Caproni Ca.309, foreign users

 

The Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli ("Southern or desert wind" in Italian) was an Italian aircraft of the 1930s which was also used in the World War II. It was used by Italy, but also by many other users:

• Australia: A single Ca.309 was captured on ground by Australian troops in 1943 and used by the No.3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). It was used by personnel of that squadron for liaison and light transport duties. 
• United Kingdom: It's not that obvious, but it seems that an unidentified squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) had also one captured machine in use. This was not the same as the Australian one as it was painted entirely different and had different armament. It was up-armed with an additional machine gun placed under the nose.
• Germany: There are some photos of a single machine painted with Luftwaffe markings. Most probably it was used by the Luftwaffe in Italy.
• Paraguay: During late 1937 Paraguay requested three machines, of which only two of them were delivered in September 1938. They were used first by the Paraguayan Cuerpo de Aviación del Ejército (Paraguayan Army Air Corps) until 1945 and were later transferred to Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional, the Paraguayan national airline back then. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of a Ghibli under Paraguayan colours, the drawing shown below should be considered as speculative.
• Italian Social Republic: After the Italian armistice, two Ca.309 were employed by the Italian Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (National Republican Air Force - The Air Force of the Italian Social Republic) in many liaison and light transport flights. These two machines had to deal with fighter strafing attacks when parked on ground or they even had to land on bombed airstrips.
  It's recorded that one of the two machines, was destroyed on ground when it was taxiing for taking off, after its fuselage floor collapsed due to overloading, as it was fully loaded with stocks and spare parts. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.309

2. flyinlions.eu/storia/aviazione/item/233-caproni-cab-ca-309-ghibli.html (translated)

3. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.309 (translated)

Macchi C.205 - Italian Social Republican Users

The Veltro was also used by the fascist Italian Social Republic which dominated mainly the northern part of the country.
In total twenty nine Veltros made it to the northern airfields when the armistice was declared and Macchi themselves finished the third series with 72 airplanes more before the production was cut down in May 1944 due to allied bombing as the factory was bombed.
The first action with the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana was on 3rd January 1944 when a formation of Veltros, that had still German markings, attacked a formation of Boeing B-17 with their escort of P-38 Lightining. Later, on 24th January, they were transferred to Friulia and on 28th they shot down their first American four engined B-24 Liberator bomber.
They served mainly with the 1º Gruppo (first squadron) and the 3º Gruppo (third squadron) received also some of them. They were scattered through smaller units.
Generally, they served well with the RSI as most of the units were homogeneusly equipped and were guided by German radars. Even if they weren't many, they achieved managed to inflict a respectable amount of losses to Allied bombers and fighters.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.205
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Macchi C.202 - Foreign users

This nice Italian fighter was used by many foreign users.

• Croatia had around 20 or 22 in service during 1944 and used them to intercept allied bombers. They were assigned to the Kroat JGr.1 and, while serving with them they retained their Luftwaffe markings. They scrambled for the first time in March 1944 against an American raid west of Zagreb, however there wasn't any combat as they were instructed to attack only damaged airplanes and stragglers from the main formation. When the Croatian Air Force Legion was replaced by the Croatian Air Force Group, they received new markings and they served in the combat role until September 1944 when they were relegated to training duties mainly because of their weak armament.
• Many of them were captured during the Allied campaign in Italy and therefore saw limited service with the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Army Air Force, mainly under testing purposes.
• They also served with the Air Force of the Italian Social Republic, the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana but only in the trainer role.
• The German Luftwaffe also used some of them, mainly as trainers too in the Orange fighter school.
• Apparently, the Schweizer Flugwaffe (Swiss Air Force) ordered 20 Macchi C.202 on 12th May 1943 but none of them were delivered as Italy had no export capabilities as they were concentrating in defending their own national air-space.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_C.202

2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters