Tupolev SB in Spain. Part Two.

 

When the German Messerschmitt Bf.109B fighter made its appearance over Spain, with its experienced pilots, the losses of the SBs started to pile up. On 7th February 1938 four bombers were shot down, making it the worst loss rate in a single date, up to that date. By June 1938 only a handful of aircraft were serviceable, however, in July, thirty more SBs were delivered via France and were assembled at Figueres, Catalonia. This last delivery increased the total number of Tupolev SBs in Spain up to 93. 

During the conflict, one SB was captured by the Nationalist and received Aviación Nacional's (Nationalist Air Force) codes, was painted with Italian colours and camouflage pattern. It was shown at Tablada airfield (Seville) in October 1937.

One distinctive feature of the SBs assembled in Spain during the late-war period was the introduction of a fairing in front of the rear gunner's compartment. 

The code assigned by the Fuerza Aérea Republicana Española (FARE - Spanish Republican Air Force) to the SB was BK (which stands for Bombardero Katiuska - Katiuska Bomber) followed by a three-digit number, painted in black. Additionally, after a reform in FARE, some SBs received a two-digit number code painted in the tailfin.

The aerial superiority of the Nationalists, coupled with the inexperience of the Republican Katiuska's crews, quickly dropped the available number of SBs in the FARE. When the Spanish Civil War ended on 1st April 1939, a total of 73 SBs were lost, 40 of them to Nationalists actions. 

Shortly after the war, the reformed Spanish Ejército del Aire (Air Army - Spanish Air Force) created an unit with the captured and surrendered Katiuskas. This unit was called 13º Regimiento de Bombardeo (13th Bomber Regiment), based at Los Llanos airfield (Albacete - New Castile) and was composed of 19 Tupolev SBs. Some of these machines were re-engined with the Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine, although the covering cowl was maintained, so, externally, there was no difference. This was done to ease maintenance, as they were still subject to spare shortages up to the point that, in April 1943, only three SBs were available. This forced Francoist authorities to ground the SBs and purchase some Junkers Ju.88A bombers from Germany which arrived in December 1943. The remaining Katiuskas were employed for occasional training flights until 1948, when they were scrapped.

Sources:

Sources:

1st Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 194 - Tupolev SB in Action

2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_SB

3rd https://massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/sb/tapani/spanish/spanishrepublican.htm

4th http://elhangardetj.blogspot.com/2008/10/tablada.html (translated)

Arado Ar.66

 

The Arado Ar.66 was a German single-engine two-seat training biplane developed during 1933.

Walter Rethel, Arado's chief designer, began its design back in 1931 looking for a new two-seat trainer. However, Rethel was hired by Messerschmitt and Walter Blume had to continue with the project. The first prototype, named Arado Ar.66a flew for the first time in 1932. 

The Ar.66 was powered through all its variants by a single Argus As.10 air-cooled inverted V8 engine which yielded around 240 hp of power and drove a two-bladed propeller. 

The fuselage had an oval cross-section and was entirely made of welded steel-tubes, covered in fabric. The double wings provided very high lift, also at low speeds. Both wings had the same span and were turned 8º backwards. It was made out of a double pine wing spar structure, with lime tree ribs and fabric covering. Both wings were fitted with ailerons and the tail was of conventional design with horizontal stabilizers mounted on the fuselage upper edge. the rudder was placed behind the elevators and both of them were made out of steel tube covered in fabric. These were one of the few changes that were made to the prototype, to make them bigger, since it presented balance problems. The undercarriage was welded to the fuselage in a "V" shape and used high-pressure rubber suspension. 

The crew consisted in two, a pilot and a trainee, seated in open tandem cockpits, equipped with dual controls. The aircraft was equipped with instrument flight systems with photographic cameras mounted as optional equipment.

There were three versions, the Ar.66a which was the first prototype, of which only a single machine was build, the Ar.66b and Ar.66B which was a floatplane variant, of which only 10 machines were completed and the Ar.66C which was the series production with modified elevators, larger rudder and larger-diameter wheels. 

The Ar.66 entered service with the Reichluftfahrtministerium (Reich's Aviation Ministry) in 1933 and then with the Luftwaffe in 1934, serving as a basic and ground-attack trainer well into World War 2. In 1937, a total of six Ar.66Cs were exported to Spain, to serve with the Aviación Nacional (National Aviation) the Air Force of the Nationalist faction of the Spanish Civil War, being that the only export sale of the type.

Since 1942, it was also used as a night-harassment ground-attack aircraft in the Eastern Front, and, in that role it was equipped with a single defensive MG-15 machine gun mounted in the observer's rear position and could carry a small amount of bombs or mines, in a similar manner that the Soviets did with the Polikarpov Po-2.

They saw service, together with the Gotha Go.145, in Nachtschlacthgruppen (Night Harassment Squadrons) 2, 3 and 5 serving in the Eastern Front, Nachtschlachtgruppe 8, in Finland and Nachtschlachtgruppe 12 in the Latvian region. 

During the latest stages of the War, when Romania switched sides, some Ar.66Cs were captured and pushed into service with the Romanian Air Force. Czechoslovakia also captured a bunch of those machines, as the Luftwaffe had set up many flying schools there. They were used as trainers with the newly re-built Czechoslovak Air Force during the postwar years.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_66

2. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_66 (translated)

3. http://www.airwar.ru/enc/other1/ar66.html (translated)

Caudron C.440 Goéland, Foreign Users Part Two

 

The Caudron C.440 Goéland (French word for "Seagull") was a French six-seat twin-engined utility aircraft of the 1930s that saw service with many foreign users:

• Poland: The Caudron C.445 was used by the Polish Air Force in France in 1940 as a bomber pilot and navigator trainer. They were employed in the flying schools of Lyon-Bron, Clermont-Ferrand, Istres, Corbas, Rennes and St. Cyr. From 13th May 1940 until the end of the Battle of France, the Franco-Polish Goélands were used as utility and transport airplanes to transport both men and materiel to and from frontlines. Later, during the French retreat, they were employed to evacuate Polish transport personnel. In fact, on 23rd June two Goélands evacuated a group of 16 Polish pilots from Perpignan to Oran, in Algeria. 
  At the end of the war, one C.445A-T that was built in France during the German occupation, was captured by the Poles at the city of Dziwnów, in a very bad condition though. In spite of initial interests by the Polish Air Force for the plane, it was transferred to civilian aviation, where PZL-Mielec rebuilt it and used it for transport duties and company business trips. Oddly enough, the production license and technical documentation for the PZL-Mielec Lim-1 (the Polish MiG-15 license-built in Poland) was transported in this airplane. It was used by PZL from 22nd August 1947 until 12th September 1955.
• Slovak Republic: Twelve C.445M (military variant of the regular C.445) were ordered by the Slovenské Vzdusné Zbrane (Slovak Air Force) in 1942 (although, according to other sources they were transferred by the Luftwaffe from captured machines). They were employed in the trainer and transport role, and their ultimate fate is unknown.
• Spain: After the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the Republican Spanish Líneas Aéreas Postales Españolas (Spanish Postal Airlines - LAPE) acquired three ex-French Goéland machines. They were employed in various aerial routes inside the Republican territory during the Spanish Civil War. All three of them were either destroyed or captured by the Nationalists. After the war, in May 1940 some fleeing machines crash-landed in Spain and their crew and machines were interned.
• Yugoslavia: The Yugoslavian National Airline Aeroput, bought two C.449 monoplanes in 1937 and 1938 as part of their modernization programme in order to cover more aerial routes. One of them was damaged beyond repair in 1939 and the other one was pressed into service with the Royal Yugoslav Air Force in 1941 when Germany invaded and was subsequently captured by them in April 1941.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caudron_C.440_Goéland

2. http://www.samolotypolskie.pl/samoloty/638/126/Caudron-C-445-Goeland (translated)

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroput

4. http://equinoxe.dk/SCWaircraft/did.html

5. http://incidentessgm.blogspot.com/2013/11/caudron-c-445.html (translated)

6. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_YU-.html

7. http://www.airhistory.org.uk/gy/reg_EC-.html

Caproni Ca.310, foreign users, part two

 

The Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio, was an Italian twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft used during the World War II. It was mainly employed by Italy, but it also had many other foreign users, among them, those in the previous post, and the following ones:

• United Kingdom: The United Kingdom was going to be the most important foreign customer for the Ca.310, as the Royal Air Force (RAF) was undergoing major expansion programme after the Munich crisis in 1938. An element of that programme included enlarging the RAF's bomber force, which required an effective crew trainer aircraft. The RAF's high command decided that the Ca.310 could fit that role in late 1938 (albeit with some minor modifications, like for instance, replacing the 12,7 Breda-SAFAT defensive machine-gun with a British Vickers K gun). Negotiations continued well after the beginning of the World War II, when Italy was still neutral. The order wasn't cancelled even after 3rd September, when France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. However, Germany issued a formal protest to Italian government and, Caproni, which apparently was sympathetic to the Allied cause, tried to sell the aircraft through their Portuguese subsidiary. In December 1939 the British government, informed Caproni that they were going to buy 200 examples of the Ca.310 plus 300 of the Ca.313. Eventually, the order was changed to replace the Ca.310 with Ca.311, which was better. When Italy entered the War on 10th June 1940, all plans were scrapped.
• Peru: The Peruvian Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Perú (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps) bought 16 Ca.310s in 1938. Fifteen of them were shipped in May and the last one was ferried from Italy to Peru. The flight took place on 2nd August 1939, but the aircraft crashed on his way killing its pilot, Captain Pedro Canga Rodriguez. The Peruvian Ca.310s were employed during the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War of July 1941 as part of various bombing squadrons. They often flew bombing missions against Ecuadorian cities, escorted by the North American NA-50 "Torito" (Spanish for 'Little Bull') fighters. After that war ended, they were used as trainers.
• Nationalist Spain: It was during the Spanish Civil War that the Ca.310 was used in combat for the first time. A total of 16 Ca.310 were employed by the Aviación Nacional (Spanish Nationalist Air Force during the civil war) from July 1938 until the end of the conflict. They were assigned to Grupo 18 (Group 18) and were used in the reconnaissance-bomber role, and saw little action, mainly in the Catalonian front.
• Yugoslavia: This country was the first foreign customer of the type when, in 1938, they bought 12 Ca.310. While every other country bought the Ca.310 as a light bombers, Yugoslavia bought them as bomber trainers, as the Royal Yugoslav Air Force was undergoing a modernization process with more modern bombers such as the Bristol Blenheim, the Dornier Do.17k and the Savoia-Marchetti Sm.79, so they needed a multi-engined crew-trainer aircraft with retractable landing gear. 
  Apparently Yugoslavia was the only foreign customer satisfied with the Ca.310's performance, so they ordered a second batch of 12 Ca.310bis machines in 1939, which was a developed variant with an unstepped glazed cockpit (it would eventually serve as the prototype for the Ca.311) which was delivered at the end of the year. After the country was invaded by Axis forces, the Ca.310 were divided between the Independent State of Croatia, Italy and Germany. 
  During the late stages of the war, Yugoslav partisans seem to have re-captured some ex-Croatian machines and sent them to serve with the Yugoslav Partisan Air Force and its subsequent postwar air force. As we couldn't find graphical info about the Ca.310 serving with the SFR Yugoslav Air Force, the drawing should be regarded as speculative.

Sources:

1. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235096763-caproni-ca310/

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.310

Junkers Ju.52/3m in Spain, part two

 

The Junkers Ju.52/3m was widely used during the Spanish Civil War by the Nationalist side and the subsequent Spanish State.

During the initial part of the conflict, a single Ju.52/3mg3e defected on 10th November 1936 to the Republican Side. This aircraft was piloted by Ananías San Juan Alonso, Sergeant of the Nationalist Grupo 22 de Bombardeo (Bombardment Group 22), who flew the Ju.52/3m from Escalona airfield, in Toledo, under Nationalist control to Alcalá de Henares airfield, in Madrid, under Republican control. This defection was made popular at the time by the Republican authorities and the captured Junkers was repainted to show loyalist colours. The fate of this machine is unknown, but was most probably destroyed on ground during a bombardment. San Juan was incorporated to Grupo 12, 1a Escuadrilla (Group 12, 1st Squadron) and flew Tupolev SB-2 bombers until the end of the conflict. After the war, he moved to Mexico where he lived until the end of his days in 1985.

The German Condor Legion, which served to the Nationalist side, had two Ju.52/3mW floatplanes. They were based at Pollença, close to the city of Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands and were used mainly in the transport and observation roles. One of them was destroyed in an accident during a vicious storm and the other one suffered an uncertain fate. Its known that one of them was involved in an aerial fight between two captured Republican Fiat Cr.32 when returning from a reconnaissance flight from Cadiz to Pollença.

After the Spanish Civil War, Iberia (the main Spanish Airline) was refounded in Madrid and in Autumn a new route with Lisbon was opened, served with Ju.52/3m. One year later, Iberia was granted by the Francoist authorities the monopoly of aerial transport of goods and persons inside Spanish lands for the next 20 years. Most of those routes were served by the Ju.52/3m which, although its exact number is unknown, it's estimated that around 75 machines (Iberia's official source places the number between 69 and 90) served with Iberia until 1960.

The Ju.52/3m was still under production after World War 2 in Spain, under the denomination of CASA C-352, but this aircraft will be the subject of its own post in the future.

Sources:

1. http://dbe.rah.es/biografias/95068/ananias-san-juan-alonso (translated)

2. https://www.sas1946.com/main/index.php?topic=23496.0

3. https://www.facebook.com/fotosiberia/posts/1584431005125652:0 (translated)

4. https://www.iberia.com/es/flota/aviones-historicos/Junkers_JU-52/ (translated)

5. http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2010/12/spanish-civil-war-ju-52-floatplane.html

Junker Ju.52/3m in Spain, part one

 

The Junkers Ju.52/3m was used for the first in a pure military use at the Spanish Civil War, against the Second Spanish Republic. It was one of the first aircraft used by the nationalist faction when, on as early as 20th July 1936 (the conflict started two days earlier, on 18th July) a Lufthansa airplane covering the regular route Bathurst (nowadays Banjul, in Gambia)- Villa Cisneros (Spanish Sahara)- Las Palmas (Canary Islands) registered as D-APOK and named Max von Müller was requisitioned at Gando airfield, in the Canary Islands. It was used to transport to Germany the committee which bought military help for the nationalists. Eight days later, the first out of twenty requested Ju.52/3m arrived together with six additional Heinkel He.51 fighters.

Among the first missions of the type, stands out the first massive airlift in history when around 14.000 troops and 500 tons of material were transported from airfields in Spanish Morocco to Southern Spain in the initial four months of the conflict.

In November 1936 the Ju.52/3m was assigned to the three Staffeln of the Kampfgruppe 88, the bombing unit of the Condor Legion, where it gained a formidable reputation both as bomber and transport. In the bomber role it took part in the infamous Bombing of Guernica, Madrid and other towns and cities in the Spanish Mediterranean coast. By late 1937 the type was considered obsolete as a bomber and, thanks to the effective Polikarpov I-16 of the FARE (Fuerzas Aéreas Repúblicanas Españolas - Spanish Republican Air Force), it was relegated to the night bomber role, before being replaced in the day bomber role by more modern types such as the Heinkel He.111 or the Dornier Do.17. After being replaced, the Ju.52/3m passed on to nationalists units, which formed the Escuadra Nº1 (Squadron No.1) of the Spanish Aerial Brigade. A total of 63 Ju.52/3m (nicknamed as "Pedro" in that country) flew in Spain until the end of the conflict on 1st April 1939 with the final sortie in a bombing mission taking place on 26th March 1939 against the town of Belmez in the province of Córdoba. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_52#Military_use_1932–1945

2. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkers_Ju_52 (translated)

3. Signal Squadron - Aircraft In action 186 - Junkers Ju-52 in Action

Airspeed Envoy, part four

The Airspeed Envoy was a British light, twin-engined transport aircraft designed and built by Airspeed Ltd.
It was used during the Spanish Civil War by both sides as ten of them were acquired by the Republicans.
The first one, arrived to Barcelona in early August 1936 and was later used in the front of Aragon as a bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Two more arrived later in August but one was destroyed and the other one, piloted by Fernando Rein Loring (a famous pilot in Spain back then) defected to the nationalists becoming the personal aircraft of General Emilio Mola (one of the four main Generals in the nationalist side). It crashed later by flying into a mountain in June 1937 killing all its crew and passengers. Oddly enough, this aircraft had been the demonstrator for Airspeed.
In total, some sources claim that the total amount of Envoys that took part in the Spanish Civil War, was sixteen. However, that number seems too high.
Most of them (at least seven machines) were imported into Spain via the Air Pyrénneés. This airline was founded by the autonomous Basque Government in November 1936 which, after the occupation in September of the province of Gipuzkoa by the nationalist forces, the border with France was cut, so, in order to keep a link from Bilbao (the city headquarter of the Basque Republican forces in the north) with France, and considering that any communication was only possible via sea or by air, Air Pyréneés was founded and officially started operations in February 1937 covering the air-route Bilbao-Bayonne. One Envoy, registered as F-APPQ was shot down by nationalist aircraft over the Basque Country on 26th May 1937 injuring its pilot, Auguste Amestoy.
Once the Basque province of Biscay fell into the nationalists, most of the aircraft of the airline flew into Republican controlled territory like Valencia and with the French Air Ministry official protest (the airline's main office was in Bayonne, France), the company was dissolved in May 1938. All of their machines were pressed into service with LAPE (Líneas Aéreas Postales Españolas - Spanish Postal Airlines) and, like every other Envoy, were mainly used for VIP transport duties.
The machine registered as EC-AGE and another unidentified one survived the war and were taken over by the Spanish Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force), where they were re-registered with the code of "41-3" and "41-4" in late 1939. In 1945 they were re-coded as "L.11" and flew with the Spanish Air Force until well into 1947.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Envoy
2. https://www.lasegundaguerra.com/viewtopic.php?t=14768 (translated)
3. http://britishaviation-ptp.com/airspeed_as6.html
4. https://www.ab-ix.co.uk/pdfs/airspeed_prewar.pdf
5. https://aeropinakes.com/wordpress/1937/08/17/la-aerolinea-de-la-republica-de-euzkadi/ (translated)
6. https://ianasagasti.blogs.com/mi_blog/2019/11/air-pyrénées-la-aerolínea-de-euzkadi.html (translated)
7. http://bioold.science.ku.dk/drnash/model/spain/did.html
8. http://www.aviationcorner.net/gallery_en.asp?aircraft_type=Airspeed%20AS.6%20Envoy&aircraft_type_id=2306 (translated)

Messerschmitt Bf.108, part four

The Messerschmitt Bf.108 was a sport and touring aircraft that was widely used all around the world. The countries covered in this post are:

• France: The French Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) operated a number of captured Bf.108s during the late stages of the World War 2 just before the liberation. After the War it was built by SNCAN (commonly known as 'Nord') and was used also by both the Armée de l'Air and the Aéronavale (French Naval Aviation). 
• Italy: The Italian forces stationed in Albania captured at least one ex-Yugoslavian Bf.108 in 1941 which was assigned to the Reparto Volo Commando (Flight Command Department) of the Aeronautica Albania (Albania Air Force Command). Later it was assigned to the Gruppo Autonomo di Volo (Autonomous Flight Squadron) of the 3ª Squadra Aerea based in Rome where it served at least until 31st July 1943. It's fate is unknown.
• Switzerland: In 1936 the Swiss Air Force bought some Bf.108s which were used in communications flights until the late 1940s. 
• Nationalist Spain: During the Spanish Civil War the Condor Legion employed some Bf.108 in liaison and VIP transport duties. It seems that just four Bf.108 operated with the Condor Legion during the war. In 1939, after the war ended, they were inherited by the newly re-funded Ejercito del Aire (Air Force) and got another additional three machines.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_108

2. https://www.valka.cz/Nord-1001-Pingouin-I-t85450

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nord_Pingouin

4. http://www.warbirdalley.com/bf108.htm

5. Wydawnictwo Militaria 149 - Messerschmitt Bf-108 Taifun

6. https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=347

Breda Ba.64

The Breda Ba.64 was an Italian single-engined ground attack aircraft used by the Regia Aeronautica during the 1930s. It was designed by Antonio Parano and Giuseppe Panzeri and served in just two units from 1936 together with the Caproni A.P.1. It was written off from frontline duties in 1939 and replaced by the more powerful and advanced Breda Ba.65.
Developed from the previous Breda Ba.27 fighter, the Ba.64 was designed in 1933 to a requirement of the Regia Aeronautica for a multi-role aircraft capable of undertaking various roles like fighter, bomber and reconnaissance. It featured an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane with a wire braced tail unit and fixed tail wheel. The open cockpit was placed well forward of the fuselage in line with the wing roots to provide an excellent field of view down as well as forward. The headrest behind the cockpit was extended as a streamlined fairing all the way down the fuselage upper decking to the tail.
Two prototypes were built, serialed MM 249 and MM 250. The first one, MM 249 was a two-seater with a fixed landing gear while the second one, MM 250 was a single-seater with a semi-retractable landing gear housed in a cowling under the wings. Contrary to what wikipedia in English claims, both prototypes were powered by a single Alfa Romeo 125 RC.35 radial engine which yielded 650hp of power. It was the engine that would also power the production variants. It was armed with two Breda-SAFAT 12,7mm (0,5in) machine guns placed in the wing roots plus two additional Breda-SAFAT 7,7mm (0,3in) placed also in the wings and another defensive Breda-SAFAT 7,7mm in the observer's position firing backwards. It could also carry up to 144kg (317.5 pounds) of bombs under the wings and 400kg in the small bomb compartment located between the pilot and the observer.
It flew for the first time in 1934 and it was barely produced for one year as it was manufactured from 1935 until April 1936. Only 44 exemplars were made, all of them by Breda at their factory in Sesto San Giovanni, close to Milan.
Production aircraft were sent to serve with 5º and 50º Stormos, but pilots considered the aircraft to be ill-equipped to perform missions both as a fighter or as a bomber. It also suffered various flaws because it was underpowered, was heavy to control and had a tendency to enter high-speed stalls that led to a number of crashes. After seeing some limited-use in frontline duties, the Ba.64s were relegated to second-line duties in 1939 in the Regia Aeronautica, with some of them serving until 1943 as trainers with a modified cockpit.
Apparently, two Ba.64s were exported to the USSR in 1938 for evaluation purposes and a single machine served with the Aviazione Legionaria, the Italian volunteer air force in the nationalist side of the Spanish Civil War.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breda_Ba.64
2. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breda_Ba.64 (translated)
3. https://www.valka.cz/Breda-Ba-64-t1310
4. La Bancarella Aeronautica - Ali d'Italia 7 - Breda Ba.65 (the Ba.64 is mentioned as the forerunner of the Ba.65)

Macchi M.41 & M.41bis

In 1927, the Regia Marina wanted to replace the M.7, that's why the M.41 was designed, based strongly on the previous M.26 of 1924. It was single-seat single-bay biplane made out of wood armed with two forward firing vickers 0.303 machine guns. It's skinning was made out of plywood and fabric and has equal span unstaggered wings.
It was powered by a 420hp Fiat A.20 engine set in a pusher configuration mounted on struts above the hull and below the main upper wing, just like the previous M.26.
It had an oblique radiator and it enjoyed of some very aerodynamically clean lines considering the type of airplane.
It competed against the SIAI S.58bis back in 1927 for the contest but Macchi didn't receive any production order, so they built only the very first prototype. Initially, the winner of the contest was the SIAI S.58bis and 97 production orders were placed, however in the last minute the Regia Marina broke the contract and decided to re-engine the aging M.7ter.
As the Regia Marina organized another contest in 1929 for another M.7ter replacement, Macchi redesigned the M.41 and named it M.41bis, which was basically a regular M.41 but with a vertical radiator. As it outperformed the SIAI S.58bis Macchi was finally granted with a production contract of 41 airplanes.
All the M.41bis entered into service in 1930 serving in the 88ª Gruppo Autonomo Caccia Maritima (88th Floatplane Fighter Autonomous Squadron) where they served until 1938 when they were replaced by the IMAM Ro.44.
Some of them were sent to Spain during the opening stages of the Spanish Civil War where they served from September 1936 until January 1937 at the base of Pollensa, in Palma de Mallorca, located in the Balearic Islands. They were assigned in the Escuadrilla Nº130 (Flight number 130) which was on charge of defending the port of Palma de Mallorca against possible Republican air raids. However, as the Republican didn't raid the port, they weren't used in combat.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macchi_M.41
2. http://fotosantiguasdemallorca.blogspot.com.es/2011/07/la-base-de-hidroaviones-de-pollensa-y.html (translated)
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of FIghters

Arado Ar.95 - Foreign users

We go back to Arado's airplanes with this beautiful floatplane, this time we're centering on it's foreign users.

Even if it wasn't ordered neither by the German Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine, Arado offered it for export sales in two versions, the W with floaters and the L version with a fixed spatted undercarriage.
In order to test them, six of them were sent to serve with the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War which were given over to the Spanish Air Force when the Spanish Civil War ended in April 1939. They remained in active service until 1950.
Chile bought six of them, three of the W version (AKA the "A" version) and other three of the L version (AKA the "B" version) which were delivered in the summer of 1939, just before the outbreak of the World War II.
Apparently, it also served with Finland during the early stages of the continuation war, but it's however unconfirmed and it was most probably replaced by the much better Arado Ar.196.
Turkey also ordered then at the same time as Chile, but they never were delivered as the war started and the Luftwaffe requisitioned them, however it never hurts to imagine them in hypothetical colours doesn't it?

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_95
2. http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/ar95.html

Arado Ar.68E - Spanish users

Good morning, today we deal with the brief intervention of this biplane during the Spanish civil war.

The Arado Ar.68E arrived in Spain as an experimental night fighter. Just another war-experiment conducted by the Luftwaffe during that war. Those experiments consisted in adding searchlights to some fighters in order to achieve better night vision and were conducted both in Spain and Germany.

As it was intended to be just an experiment, only three Ar.68E were sent to Spain, where they served in the Condor Legion and were based at La Sénia airfield, in southern Catalonia where they intended to be used as twilight provisional night fighters. They were coded 9-1, 9-2 and 9-3 and apart from being used as night fighters, they also performed some ground attack missions during the Battle of the Ebro in 1938 and the nationalist conquest of Catalonia during January-February 1939. After the war ended, they were handed over to the nationalists air force, and one of them became the personal airplane of Cpt. Javier Murcia Rubio who later would be the commanding captain of the 5th Blue Squadron, inside the 15. Spanische Staffel dependant of the Jg.27.

Two of those Ar.68 were still flying in 1945 when their serial code was changed to C-11 and we believe that their roundels were changed too, from a complete black circle to the French style roundel featuring the Spanish colours, that were also present in the pre-Republican airplanes.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arado_Ar_68
2. Salamander Book - The Complete Book of fighters
3. http://histaviation.com/ar_68_in_spain.html