[Alex Smart]

hello Veltro,

A welcome responce.

Have seen the photos before.

There is one though that is not shown. It too is said to be a captured P38 but has different camoflage demarcation lines.

What of the 1st Fighter Group (P38's) Pilot who reported that he was shot down by a captured German P38 ( North Africa I beleive) on the 30th May 1943.

This was before the 12th June 1943 Sardinia landing Pilot and a/c serial number still undetermined as yet.

If both the Germans in N. Africa and also the Italians had captured P38's then it would fit the Rossi story of been shot down into the sea in one ( no date given for that event), this would also fit the Lerch report that he had no chance to fly the captured P38 due to it crashing before he had a chance to fly in it. While the other ended up at Rechlin as T9+XB for the 19th September 1943 Air Show and met its end during the Allied bombing actions upon Guidonia on the 1st and 3rd of June 1944. So when and why was it flown back to Italy ?

Martin Monti's stolen F5E serial 44-23725 an almost brand new a/c was flown into captivity by him on the 13th October 1944 and became T9+MK she was recaptured at Schwangau, Germany in May of 1945. She only had yellow undersides added after capture no other camoflage.

All for now

Great art work

Alex