155 Gruppo

With the Italian forces under pressure in Libya, the unit was rushed straight to the front there. It was about this time 351 sq went to 155 Gruppo and was replaced by 151 sq. During the Spring of 1941 they protected the troops and supply columns, and made local intercepts. Like most units they suffered from the sand, until filters could be fitted. In July they escorted 209 sq in attacks on Tobruk.

For the rest of 1941 they made many armed recces and escorted the dive-bombers, sometimes jointly with the Germans. On 19 November a commando raid on Sidi Rezegh cost them 18 G 50s. and five more on 22 December at Agedabia. With virtually no aircraft left they returned to Italy in the new year.

They now rejoined 51 Stormo. which had been disbanded from September 1940 to 1 January 1942. Receiving the MC 202 in March, the unit was then ordered to Sicily for operations around Malta, starting in June. On 21 March 1943 they were at Ciampino. receiving the third prototype G 55 for operational trials. The unit moved to Sardinia in May. where the G 55 successfully fought in several dogfights. During March the crews complained that the new' Macchis needed much modification to make them combat ready. Poor petrol quality and excessive oil loss caused problems. Hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical systems often caught fire. And the aircraft lacked radios!

Meanwhile, nine pre-production G 55s were taken on at Ciampino Sud. In June. 11 G 55/Is arrived and. together with the G 55/Os. were used by 353 sq for the defence of Rome from Ciampino Sud. The main unit was now at Foligno. On 5 August several aircraft and pilots were passed to 155 Gruppo.

Macchi C.202 Folgore MM7848 378º Squadriglia 155º Gruppo - 51º Stormo 51S155G378SA 378-11 Sgt. Magg. Faliero Gelli Sicily Jul 27 1942.
This aicraft was escorting 9 Ju-88 on a raid on Malta Jul 27 1942 when along with four other aircraft was shot down by Sergeant George 'Screwball' Beurling of RAF 249Sqn. The Italian Pilot Sergent Maggiore Falerio Gelli managed to crash land on the island of Gozo and escape with a few bruises. Gelli had previously claimed three Spitfires shot down over Malta. MM7848 flown by Sergente Maggiore Faliero Gelli of the 378 Squadrilia, 155 Gruppo, 51st Stormo, was shot down over Gozo by George "Buzz" Beurling while escorting nine German Ju 88s in mission over Malta. July 27th 1942. Bingo Pierre....interesting to know that Niclot Doglio was shot down by Beurling in the same day of Faliero Gelli (previous skin)..This plane was pained with the typical Aermacchi “colonies” colour scheme, introduced since spring 1942. The propeller noose was painted in white, as for all the Italian fighters. Furio Niclot Doglio plane had the 151-1 markings (menaning C.O. of 151° Squadriglia), with a unmistakable white sign, similar to an arrow, under the cockpit

Unit: 378 Squadriglia, 155 Gruppo, 51 Stormo Serial: 378-11 Pilot - Sergeant Falliero Gelli. Sicily, July 1942. Gelli was shot down byCanadian ace George Beurling on July 27th 1942, just mere seconds before Captain Doglio's death. Contrary to the latter's fate, Gelli had the good fortune of crash-landing his aircraft and becoming a POW. Up to that time he had scored three victories over Malta and he is reputedly the only pilot to have been shot down by Beurling alive! Gelli Falliero
Note: this profile historically accurate. Artist: © Angelos Dalassenos Source: 'Aces High', by Cristopher Shores and Clive Williams; Grub Street, London, 1994. Source: 'Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942', by Cristopher Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia

Unit: 378 Squadriglia, 155 Gruppo, 51 Stormo Serial: 378-11 Pilot - Sergeant Falliero Gelli. Sicily, July 1942. Gelli was shot down by Canadian ace George Beurling on July 27th 1942, just mere seconds before Captain Doglio's death. Contrary to the latter's fate, Gelli had the good fortune of crash-landing his aircraft and becoming a POW. Up to that time he had scored three victories over Malta and he is reputedly the only pilot to have been shot down by Beurling alive! Gelli Falliero
Artist: unknown Source: The Flightline - Military Aviation Archives

Macchi C.202 Serie VI MM9066 della 51º Stormo 155º Gruppo 360º Squadriglia 360-10 flown by Capitano Carlo Miani.

Unit: 378 Squadriglia, 155 Gruppo, 51 Stormo Caccia Terrestre Serial: 378-1
Artist: unknown Source: Tauro Model Production

Macchi C.202 Folgore MM7111 51º Stormo 155º Gruppo 378º Squadriglia 51S155G378SA 378-4 Gela 1942
Unit: 378 Squadriglia, 155 Gruppo, 51 Stormo Serial: 378-4 (MM7711) Gela, August 1942.
Camouflage: uppersurfaces - Verde Oliva Scuro 2 with spots Giallo Mimetico 4 and Bruno Mimetico; undersides - Grigio Azzuro Chiaro; cowling - Nocciola Chiaro 4 with stripes Verde Oliva Scuro 4. Build by Macchi.
Artist: © Krzysztof Wolowski Source: 'Macchi C.202 Folgore' by Przemislaw Skulsky. Published in Poland in 2005 by STRATUS Artur Juszczak, Po. Box 123, 27-600 Sandomierz 1, Poland for Mushroom Model Publications. (c) 2005 Mushroom Model Publications. ISBN 83-89450-06-2.

 Flight Simulators
 

   IL-2 Sturmovik 'Cliff's of Dover' Blitz

   IL-2 Sturmovik Battle of Stalingrad

   DCS World - has no 3D model

 



Regia Aeronautica Aces (World War II)
Ace No of Kills
Teresio Vittorio Martinoli22 kills
Franco Lucchini22 kills (1 in Spain)
Leonardo Ferrulli21 kills (1 in Spain)
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri19 kills
Luigi Gorrini19 kills
Mario Visintini17 kills
Ugo Drago17 kills
Mario Bellagambi14 kills
Luigi Baron14 kills
Luigi Gianella12 kills
Attilio Sanson12 kills
Willy Malagola11 Kills
Carlo Magnaghi11 kills
Angelo Mastroagostino11 kills
Giorgio Solaroli di Briona11 kills
Mario Veronesi11 kills
Fernando Malvezzi10 kills
Giulio Reiner10 kills
Giuseppe Robetto10 kills
Carlo Maurizio Ruspoli di Poggio Suasa10 kills
Massimo Salvatore10 kills
Claudio Solaro10 kills
Ennio Tarantola10 kills
Giulio Torresi10 kills
Adriano Visconti10 kills

 

 Italy Map

 

    Macchi C.202 Folgore Bibliography:

  • Angelucci, Enzo and Paolo Matricardi. World Aircraft: World War II, Volume I (Sampson Low Guides). Maidenhead, UK: Sampson Low, 1978. ISBN 978-0-528-88170-1.
  • Bergström, Christer. Stalingrad—The Air Battle: 1942 through January 1943. Hinckley, UK: Midland, 2007. ISBN 978-1-85780-276-4.
  • Beurling, George and Leslie Roberts. Malta Spitfire: The Story of a Fighter pilot. New York/Toronto: Farrar & Rinehart Inc., 1943. NO ISBN.
  • 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.
  • Caruana, Richard J. Victory in the Air. Malta: Modelaid International Publications, 1996. ISBN 1-871767-12-1.
  • Cattaneo, Gianni. "The Macchi C.202." Aircraft in Profile no.28. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications, 1971.
  • Ciampaglia, Giuseppe. "La Produzione Aeronautica nella II GM." (in Italian)." RID, May 1994.
  • De Marchi, Italo and Pietro Tonizzo. Macchi MC. 200 / FIAT CR. 32 (in Italian). Modena, Italy: Edizioni Stem Mucchi 1994. NO ISBN.
  • Duma, Antonio. Quelli del Cavallino Rampante – Storia del 4° Stormo Caccia Francesco Baracca (in Italian). Roma: Aeronautica Militare – Ufficio Storico, 2007. NO ISBN.
  • Dunning, Chris. Solo coraggio! La storia completa della Regia Aeronautica dal 1940 al 1943 (in Italian). Parma, Italy: Delta Editrice, 2000. No ISBN.
  • Ethell, Jeffrey L. Aircraft of World War II. Glasgow: HarperCollins/Jane’s, 1995. ISBN 0-00-470849-0.
  • Ethell, Jeffrey L. and Joe Christy. P-40 Hawks at War. Shepperton, UK: Ian Allan Ltd, 1979. ISBN 0-7110-0983-X.
  • Gentilli, Roberto and Luigi Gorena. Macchi C.202 In Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1980. ISBN 0-89747-100-8.
  • Ghergo, Federico. "La Caccia Italiana 1940–43" (in Italian). Storia Militare, February 2006.
  • Glancey, Jonathan. Spitfire: The Illustrated Biography. London: Atlantic Books, 2008. ISBN 978-1-84354-528-6.
  • 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 0-7603-1194-3.
  • Jackson, Robert. The Forgotten Aces. London: Sphere Books Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-7474-0310-4.
  • Malizia, Nicola. Aermacchi Bagliori di Guerra – Flashes of War (Macchi MC.200- MC.202 – MC.205/V) (in Italian). Rome: Ibn Editore, 2002. ISBN 88-7565-030-6.
  • Malizia, Nicola. "L'armamento Dei Velivoli Della Regia Aereonautica" (in Italian). Storia Militare, Sebtembre 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, 1996. Parma, Italy: Ermanno Albertelli Ed.
  • Matricardi, Paolo. Aerei Militari: Caccia e Ricognitori (in Italian). Milan, Italy: Mondadori Electa Editore, 2006.
  • Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 0-7537-1460-4.
  • Neulen, Hans Werner. In the Skies of Europe. Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-799-1.
  • Nijboer, Donald: "Spitfire V vs C.202 Folgore – Malta 1942 (Osprey Duel ; 60)". Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2014. ISBN 978-1-78200-356-4
  • Nolan, Brian. Hero: The Buzz Beurling Story. London: Penguin Books, 1981. ISBN 0-14-006-266-1.
  • Palermo, Michele (2014). Eagles over Gazala: Air Battles in North Africa, May–June 1942. Roma: IBN Editore. ISBN 88-7565-168-X.
  • Pesce, Giuseppe and Giovanni Massimello. Adriano Visconti Asso di Guerra (in Italian). Parma, Italy: Albertelli Edizioni speciali s.r.l., 1997.
  • Rogers, Anthony: Battle over Malta: Aircraft Losses & Crash Sites 1940–42 London: Sutton Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7509-2392-X.
  • Savic, Dragan and Boris Ciglic. Croatian Aces of World War II (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces-49). Oxford, UK: 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.
  • Sgarlato, Nico. "Macchi Folgore" (in Italian). Publisher unknown, 2008.
  • Sgarlato Nico. "Reggiane fighters (Delta Editions)" (in Italian). Monography N.17, July 2005.
  • Shores, Christopher, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia. Malta: The Hurricane Years (1940–1941). London: Grub Street, 1987. ISBN 0-948817-06-2.
  • Shores, Christopher, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia. Malta: The Spitfire Year (1942). London: Grub Street, 1991. ISBN 0-948817-16-X.
  • Skulski, Przemysław. Macchi C.202 Folgore(in English). Petersfield, Hampshire: Mushroom Model Publications, 2012. ISBN 978-83-614-21-66-5.
  • 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.
  • Skulski, Przemysław. Macchi C.202 FOLGORE. MMPBOOKS, 2012. ISBN 978-83-61421-66-5.
  • Snedden, Robert. World War II Combat Aircraft. Bristol, UK: Parragon, 1997. ISBN 0-7525-1684-1.
  • Spick, Mike. Allied Fighter Aces of World War II. London: Greenhill Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85367-282-3.
  • Williams, Anthony G. and Dr. Emmanuel Gustin. Flying Guns: World War II – Development of Aircraft Guns, Ammunition and Istallations 1933–1945. Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press, 2003. ISBN 978-1-84037-227-4.
  • 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.

    Magazine References: +

  • Airfix Magazines (English) - http://www.airfix.com/
  • Avions (French) - http://www.aerostories.org/~aerobiblio/rubrique10.html
  • FlyPast (English) - http://www.flypast.com/
  • Flugzeug Publikations GmbH (German) - http://vdmedien.com/flugzeug-publikations-gmbh-hersteller_verlag-vdm-heinz-nickel-33.html
  • Flugzeug Classic (German) - http://www.flugzeugclassic.de/
  • Klassiker (German) - http://shop.flugrevue.de/abo/klassiker-der-luftfahrt
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://boutique.editions-lariviere.fr/site/abonnement-le-fana-de-l-aviation-626-4-6.html
  • Le Fana de L'Aviation (French) - http://www.pdfmagazines.org/tags/Le+Fana+De+L+Aviation/
  • Osprey (English) - http://www.ospreypublishing.com/
  • Revi Magazines (Czech) - http://www.revi.cz/

    Web References: +

  • Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.202_Folgore

 

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