Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Caldwell
According to my data the 1º Gruppo Caccia of the ANR flew 2 missions, 34 Mc 205 sorties, against a 15th Air Force formation targeting Klagenfurt on 19 Mar 44. Does anyone have details (especially claims and losses) for the Italians on this date?
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Dear Don,
if you really refer to 19 March, I'm sorry to say that there was no flight and no combat of 1° Gruppo Caccia at all.
There was instead a big combat on the day before (18 March) with about 30+ C.205s involved in several missions both in Udine - Maniago area, whose airfields were attacked by mixed formations of P-47s of 325th FG and P-38s of 1st, 82nd and 14th FG (those attacks caused the loss of two C.205s on the ground and the damage of twelve more); also, on that day the Italian unit was involved in Pola-Casarsa area against B-24s escorted by P-47s.
The combats in Udine area brought to two P-38s claimed by S. Ten. Stella and M.llo Benati against one C.205 shot down with Serg.Magg. Gorrini baled out.
In the Pola-Casarsa mission the unit claimed instead four bombers by Ten. Robetto, M.llo Morosi (who apparently shared the claim with Maj. Steinhoff), Serg.Magg. Rodoz and Svanini, against the loss of a C.205 over Fiume with Serg. Magg. Zaccaria KIA
According to German victory attribution lists however, only the claim of M.llo Benati, taking place at 09.30 hrs 15 km S of Porto Baseleghe (VE) was confirmed for the Italians.
That's all I know. Hope it helps