Skin Profile: Macchi C.202 Serie III 4° Stormo 10° Gruppo 91° Squadriglia 4S10G91SA 91-9 flown by Sottotenenete Leonardo Ferrulli 1942

Skins Compatibility: IL2 Sturmovik Forgotten Battles (FB), Ace Expansion Pack (AEP), Pacific Fighters (PF), 1946, Storm of War (SW).

MS-MC-202-4S10G91SA-91-9-$Ferrulli-1942
MS-MC-202-4S10G91SA-91-9-$Ferrulli-1942-NM
My "Folgore Skinpack" contains: 2. Macchi C.202 Serie III flown by Sottotenenete Leonardo Ferrulli, 91° Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo, 4° Stormo, in October, 1942: *More information about Leonardo Ferrulli you can find here: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_ferrulli.htm Special thanks to Sparty (for a fine Macchi MC.202 Template) and Abraxa (for nice detailed internals). I left their names on final skins to give them credits. *Unmarked versions are also included. Hope you'll like my work. Happy flights! See you... Mangas.

TA-MC-202-4S10G91SA-91-9-$Ferrulli-Fuka-1942
TA-MC-202-4S10G91SA-91-9-$Ferrulli-Fuka-1942-NM
TA Tchaika
http://www.simulation-france-magazine.com/

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Sottotenente Leonardo Ferrulli Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare

Leonardo Ferrulli was born in Brindisi on 1 January 1918.

He enrolled the air force in 1935 and entered the Flight School of Benevento before being 18 years old.

In March 1936 he was appointed military pilot as a Sergente Pilota and was assigned to 4o Stormo C.T.

In February 1937, he volunteered for the Aviazione Legionaria in the Spanish Civil War.

On 7 October 1937, he shot down a Tupolev SB-2 after a long chase in his CR.32. The Republican aircraft crashed into the sea off Palma di Majorca.
For this victory he was awarded the Medaglia d'argento al valore militare.

During the same month, he returned to Italy.

At the outbreak of the Second World War he was transferred to the Aviazione della Libia and joined 91a Squadriglia of 10o Gruppo, 4o Stormo C.T. in Cirenaica.

The 10o Gruppo (84a, 90a and 91a Squadriglie) started the Second World War at Tobruk T2 with twenty-seven CR.42s (it received six more on 17 June).

At the beginning of the hostilities the 91a Squadriglia C.T. was composed of the following pilots: Capitano Giuseppe D’Agostinis (CO), Tenente Enzo Martissa, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali, Maresciallo Raffaele Chianese, Maresciallo Vittorio Romandini, Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli, Sergente Maggiore Lorenzo Migliorato, Sergente Maggiore Elio Miotto, Sergente Aldo Rosa, Sergente Alessandro Bladelli, Sergente Guido Scozzoli and Sergente Luigi Ferrario.

On 11 September, the 9o and 10o Gruppo were still employed in standing patrols over the troops. During the second patrol of the day, at 17:45 in the Sidi Omar – Bardia area, a Blenheim was discovered at 6000 metres.

The Italian formation was escorting three CR.32s and was led by Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli. It was composed of seven CR.42s from the 84a Squadriglia (Capitano Luigi Monti, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Tenente Giuseppe Aurili, Sottotenente Paolo Berti, Sergente Roberto Steppi, Sergente Narciso Pillepich and Sergente Domenico Santonocito), five CR.42s from the 91a Squadriglia (Capitano Giuseppe D’Agostinis, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali, Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli, Sergente Elio Miotto and Sergente Alessandro Bladelli) and six CR.42s from the 90a Squadriglia (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Tenente Franco Lucchini, Sottotenente Neri De Benedetti, Maresciallo Omero Alesi, Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini and Sergente Bruno Bortoletti).

Capitano Vanni, Tenente Aurili and Sergente Steppi attacked first, followed by other pilots of the formation. During the combat Vanni’s aircraft was hit by return fire and with the compressed air piping pierced, he was forced to turn back. His wingmen continued the pursuit and claimed the Blenheim shot down.

The bomber however was assigned as a shared to all the 10o Gruppo pilots presents (even if , for example, it is known that 90a Squadriglia pilots totally used only 140 rounds of ammunition so possibly only one of them was able to use his guns).
This claim can’t be verified with RAF sources but it is possible that it was a Blenheim from 113 Squadron since this unit’s ORB is lacking.

On 14 September, the 4o Stormo continued to protect the ground forces. A mixed formation of 23 CR.42s from the 9o Gruppo commanded by Maggiore Ernesto Botto with 15 CR.42s from the 10o Gruppo as high cover, took off at 10:25. At 11:00, over Sollum some 10o Gruppo pilots discovered a formation of four Bristol Blenheims. They attacked and claimed one shot down in flames. The bomber was credited as a shared to the whole formation from the 10o Gruppo (Tenente Giovanni Guiducci, Sottotenente Luigi Prati, Tenente Franco Lucchini and Sergente Bruno Bortoletti of the 90a Squadriglia and Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli, Capitano Giuseppe D’Agostinis, Sottotenente Andrea Dalla Pasqua, Sottotenente Ruggero Caporali, Sottotenente Carlo Albertini and Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli of the 91a Squadriglia and Capitano Luigi Monti, Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Tenente Giuseppe Aurili, Tenente Paolo Berti and Sergente Domenico Santonocito of the 84a Squadriglia).

This clam can’t be verified with RAF records. The only known British actions for the day were a couple of afternoon bomber raids. Four Blenheims of 55 Squadron with others from 211 Squadron were ordered to attack Italian troops in the Sollum area in the first afternoon. The 55 Squadron quartet returned at 16:45 without suffering losses. Its pilots reported slight and ineffective AA fire and the presence of Italian fighters (but no interception occurred). Eight machines of 211 Squadron led by Gordon-Finalyson also attacked, claiming many hits in the target area. However no Italian fighters were seen and all the bombers were back at around 17:10.

At 11:10 on 12 December, a mixed formation from the 4o Stormo took off for a free sweep in the Ogerin Bir El Kreighat area. After the sweep, they were to ground strafe targets of opportunity. Participating pilots from the 91a Squadriglia were Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli (CO 10o Gruppo), Capitano Vincenzo Vanni, Sottotenente Andrea Dalla Pasqua, Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli, Sergente Maggiore Natale Fiorito and Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Casero. From 84a Squadriglia came Capitano Luigi Monti, Sottotenente Paolo Berti, Sottotenente Luigi Prati, Sottotenente Bruno Devoto, Sergente Roberto Steppi and Sergente Onorino Crestani.

Sergente Giovanni Battista Ceoletta of the 90a Squadriglia was part of a formation taking off at 11:40 while his squadriglia mates Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini and Sergente Alfredo Sclavo suffered accidents on take off, which prevented them to take part (and probably wrote off the plane of Sclavo). Tenente Aldo Gon and Sergente Gustavo Minelli from the 96a Squadriglia, 9o Gruppo also took part in this action.

Bad weather prevented the discovery of ground targets, so Romagnoli led his fighters to the Bir Enba area where a formation of Gladiators surprised the 84a Squadriglia formation. A long dogfight started after which the CR.42 of Onorino Crestani was missing and the remaining pilots claimed two victories. Crestani was taken prisoner.

According to the squadriglia diaries, the two confirmed victories were shared among the 91a Squadriglia pilots plus Ceoletta (who used 120 rounds of ammunition during the combat) and the pilots from the 9o Gruppo. Gon and Minelli in fact only claimed a shared probable in a combat against a reportedly six Gladiators, while the 10o Gruppo’s Diary downgraded the victories to two probables. Monti, Prati and Steppi were credited with a damaged each while Ceoletta also claimed two damaged Gladiators (according to some Italian historians one Gladiator was shared between Monti, Prati and Steppi and the second shared between Gon and Minelli, while one or two other Gladiators were considered probably shot down but there is however no trace of such claims in the official diaries).

They had run into five Gladiators from 3 RAAF Squadron, which had taken off from ALG 74 at 11:25 to carry out an offensive patrol around Sofafi. The patrol intercepted a reported 16 to 18 CR.42 six miles north-west of Sofafi. During the ensuing combat three of the Italian fighters were claimed shot down, one apiece being credited to Flying Officers Alan Boyd, Wilfred Arthur and Alan Gatward, without loss. The Gladiators returned to base at 13:05.

On 19 December the 9o Gruppo flew its last mission before retirement from North Africa. Maggiore Antonio Larsimont led twelve aircraft from the 73a Squadriglia (Tenente Pietro Bonfatti, Sottotenente Giuseppe Oblach, Sergente Mario Guerci and Sergente Rossi), 96a Squadriglia (Sergente Maggiore Dante Labanti, Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Gallerani and an unknown pilot) and 97a Squadriglia (Tenente Ezio Viglione Borghese, Sottotenente Jacopo Frigerio, Sergente Maggiore Raffaello Novelli and Sergente Alcide Leoni) to escort together with fifteen CR.42s of the 10o Gruppo led by Maggiore Carlo Romagnoli, twelve S.79s of the 41o Stormo, which took off at 14:45 from Martuba M2. They were to attack Sollum harbour at 15:45 and then to proceed to attack vehicles 10 km off Ridotta Capuzzo.

Above the Sollum area they were surprised by about ten Hurricanes of 33 and 274 Squadrons. The Hurricanes were somewhat lately intercepted by the CR.42s from 73a and 96a Squadriglie and 10o Gruppo while the 97a Squadriglia stayed with the bombers. Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli claimed a Hurricane destroyed and another damaged, but his aircraft was hit in the engine and he had to make an emergency landing near Bardia. Bonfatti claimed a second Hurricane while Rossi damaged one. Giuseppe Oblach claimed one damaged and one as a probable. Totally the 10o Gruppo claimed two Hurricanes destroyed, one of them jointly with the 9o Gruppo. One CR.42 was reported as lost (Ferrulli’s?). None of the bombers was lost, but at least seven of them were damaged. Capitano Meille (CO of the 233a Squadriglia) and Sottotenente Bresciani were wounded and the co-pilot Sergente Maggiore Musiani was forced to make an emergency landing at Tobruk T5. The S.79 of Sottotenente Trolla was hit by 543 bullets; 1o Avieri Luigi Favale was killed while 1o Avieri De Pasquale and 1o Avieri Palmieri were wounded. Tenente Stancanelli’s aircraft received 162 hits and also made an emergency landing. Sergente Maggiore armiere Antonio Carta (233a Squadriglia), in the confusion of combat, erroneously believed that his aircraft was falling out of control, jumped with his parachute and became MIA. Tenente Colonnello Draghelli landed at Tobruk T2bis with his co-pilot Tenente Premurù, Maresciallo motorista Scagliarini, Sergente Maggiore armiere Della Ciana and Sergente RT Maurelli injured. Also the S.79 of Tenente Persico, which was the last to land at 16:45, was damaged. The bomber’s gunners spent about two thousand rounds of 7.7mm ammunition and five thousands of 12.7mm.

RAF reported that 33 Squadron flew an offensive patrol over the Sollum-Bardia area where they met S.79s and CR.42s. The British pilots claimed three S.79s and four CR.42s, two of the fighters falling to Flying Officer Vernon Woodward and two to Flying Officer Dyson.

274 Squadron patrolled in the same area and Flight Lieutenant Lapsley (V7293) and Second Lieutenant R. Talbot (P3721) each claiming a CR.42. Flying Officer Arthur Weller attacked and fired at seven S.79s in the Sollum-Gambut area, setting one on fire. His own aircraft (Hurricane V7300) was riddled with bullets but he landed safely at Sidi Haneish. He was subsequently credited with one damaged.

On 4 January 1941 Hurricane Mk.Is of 33 and 274 Squadrons patrolled the battle area during the British push towards Tobruk in Cirenaica. A pilot from 33 Squadron claimed a CR.42 over Bardia-Tobruk, Pilot Officer S. Godden (V7558) of 274 Squadron claimed two more and Flight Sergeant T. C. Morris also of 274 Squadron claimed a forth. Morris’ aircraft (V7293) was however hit in the radiator and he made a forced-landing. Flying Officer T. L. Patterson (P2643) was also hit and obliged to force-land.
These actions had been fought against S.79-escorting CR.42s of 10o and 23o Gruppi. The Italian pilots returned reporting that they had attacked a large British formation and claiming two Hurricanes and a probable Blenheim. One Hurricane was claimed by Tenente Colonnello Carlo Romagnoli, 10o Gruppo commander, and the other by Maresciallo Ferrulli. Tenente Claudio Solaro, commander of 70a Squadriglia, returned claiming the probable Blenheim.

The Italians lost three aircraft, Sottotenente Ennio Grifoni of 91a Squadriglia was shot down in flames, Sottotenente Bruno Devoto force-landed at Tobruk’s T5 landing ground and Tenente Gino Battaggion of 70a Squadriglia was wounded and force-landed at Ain el-Gazala. Battaggion who had been escorting S.79s bombing armored cars in the Bardia area, recalled:

”At 18,000 feet I saw two Hurricanes in front of me. I began shooting. They shot at me too. Suddenly, I felt a hit. An explosive bullet broke the windshield into many pieces and I was slightly wounded in the head. The explosion broke my goggles and wounded me in one eye. With blood oozing down my face, I lost consciousness for some seconds, perhaps ten or twenty. I recovered consciousness due to the air rushing into the cockpit and found that the aircraft was spinning. I managed to recover from the spin and when I was near the ground fired a burst at some trucks. My wingman signalled to me that one wheel of my aircraft was damaged but I managed to land at Ain el-Gazala, near an ambulance. I landed at the slowest speed possible, holding the weight of the aircraft on the one serviceable wheel, and succeeded in stopping without overturning. The personnel near the ambulance recovered me and for about three months I could not fly because the eye gave me a lot of trouble. Some splinters had been extracted from my head – some of them are still there.”

On 5 January 1941, the HQ of the 14a Brigata Aerea Rex passed orders to the 10o Gruppo to retreat back to Italy. The fighters were handed over to the 23o Gruppo while the section at T5 (with Sottotenete Bruno Devoto) remained temporarily detached there (they followed back to Italy on 8 January). Pilots and aircraftmen moved from Ain el Gazala Z1 to Benghazi during the same morning.

For the 4o Stormo, the first North African campaign was definitely over. From the official documents collected in the proposal for the Medaglia d’argento al Valor Militare to be assigned to the Stormo for its first tour of duty, the unit from 10 June 1940 to 31 December 1941 claimed 95 British planes in 5480 sorties and 40 combats. Considering that in the short period up to 4 January the Stormo claimed another 5 victories in 101 sorties and four combats and that one of the claims (although possibly a “probable”) was made over Malta the total score for the Stormo in Africa was reputed between 99 and 100 confirmed victories. “Top gun” of the unit was the 91a Squadriglia’s Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli with a total of seven victories (six Hurricanes and one Blenheim for which he was awarded a second Medaglia d'argento) while one of the pilots, Sergente Lido Poli, was awarded the Medaglia d’Oro al Valor Militare as one of the very few such medals not awarded posthumously. The unit’s grand total looks for sure overestimated but together with the ten pilots killed (seven of them in action), four taken prisoners and 17 wounded (mainly in action) gives a clear indication of the intensity of the air combats to which the unit participated. Several of victories and combat took place at unknown time and places, this is mainly due to the general incompleteness and sometimes low accuracy of the unit’s record that were reconstructed in 1941 after the loss of the original documents during the sinking of the merchant vessel Città di Messina, which was returning the crewmen of the Stormo to Italy.

The 10o Gruppo re-equipped with the Macchi MC.200 and in April they operated from Ronchi with 23 MC.200s against Yugoslavia.

On 16 June 1941 10o Gruppo moved to Trapani, Sicily to take part in the attacks on Malta.

On 4 July he claimed a Hurricane over Malta.

On 11 July 1941 the Regia Aeronautica launched a big fighter sweep over Malta. Eleven MC.200s from the 54o Stormo attacked Hal Far airfield in three sections, while forty-two more gave cover. Twelve Hurricanes of 185 Squadron were scrambled, and possibly others from other units on the island, for the Italians reported thirty Hurricanes intercepting, four of which were claimed shot down by pilots of the 10o Gruppo. Capitano Franco Lucchini was credited with one and one shared while Maresciallo Ferrulli was credited with one shared. Either side in fact suffered no losses even if five MC.200s returned with damage.

During 17 July 1941, 49 MC.200s from the 7o, 10o and 16o Gruppi set off mid morning to escort one reconnaissance Z.1007bis over Malta. En route the 16o Gruppo fighters became separated and returned to base, but the rest of the formation reached the island where eight Hurricanes of 249 Squadron and eleven from 185 Squadron had been scrambled. The aircraft from the former unit made contact, Squadron Leader Robert Barton (Hurricane Z3262) claiming one MC.200 shot down in flames, while Pilot Officer P. G. Leggett claimed a second and Flying Officer C. C. H. Davis one damaged. Two MC.200s of the 10o Gruppo were in fact lost, Sergente Maggiore Enrico Botti (MC.200 MM6500) being killed, while Sergente Maggiore Natale Finito (MC.200 MM5217) was later rescued from the sea by an Axis ASR craft. In return the pilots of the 10o Gruppo claimed four Hurricanes and two probables. Tenente Colonnello Carlo Romagnoli and Capitano Franco Lucchini each claimed one Hurricane shot down and Sergente Maggiore Elio Miotto two. Maresciallo Ferrulli and Sergente Luigi Contarini each claimed probables. One Hurricane was lost when 22-year-old Sergeant Maurice Guest (RAF No. 920596) of 249 Squadron in Hurricane Z2818 failed to return.

By the end of 1941 the 4o Stormo re-equipped with Macchi MC.202s.

In May 1942 the 10o Gruppo returned to North Africa for a second desert tour.

Early in the morning on 10 July, eleven MC.202s from the 10o Gruppo led by Capitano Franco Lucchini (84a Squadriglia) took off to escort CR.42s from the 158o Gruppo out to attack Commonwealth troops attacking an Italian division in difficulties in the costal area in the El Alamein area. The MC.202s where then to continue on a free hunt mission.

In the target area, Lucchini spotted a formation of 15 P-40s approaching from the east at 2,600 meters. After a short attack made with height advantage (the Italian fighters were at 4,000 meters), the P-40s went into a ’Lufberry’ circle. The combat ended after 30 minutes when the ammunition was exhausted.

Lucchini, Sottotenente Luigi Giannella (84a Squadriglia), Sottotenente Virgilio Vanzan (90a Squadriglia) and Sergente Maggiore Amleto Monterumici (90a Squadriglia) returned claiming one P-40 each. Four more were claimed by the pilots from the 91a Squadriglia; two by Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli and one each by Sergente Elio Miotto and Sergente Maggiore Lorenzo Migliorato. Monterumici remained to defend the CR.42s from the attacks from the P-40s and this he made so successfully that the formations leader, Capitano Torquato Testerini (236a Squadriglia) later visited them at Fuka to show his gratitude.

At 06:00 on 2 September, Maggiore Giuseppe D’Agostinis led 18 Macchis of the 10o Gruppo for a free hunt mission. They met two squadrons of eighteen Bostons, escorted by twenty Spitfires, and one of twelve Bostons, escorted by fifteen Spitfires and P-40s, at 7000 m over the Bir Mseilikh area. In the combat Capitano Franco Lucchini claimed a Boston and a Spitfire while D’Agostinis, Capitano Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa (leader of the 91a Squadriglia), Sottotenente Luciano Barsotti (91a Squadriglia) and Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli also claimed a Spitfire each. Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini and Tenente Luigi Padovani (90a Squadriglia) claimed a Spitfire as a shared. Maresciallo Pietro Del Turco (90a Squadriglia) was probably shot down and MIA.

On 11 September twelve Folgores from the 90a and the 91a Squadriglie, led respectively by Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini and Capitano Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa, intercepted fifteen bomb-laden P-40s at 2000 m, covered by ten Spitfires at 4000 m over El Alamein-El Hammam. While the 91a Squadriglia attacked the P-40s (which jettisoned their bombs in the sea) and the 90a Squadriglia attacked the Spitfires, eight other Spitfires dived unseen on them from 6000 m. A hard fight began and lasted for over twenty minutes until 60 km east of El Alamein. Piccolomini, Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Silvestri (91a Squadriglia) and Sottotenente Luciano Barsotti (91a Squadriglia) claimed a P-40 each, while Sottotenente Orlando Mandolini (91a Squadriglia) claimed a Spitfire. Another Spitfire was claimed as a shared probable by Tenente Luigi Padovani, Sergente Maggiore Angelo Savini, Sottotenente Sforza Libera and Sergente Maggiore Bruno Bortoletti (all from the 90a Squadriglia). Many others were claimed damaged. Five Macchis were hit, but returned back to base; Savini’s, Libera’s and Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli’s aircraft were damaged, as was Barsotti’s, who also was lightly wounded, as was Padovani, who received a bulled in his left leg. Bortoletti, with his Folgore riddled by a Spitfire, made an emergency landing near Hisiyet Busata.

The high number of aircraft flying in the area during these days caused such confusion that the German Freya radar personnel had troubles to identify friend or foe aircraft. So, many times the alarm was delayed, and Axis fighters scrambled late.

This happened on 20 October when at 10:55, 14 MC.202s of the 4o Stormo hurriedly scrambled to intercept 24 Bostons and Hudsons above Fuka, escorted by 30 P-40s and 20 Spitfires. The bombers were still releasing their cargo over the airfield when the 73a Squadriglia (Tenente Giuseppe Oblach, Tenente Vittorio Squarcia, Sergente Armando Angelini and Sergente Leonardo Rinaldi), 84a Squadriglia (Capitano Franco Lucchini, Tenente Alessandro Mettimano and Sergente Maggiore Piero Buttazzi), 91a Squadriglia (Capitano Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa, Sergente Maggiore Ferrulli and Sergente Maggiore Alessandro Bladelli), and 97a Squadriglia (Tenente Jacopo Frigerio, Sottotenente Giovanni Barcaro, Sottotenente Leo Boselli and Maresciallo Giovanni Bianchelli), attacked them. The escort intercepted the Italian fighters and a number of claims were made. Ruspoli, Oblach and Ferrulli claimed two P-40s each, Bladelli, Frigerio, Barcaro and Boselli claimed one P-40 each while Bianchelli claimed one Spitfire. Another Spitfire was claimed as a probable by Bladelli. Mettimano, in his first combat mission, damaged four Hudsons and a P-40 while Angelini, Rinaldi and Squarcia jointly claimed four damaged P-40s. Buttazzi claimed three damaged P-40s and Lucchini claimed a Hudson as a damaged. Lucchini’s MC.202 was hit when a 20mm shell tore off the aircraft’s spinner and he was forced to make an emergency landing.

Totally the 4o Stormo claimed 24 enemy aircraft shot down during the day, but of the 57 fighters (43 of which were combat-ready) on charge in the morning, only eleven were serviceable in the evening.

Ferrulli remained in North Africa until October 1942 and during this time he claimed four more P-40s.

After this, he went to the Air Academy in Caserta where he was promoted to Sottotenente (Warrant Officer) in December. He then re-joined his unit in Sicily at the beginning of 1943.

After the battle of El Alamein, the Axis forces gradually retreated. In early December, the 10o Gruppo was at Castelbenito to be sent back to Italy.

During the period January 1942 – January 1943, the 4o Stormo flew 7202 hours on missions, took part in 133 combats, claimed 289 aircraft destroyed (totally 501 from the beginning of the war) and lost 24 pilots KIA or MIA with 29 wounded and 2 POWs.

After a period of rest, on 24 February 1943, pilots of the 10o Gruppo rejoined to reorganize the unit at Bresso airfield, under the command of Maggiore Giuseppe D’Agostinis.

Pilots in the 84a Squadriglia were Capitano Franco Lucchini (CO) (hospitalized), Tenente Luigi Giannella, Tenente Alessandro Mettimano, Sottotenente Francesco De Seta, Sottotenente Ugo Picchiottini, Maresciallo Luigi Bignami, Sergente Maggiore Domenico Santonocito, Sergente Maggiore Corrado Patrizi, Sergente Maggiore Piero Buttazzi, Sergente Maggiore Luciano Perdoni and Sergente Livio Barbera.

Pilots in the 90a Squadriglia were Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini (CO), Sottotenente Sforza Libera, Sottotenente Renato Baroni, Sottotenente Luigi Cima, Sergente Maggiore Massimo Salvatore, Sergente Maggiore Bruno Bortoletti, Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Battista Ceoletta, Sergente Maggiore Amleto Monterumici and Sergente Maggiore Natale Molteni.

Pilots in the 91a Squadriglia were Capitano Luigi Mariotti (CO), Tenente Giuseppe Ferazzani, Tenente Alvaro Bondi, Sottotenente Ferrulli, Sottotenente Elio Miotto, Sottotenente Guerriero Silvestri, Sottotenente Vittorino Daffara, Maresciallo Alessandro Bladelli, Maresciallo Lamberto Martelli, Sergente Maggiore Ferruccio Terrabujo, Sergente Ambrogio Rusconi and Sergente Giulio Fornalé.

On 20 April, the Gruppo transferred to Ciampino Sud for the defence of Rome.

At the beginning of July, Allied forces started to attack Sicily.

On 4 July sixty USAAF bombers, escorted by thirty-six P-38s and Spitfires, attacked the airfield of Gerbini Sud and the railway stations of Catania and Misterbianco.

Twenty-one MC.202s and MC.205s were scrambled and intercepted the bombers and their escort between Catania, Syracuse and Cape Passero. Capitano Ranieri Piccolomini and Sottotenente Renalto Baroni (90 a Squadriglia) claimed a shared P-38 in this combat while Sergente Maggiore Mario Veronesi, Sottotenente Mario Squarcina (90 a Squadriglia) and Sottotenente Ferrulli claimed a P-38 each. Many other Allied aircraft were claimed damaged. No losses were suffered by the Italian fighters.

The 5 July 1943 was to become a tough day for the Macchis of 9o and 10o Gruppi with heavy combat and serious losses.
From 07:15 to 09:25 Tenente Giorgio Bertolaso and Sergente Ambrogio Rusconi of the 91a Squadriglia flew a reconnaissance mission from Sigonella over the sea, searching enemy shipping or signs of sunken ships.

At 10:25, 27 MC.202s and MC.205s of the 4o Stormo scrambled to intercept 52 bombers escorted by about 20 Spitfires, that were heading to bomb the airfields around Catania. The 9o Gruppo was led by Capitano Giulio Reiner, while Capitano Franco Lucchini was leading the 10o Gruppo. The 10o Gruppo consisted of the 84a Squadriglia (Lucchini, Sottotenente Francesco Palma, Sottotenente Enzo Dall'Asta and Capitano Luigi Giannella (CO of the 84a Squadriglia) flying MC.202s and Tenente Alessandro Mettimano, Sergente Maggiore Piero Buttazzi and Sergente Livio Barbera flying MC.205s), the 90a Squadriglia (Tenente Luigi Cima, Maresciallo Massimo Salvatore and Sergente Maggiore Giambattista Ceoletta flying MC.202s) and 91a Squadriglia (Tenente Mario Mecatti (CO), Sottotenente Giovanni Silvestri and Sottotenente Elio Miotto). Giannella and Palma was a few minutes late to take-off because the ground crew were checking their weapons.

The Italian fighters made a frontal attack over Gerbini ignoring the escorting Spitfires. Two B-17s were claimed by Salvatore and Tenente Vittorio Squarcia (73a Squadriglia) together with some Bf109s. Lucchini claimed a Spitfire while Reiner, Salvatore and Mecatti claimed a probable bomber each. Three bombers were claimed damaged by Lucchini, Giannella, Mettimano, Dall’Asta and Buttazzi. Additional damaged bombers were claimed by Reiner, Salvatore, Mecatti (who also claimed a damaged Spitfire), Sergente Ettore Chimeri (73a Squadriglia), Sergente Bruno Biagini (96a Squadriglia), Cima and Ceoletta.

When the Italian fighters landed again at 11:55, Lucchini was missing. He had been seen by Dall’Asta attacking the bombers against heavy defensive fire and then diving into the ground east of Catania. During the alarm, some of the ground crew also reported to have seen a MC.202 falling with the canopy closed, some kilometres east of the airfield. A car from the unit tried to reach the place, but it couldn't go on due to the bombing of the area. Lucchini’s body wasn’t found until two days later.
Taking part in this interception were also more than 100 Bf109Gs from I, II and III/JG 53 and I and II/JG 77. They claimed twelve bombers for the loss of four Bf109s including Major Johannes Steinhoff, Kommodore of JG 77, who force-landed his stricken aircraft.

It seems that the Italian fighters had been in combat with USAAF B-17s from 99th Bomber Group, which were out to attack Gerbini. They were intercepted near Ragusa at 23,000 feet but the escorting Spitfires from 72 and 243 Squadrons intervened. The Spitfires claimed one and one damaged Bf109 while the bombers gunner claimed 45 enemy fighters shot down! According to American records, three B-17s from the 99th BG (42-29486 and 42-29483 of the 348th BS and 42-29492) were lost during the day.

After this combat, an American pilot of a shot down bomber was brought to San Salvatore airfield.
At 11:55, four aircraft from the 91a Squadriglia scrambled. Tenente Vittorino Daffara damaged two four-engined bombers, claimed a P-38 shot down and hits on two Spitfires. Maresciallo Lamberto Martelli damaged two four-engined bombers while Tenente Giuseppe Ferazzani damaged a P-38.

At 13:00, Tenente Renato Baroni of the 90a Squadriglia scrambled from San Salvatore and had an in-conclusive contact with enemy fighters, returning to land at 15:00.

At 13:25 there was a new alarm and three MC.202s and two MC.205s of the 84a Squadriglia took off flown by Capitano Luigi Giannella, Sergente Maggiore Corrado Patrizi, Segente Maggiore Mario Veronesi, Tenente Alessandro Mettimano and Sergente Maggiore Buttazzi. At least three additional Macchis flown by Sottotenente Sforza Libera (90 a Squadriglia), Tenente Vittorio Squarcia (73a Squadriglia) and Maresciallo Lamberto Martelli (91a Squadriglia) also scrambles.

During the alarm an enemy formation released bombs on San Salvatore airfield; luckily, only a few bombs hit the strip but many others exploded around it and the tent of the 90a Squadriglia became surrounded by large craters. The American pilot quivered during the bombing and showed a little fear; to excuse himself, he stated that he was unaccustomed to be at the receiving end of bombers. More huge formations passed over the heads and bombed the other airfields.

The eight Macchis intercepted a reported 70 four-engined bombers escorted by 30 P-38s in the area between Gela, Enna and Caltagirone. The Allied aircraft were returning from a bombing mission over Catania.

Sottotenente Giannella, Sergente Maggiore Veronesi, Sottotenente Libera and Tenente Mettimano each claimed a P-38 in this in combat. Two probables were claimed by Mettimano and Sergente Patrizi. Mettimano, Patrizi, Squarcia and Martelli damaged several bombers. Libera was subsequently shot down and killed in this combat while Veronesi, after receiving hits in the engine and in the water cooler, made a gear-up emergency landing near Comiso.
The Italian fighters landed back at 13:55.

It is possible that they had been involved in combat with P-38Gs from 96th and 97th Fighter Squadrons, which returned claiming five enemy fighters at 13:30. First Lieutenant Gerald Lynn Rounds and Second Lieutenant Russell C. Williams from 97th FS claimed one Bf109 each. First Lieutenant William Judson Sloan of 96th FS claimed one Bf109 and one Re.2001 while Second Lieutenant James V. O’Brien from the same unit claimed a second Re.2001.

While the aircraft were refurbished with fuel and ammunition, a MC.202 flown by Sergente Maggiore Patrizi, scrambled. He took off at 14:15 and didn’t return.

At 14:20, three MC.202s from 91a Squadriglia flown by Tenente Bertolaso, Sottotenente Ferrulli and Sergente Giulio Fornalé took off for another scramble. It seems that they became involved in combat with B-17s, which were out to bomb Gebrini in the afternoon with a close escort of P-38s while 20 Spitfires from 126 and 1435 Squadrons provided top cover. Bf109s and Macchis tried to intercept over Gerbini. A Bf109 was claimed damaged by Flight Sergeant F. K. Halcombe (JK368/V-J) of 1435 Squadron, Pilot Officer Chandler (JK139/V-X) similarly claimed a Macchi damaged, while Flying Officer Geoff White (JK611/MK-M) of 126 Squadron shot down a Macchi. His victim was possibly Sergente Patrizi of the 84a Squadriglia who baled out of his disabled MC.205V near Gibrini. In the combat Ferrulli was seen to shoot one of the bombers down, from which three men baled out, along with an escorting P-38 before he was in turn jumped by a flight of Spitfires that had been patrolling over the B-17s. Ferrulli baled out of his damaged MC.202 but was to low, his parachute failing to deploy before he hit the ground near Scordia, killing him. Tenente Bertolaso returned claiming damage to four four-engined bombers while Sergente Fornalé claimed hit on a bomber.

At 15:35 there was a new scramble with Capitano Giannella in a MC.202 and Sergente Maggiore Buttazzi in a MC.205. They returned after 30 minutes with no news.

At 17:35, there was again a new scramble by a MC.202 (pilot unknown) and Sottotenente Ugo Picchiottini in a MC.205. These two fighters returned at 18:00.

In the late afternoon, a German car arrived at San Salvatore airfield, and Sergente Maggiore Patrizi got out of it, aching all over and with scratches on many parts of his body; the pilot was welcomed with happiness by the personnel that crowded round him to listen to his adventure. He told that he chased a formation of Spitfires; while he was shooting at one of them, another one attacked him at six-o'-clock, and did not let him go, forcing him to jump from his burning aircraft and parachute. He touched down near Gerbini and was picked up by the Germans.

Towards the evening an aircraft from Comiso landed, carrying Sergente Maggiore Veronesi.
From 17:30 to 17:55, Tenente Fabio Clauser of the 90a Squadriglia flew a sortie together with Marescialo Salvatore but they didn’t encounter any enemy aircraft.
Tenente Clauser flew another sortie from 20:00 to 20:15 over San Salvatore.

Ferrulli was posthumously decorated with the Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare.
He had also been decorated with a third Medaglia d'argento during the war.

At the time of his death, Ferrulli was credited with 3 biplane victories and a total of 22.

Biplane victories: 3 and 2 shared destroyed, 2 shared probably destroyed, 1 damaged.
TOTAL: 22 and 3 shared destroyed, 1 and 2 shared probably destroyed, 1 damaged.
(a) This claim can’t be verified with RAF sources.
(b) This claim can’t be verified with RAF records.
(c) Claimed in combat with Gladiators from 3 RAAF Squadron, which claimed 3 CR.42s without suffering losses. The 4o Stormo claimed 2 probables while losing one CR.42 (Sergente Crestani PoW).
(d) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 33 and 274 Squadrons. Italian fighters claimed three destroyed, one probable and three damaged fighters but only one Hurricane was damaged (Flying Officer Arthur Weller of 274 Squadron).
(e) Flight Sergeant T. C. Morris (V7293) or Flying Officer T. L. Patterson (P2643) which both were obliged to force-land after sustaining combat damage.
(f) 10o Gruppo totally claimed four Hurricanes. RAF lost none.
(g) Claimed in combat with Hurricanes from 249 and 185 Squadrons. 10o Gruppo totally claimed four Hurricanes and two probables for the loss of two MC.200s. 249 Squadron claimed two MC.200 destroyed and one damaged for the loss of one Hurricane from 249 Squadron; Sergeant Maurice Guest (Hurricane Z2818) being killed.
(h) Possibly claimed in combat with B-17s from 99th Bomber Group, which seems to have lost three B-17s during the day.
(i) This claim can’t be verified with USAAF records.

Sources:
2o Stormo - Note storiche dal 1925 al 1975 - Gino Strada, 1975 USSMA, Rome
55 Squadron Operations Record Book
Courage Alone - Chris Dunning, 1998 Hikoki Publications, Aldershot, ISBN 1-902109-02-3
Diario Storico 84a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Diario Storico 90a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Diario Storico 91a Squadriglia kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Fighters over the Desert - Christopher Shores and Hans Ring, 1969 Neville Spearman Limited, London
Hurricanes over Malta - Brian Cull and Frederick Galea, 2001 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-91-8
Hurricanes over Tobruk - Brian Cull with Don Minterne, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-11-X
Italian Aces of World War 2 - Giovanni Massimello and Giorgio Apostolo, 2000 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 1-84176-078-1
Malta: The Hurricane Years 1940-41 - Christopher Shores and Brian Cull with Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-89747-207-1
Quelli del Cavallino Rampante - Antonio Duma, 1981 Editore Dell'Ateneo, Roma
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
USAAF (Mediterranean Theater) Credits For The Destruction Of Enemy Aircraft In Air-To-Air Combat World War 2 - Frank Olynyk, 1987 Victory List No.6
Much additional information kindly provided by Ferdinando D'Amico, Stefano Lazzaro and Ludovico Slongo

Macchi C.202 Folgore

Role: Fighter
Manufacturer: Macchi Aeronautica
First flight: 10 August 1940
Introduced: 1941
Retired: 1947
Primary user: Regia Aeronautica
Number built: About 1,200
Variants: Macchi C.205

The Macchi C.202 Folgore (Italian "thunderbolt") was a World War II fighter aircraft, built by Macchi Aeronautica and operated by the Regia Aeronautica (RA; Italian air force). The C.202 was a development of the earlier C.200 Saetta, with a more powerful German Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine.

Considered one of the most beautiful fighters to fly with wartime Axis forces, the Folgore was also an effective and deadly dogfighter. A prominent Allied foe of the C.202, the leading Australian air ace Clive Caldwell, said that the Folgore would have been superior to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, had it been better equipped with weapons; the C.202 was lightly armed by the standards of the time, with only two 12.7 mm and two 7.7 mm machine guns.

Macchi aircraft designed by Mario Castoldi received the "C" letter in their model designation, hence the Folgore is referred to as the MC.202.

Development

Italian military authorities decision to adopt radial engines led to Italian aeronautical industry failure to develop more powerful engines based on streamlined liquid-cooled architecture, during the second half of the 1930s. This forced Macchi Aeronautica to rely on the aging Fiat A.74 radial engine for its C.200 fighter. By 1941, the C.200, armed with two 12.7 mm machine guns and with a maximum speed of 504 km/h (270 knots, 315 mph), was obsolete.
First Folgore prototype.

In July 1939, the RA requested Reggiane to build a prototype Re.2000 equipped with a German Daimler-Benz DB 601, liquid-cooled supercharged inverted V-12 engine rated at 1,175 hp (864 kW). At the time, the most powerful reliable Italian inline engine was the 960 hp (715 kW) Isotta-Fraschini Asso XI RC.40, which was designed in 1936. Consequently, in November 1939, Alfa Romeo acquired the license to produce the DB 601A.

Meanwhile, waiting for Alfa Romeo production start, Aeronautica Macchi imported a DB 601A engine, and Macchi chief of design Mario Castoldi began to work on mating the Macchi C.200 airframe with the German powerplant. The resulting C.202 made its maiden flight on 10 August 1940, two months after Italy's entry into World War II. As with the C.200, to counteract the torque of the engine, Castoldi extended the left wing by 20 cm (8 in). This meant that the left wing developed more lift, offsetting the tendency of the aircraft to roll to the left due to the rotation of the propeller, which was an ingenious solution to a problematic issue faced by all aircraft designers.
C.202AS Serie III of Regia Aeronautica

Design

Castoldi, whose background included working on Schneider Trophy racers design, followed Celestino Rosatelli as the main designer of new fighters for the RA. His new project was robust and small, utilizing a conventional but complex structural arrangement based on his experience with wooden designs, and at the same time paying great attention to its aerodynamics (Castoldi designed the MC.72, the world's fastest aircraft of its time).

The wing and fuselage structures were of a conventional metal design, having a single vertical tail with two elevators, and a wing of relatively conventional design with two main spars and 23 ribs. All the control surfaces, including a pair of split flaps, were fabric-covered.The undercarriage was of a standard design; the two widely set main gears retracting inwardly into the wing, while the tail wheel was non-retractable.

The complexity of the structure was not well suited to mass production, and resulted in a limited production rate compared to the Bf 109E/F (usually rated at 4,500-6,000 man-hours) while the Macchi needed 22,000 or more. The growth of the C.202 project was slower than that of the Re.2001, even though by employing both mass production techniques and less expensive advanced technologies, the production cost was slightly less than that of the Reggiane Re.2001, which was heavier but had a bigger wing and a more adaptable structure.

The empty weight of the new C.202 (approximately 2,350 kg) gradually increased throughout production, and due to the thickness of metal used it was also comparatively heavy for the power installed, yet this class of aircraft was still considered light-weight compared to other contemporary fighter designs. The Macchi's mass was around 300 kg higher than the comparable Bf 109E German fighter, consequently, the power-to-weight ratio was considerably lower while wing loading was higher. However, these relative deficiencies were compensated for by aerodynamic refinements in addition to well-balanced flight controls, so that the fighter's agility and maximum speed were not compromised.
C.202 rear view well showing three-blades propeller and wing profile

Because of the C.202's modest useful weight-carrying capacity, the aircraft was armed with only two 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, as was the C.R.32, a 600 hp fighter of 1933. The Breda design was as heavy as the Browning M2, the model from which the Italian type was derived. However, the Breda fired 12.7 x 81 mm "Vickers" ammunition, not 99 mm with the result that the energy at the muzzle was 10,000 joules vs. 16,000. The output was around 18 rounds/second or 0.63 kg. High explosive (HE) ammunition was effective against light structures, although less so against armoured, heavy aircraft typical in the 1940s. (The 0.8 g of HE contained in the shell was around a tenth of a single 20 mm shell, so it was not comparable in striking force. British designers preferred HE ammunition to 20 mm- and higher- calibres, while American designers leaned towards Armour-Piercing-Incendiary (API) rounds with an incendiary load of chemicals instead of high-explosive charges.)

Initially, all the armament was fitted within the nose of the Macchi, above and behind the engine. The reserve of ammunition was up to 800 rounds. An additional pair of Breda 7.7 mm machine guns was fitted in the wings in the VII series onward, but this pair of guns, along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition, added 100 kg to the aircraft's weight. Consequently, they were usually removed by pilots to save weight, and because they were relatively ineffective against most enemy aircraft in 1942. A synchronizing unit allowed the nose guns to fire through the propeller arc, but with a 25% loss in ROF (Rate of Fire). A "San Giorgio" gun sight, a reflection unit, was also fitted in the cockpit.

The mass and the volume were concentrated in the fuselage anterior which housed the main armament and the Alfa Romeo R.A. 1000 RC41I or RC44I "Monsone" engine (licence-produced Daimler-Benz DB601Aa / A-1 engines) which drove a Piaggio P1001 three-blade, variable pitch, constant speed propeller. Situated behind the engine and under the 12.7mm ammunition boxes there was a 270-litre self-sealing fuel tank. The main coolant radiator was under the fuselage beneath the cockpit, and the oil cooler was placed under the nose within a classical "dustbin"-shaped housing. From the cockpit aft, the fuselage was formed into a streamlined "elongated drop" with the cockpit resting on top of the fuselage in a characteristic "hump".
Macchi C.202 c. 1943

The cockpit was unpressurised, for protection, an armour plate was fitted behind the armoured seat. The aft fuselage tapered into the tail and contained the radio, oxygen and flight control mechanisms, and the 80-litre reserve fuel tank which together with the 40-litre tanks in each inner wing and the main fuselage tank brought the total amount of fuel carried to 430 litres.

Operational history

The Folgore was put into production using imported DB 601Aa engines, while Alfa Romeo set up production of the engine under license as the R.A.1000 R.C.41 Monsone (Monsoon). Due to initial delays in engine production, Macchi resorted to completing some C.202 airframes as C.200s with Fiat radial engines. Nevertheless, by late 1942, Folgores outnumbered all other fighter aircraft in the RA.

Deliveries of the first production aircraft, C.202 Series I, to a specially formed conversion unit, 1º Stormo C.T., in Udine began in summer 1941 and, by November, the C.202s made their appearances on the Libyan front. In addition to North Africa, the aircraft saw limited service on the Eastern Front where between 1941 and 1943, together with C.200s, they achieved an 88 to 15 victory/loss ratio. Following the Armistice with Italy, C.202s were used as trainers in the Italian Social Republic(Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI). After the war, two examples served as trainers at Lecce until 1947.

The C.202 inherited its predecessor's durability and light, responsive flight controls. The clean aerodynamics offered by the inline engine permitted dive speeds high enough for pilots to encounter the then-unknown phenomenon of compressibility. Although the C.202 could effectively fly against Hawker Hurricane, P-38 Lightning, P-39 Airacobra, Curtiss P-40 and even the Supermarine Spitfire at low altitudes, the aircraft's combat effectiveness was somewhat hampered by its weak armament.

Combat

Macchis equipped all the premier fighter wings (Stormo): 1, 4 and 51. Although deployed in mid-1941, the C.202 did not see action until later that fall, when several Macchis fought against British Hurricanes over Malta.

In the afternoon, 30 September 1941, three Macchis of 4° Stormo intercepted one of the frequent incursions made by Hurricanes, over Comiso airfield in Sicily. Lt. Lintern was shot down by Sottotenente Frigerio and bailed out north of Gozo. A search and rescue mission was launched from Malta by a Fulmar and five Hurricanes, but Lintern was never found. Furthermore, the MC.202s attacked again, and Tenente Luigi Tessari, jointly with Sargento Raffaello Novelli shot down the Fulmar. The crew of the latter managed to ditch the aircraft at sea and was rescued latter by two seaplanes.
C.202 taxiing with mechanic on wing, c. 1942

On 26 November 1941, in Operation Crusader, 19 Macchis of 9° Gruppo, 4° Stormo were sent to Africa, in response to the British offensive. Led by Capt. Larsimont (97ma Squadriglia) and Viglione Borghese (96ma), 10 of these Italian fighters flew at 5,000 m and defeated a force of Hurricane Mk IIs of 229 and 238 Sqdns. Hurricanes hit both Italian leaders, but they returned to base in Martuba. Three British fighters were shot down and another crashed while landing. One pilot was killed, and two returned to their base at Tobruk, one of them riding an Italian tank found in the desert. The Italians claimed eight victories, and the British two (which matched Italian fighters losses). Marshall Bastico sent congratulations to the Macchi pilots.

During 1942, Bf 109s and Macchi C.202s fought Allied air forces in the skies of North Africa. At the time of Rommel's offensive on Tobruk, 5° "Squadra aerea" ("aviation corps"), based in North Africa, had three wings of Macchi: 1° had 47 C.202s (40 serviceable), 2° had 63 C.200s (52) while 4° had 57(47). This, coupled with the 32 Cant Z.1007s, was one of the most powerful fighter forces that the Italians fielded in the war, and comprised almost a tenth of the overall Folgore production. In the meanwhile, some Macchi fighters were sent to the USSR to supplement the obsolete C.200s. Many raided on Malta, obtaining an initial advantage (together with Bf 109s) over the Hurricanes based there. In spring 1942, the carrier USS Wasp delivered the first Spitfires to Malta, and the Axis' air-superiority started to shift in favour of the Allies. C.202s were also involved in Operation Harpoon, encountering Sea Hurricanes. At the end of the year, the growing strength of the Allied forces was irresistible, and after the defeat in the skies over Malta as well as El-Alamein, the last operational Axis units lost their air superiority in the Mediterranean.

The Macchis continued fighting while retreating to Tunisia, and then, in the defence of Sicily, Sardinia and Italy, against an increasingly stronger foe. The Macchis of two groups, which landed at Korba airfield from Italy, experienced one notable action. Forced to concentrate 40 C.202s (both 7imo and 16imo, 54° Stormo) on a Tunisian airfield, on 8 May 1943, almost all the C.202s were destroyed on the ground by marauding Spitfires. A contemporary photo showed over a dozen Macchi C.202s (1% of the total built in 1940-44) in an abandoned airfield, damaged beyond repair by air attacks or dismantled to support the last few operating fighters. Because no transport aircraft were available, every surviving fighter taking off the day after, had two men inside, a pilot and a mechanic. Only a few aircraft (five of 7mo and six of 16mo) were repaired by 10 May 1943 and escaped to Italy. At least one, manned by Lt. Lombardo, was destroyed and the two men inside were wounded after crash-landing on a beach near Reggio Calabria.

The rest of the C.202s fought to defend Sicily, Sardinia, and Naples. Results were poor, and Bf 109s, C.205s and G.55s replaced C.202s as soon as possible. Several C.202s had also served with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, and some were transformed into C.205s. Other served as trainers in the National Republican Air Force (Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana) of the Italian Social Republic (RSI) and the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Switzerland ordered C.202s, but none were delivered. However, 18 airplanes were delivered to the Croatian Air Force Legion for operational use against the RAF and USAAF over Croatia in mid-1944.

After the bombing of Macchi Industries (1944), the combat career of the C.202 and C.205 was nearly over. After the war, however, some aircraft that had survived along with newly manufactured C.205s or as C.202 transformations were sent to Egypt. In total, 42 C.205s were sent, but the 31 made from C.202s were armed with only two Breda machine guns. Some of these aircraft fought against Israel, and were in service until 1951.

The Italian aircraft industry produced around 1,200 C.202s, in 11 series between 1941 and 1943. Of these, Macchi produced 392, the rest being supplied by production lines at Breda and SAI Ambrosini.

Variants

Like its predecessor, the C.200, the C.202 saw only a few modifications during its career. Starting with the Serie VI, the fighter had a new wing with a provision for 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, and one aircraft (serial number MM 91974) was fitted with a pair of gondola-mounted 20 mm cannon.

C.202AS Dust filters for operations in North Africa (AS - Africa Settentrionale, North Africa)
C.202CB Underwing hardpoints for bombs or drop tanks (CB - Caccia Bombardiere, Fighter-Bomber)
C.202R Equipped with cameras for photo-reconnaissance missions (R - Ricognizione, Reconnaissance)
C.202D (serial number MM 7768) Prototype with a revised radiator.
C.202 with DB 605 engine After the war, 41
C.202 airframes were fitted with license-built Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines and sold to Egypt as C.205 Veltros.

Operators

Croatia Independent State of Croatia
* Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske

Germany
* Luftwaffe
  o II/JG 77 operated 12 captured aircraft.

Italy
* Regia Aeronautica
* Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force

Italian Social Republic
* Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana

Survivors

Macchi C.202 "73-7/MM9667 (serial no. 366)" Presently on display at the Italy Air Force Museum in Vigna di Valle Airport.
Macchi C.202 Shown in the markings of the 90B0 Squadriglia, 10B0 Gruppo, 4B0 Stormo, is dramatically displayed in Gallery 205 above the World War II Aviation diorama at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian, Washington, DC.

Specifications (C.202CB Serie IV-VIII)

General characteristics

* Crew: One
* Length: 8.85 m (29 ft 0.5 in)
* Wingspan: 10.58 m (34 ft 8.5 in)
* Height: 3.49 m (11 ft 5 in)
* Wing area: 16.82 m² (181.04 ft²)
* Empty weight: 2,491 kg (5,492 lb)
* Max takeoff weight: 2,930 kg (6,460 lb)
* Powerplant: 1× Daimler-Benz DB 601(Alfa Romeo R.A.1000 R.C.41I / R.C.44I) liquid-cooled supercharged inverted V-12, 1,175 hp (864 kW) at 2,500 rpm for takeoff

Performance

* Maximum speed: 600 km/h (324 knots, 372 mph) at 5,600 m (18,370 ft)
* Range: 765 km (413 nm, 475 mi)
* Service ceiling 11,500 m (37,730 ft)
* Rate of climb: 18.1 m/s (3,563 ft/min)

Armament

* 2x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the engine cowling, 360/400 rounds/gun
* 2x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the wings, 500 rounds/gun
* 2x 50, 100, or 160 kg (110, 220, or 350 lb) bombs
* 2x 100 L (26.4 US gal/22.0 imp gal) drop tanks

Related development

* Macchi C.200
* Macchi C.205

Comparable aircraft

* Curtiss P-40
* Kawasaki Ki-61
* Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Goudkov LaGG-3
* Messerschmitt Bf 109
* Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1
* Supermarine Spitfire

Related lists

* List of fighter aircraft
* Italian aircraft production 1935 to 1945

Bibliography

* Borgiotti, Alberto and Cesare Gori. Le Macchine e la Storia, Profili 1: Macchi MC 202 folgore (in Italian). Modena, Italy: STEM-Mucchi, 1970. No ISBN.
* Cattaneo, Gianni. "The Macchi C.202." Aircraft in Profile no.28. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications, 1971.
* Ethell, Jeffrey L. and Joe Christy. P-40 Hawks at War. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan Ltd, 1979. ISBN 0-71100-983-X.
* Gentilli, Roberto and Luigi Gorena. Macchi C.202 In Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1980. ISBN 0-89747-100-8.
* Green, William. "The Macchi-Castoldi Series". Famous Fighters of the Second World War, vol.2. London, Macdonald, 1962. No ISBN.
* Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Great Book of Fighters. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-76031-194-3.
* Malizia, Nicola. "L'armamento Dei Velivoli Della Regia Aereonautica (in Italian)." Storia Militare, Settembre 1997.
* Marcon, Tullio."Hawker in Mediterraneo (in Italian)." Storia Militare N.80.
* Massiniello, Giorgio. "Lo Sviluppo del (Macchi) Veltro (in Italian)." Storia Militare, N.150.
* Massiniello, Giorgio. "Via da Korba, con ogni mezzo" (in Italian). Storia Militare 1996 (31). Parma (Italy): Ermanno Albertelli Ed.
* Mattioli, Mario. "L'esordio del Macchi C 202" (in Italian). Storia Militare (80). Parma (Italy): Ermanno Albertelli Ed.
* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. London, UK: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 0-753714-60-4.
* Savic, Dragon and Boris Ciglic. Croatian Aces of World War II (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces-49). London: Oxford, 2002. ISBN 1-84176-435-3.
* Sgarlato, Nico. "Macchi Folgore" (in Italian). Aerei Nella Storia 1998 (8): 8-20. Parma (Italy): West-Ward sas.
* Shores, Cull & Malizia: Malta:The Hurricane Years (1940-1941). Grubb Street, London, 1999. ISBN 0948817062
* Skulski, Przemysław. Macchi C.202 Folgore, seria "Pod Lupa" 7(in Polish). Wrocław, Poland: Ace Publications, 1997. ISBN 83-86153-55-5.
* Skulski, Przemysław. Macchi C.202 Folgore(in Polish). Sandomierz, Poland/Redbourn, UK: Stratus/Mushroom Model Publications, 2005. ISBN 83-89450-06-2.
* Winchester, Jim. "Macchi M.C.202 and M.C.205V." Aircraft of World War II: The Aviation Factfile. Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. ISBN 1-84013-639-1.

External links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.202