing where the cannon might be is in shadow.


A model of a Reggiane Re2001 "Falco II". Reggiane used to give models of its aircraft to test pilots and to those who flew the aircraft to the squadrons.


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Next chapter: Macchi C.205V "Veltro" ("Greyhound")


Roberto Lionello's Leisure Home Page / roberto.lionello@gmail.com