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Re: Claims of Italian night fighters 1940-43?
Ciao,
some additional claims:
Wellingtons of 148 Sqn. attacked Tripoli late afternoon of 7-8 December 1940 ( it was already dark, however).
T2838 R was heavily damaged and DBR after a crash-landing in Luqa, another Wellington (that of Sqn. Ldr. Foss) was heavily damaged and crash-landed at base. Apparently this plane was later recovered.
Two Italian CR 42 pilots claimed the Wellingtons: one was Serg. Vito Rinaldi and the other I'm presently not able to find out, but I have somewhere the name.
Rinaldi later went to 301 Squadriglia were he claimed a damaged (or probable) Blenheim the night of 7 December 1941.
Wellselys of 223 attacked the base of Gura (Eritrea) the night 15-16 December 1940. CR 42s damaged two of them. L2690V crash-landed on return to base and was DBR. It is highly likely that the victory was claimed by Ten. Mario Visintini.
The name of Patriarca was Vincent Joseph. He was a SCW veteran of American origins being born in New York in 1914. Ottaviano is possibly the place near Naples where the bomber fell.
There are more CR 42 night claims in North Africa that are matched by RAF losses, I'll add them later.
Ludovico
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