Thursday 1 March 2018

Messerschmitt Bf.109G - Italian Social Republic users, part one

After the Armistice of Cassibile on 8th September 1943, Italy got splitted in two, a pro-allied kingdom in the southern parts of the country and a fascist government lead by Mussolini in the north, the Italian Social Republic which was a puppet German state.
Therefore, the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR) was the air force deployed by the RSI (Repubblica Soziale Italiana). The ANR was theoretically organized by the RSI, but much of its operational control came directly from the Luftwaffe.
Initially, the ANR fighter units (Iº Gruppo Caccia and IIº Gruppo Caccia) were equipped with Macchi C.205 and Fiat G.55 respectively.
The G.55s faced well against the Spitfires, Mustangs and Thunderbolts, however, as most of the Italian pilots had flying experience flying the Bf.109G over Sicily during the Operation Husky with the Regia Aeronautica, Luftwaffe's Jagdfliegerführer (Luftwaffe's Fighter Command) decided to replace the G.55s of the IIº Gruppo Caccia with Bf.109Gs. Therefore, on 29th May 1944, some Bf.109G-6s which previously belonged to the JG.4, arrived at Cascina Vaga with two Bf.109G-12 trainers which were delivered two weeks later and by 22nd June, the unit was ready for its first operations.
Their first operation took place on that same day when eleven Bf.109Gs sortied from the airfield, but they didn't achieve nothing.










Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109_operational_history#Combat_service_with_Italy
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
3. La Bancarella Aeronautica - Ali Straniere in Italia 1 - Messerschmitt Bf 109 Italiani.

No comments:

Post a Comment