[bearoutwest]

"The Man Called Brown Condor" (Thomas E. Simmons).
There are some great resolution photos of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force/Corps on the author's website:
http://thomasesimmons.net/the-man-called-brown-condor/

In this book, the question of arming the Potez 25s is covered by a descriptive conversation.
Mulu Asha, "...The Potez 25c came with machine guns but the army took them. ...." (Presumably after the 1930 rebellion against the Negus, which required airpower to surpress.)
Robinson, "....Their IMAM RO 37 is at least thirty miles an hour faster than a Potez 25. If we put a gun, ammunition, and gunner in the back cockpit, the extra weight will slow us down even more. .... We're messangers. That's our job. ...."

Unfortunately, this doesn't make it clear whether the reported conversation is about all Potez armament or only the gunner and flexible machine gun. Which means the fixed synchronised gun could have been retained?!?!?!



“Strike From The Sky” by Richard Hallion, records the Italian losses during the Abyssinian Campaign to total 16 aircraft:
- 3x Ca101, 2x Ca111, 2x Ca133, 2x SM81, 1x Cr20, 5x Ro1, 1x Ro37, with 78 crewmen killed and 148 wounded.
- 259 aircraft were reported hit by antiaircraft fire (small arms and 20mm Oerlikon cannon)
- During ground strafing in Mai Mescic valley after Battle of Amba Aradam, all SM-81s and Ca101s participating were hit by ground fire, one was lost.
- During the Battle of Lake Ascianghi, 25 aircraft were hit and one brought down.
- During the Battle of Birgot, 7 aircraft were hit, 2 pilots wounded and 2x Ro37 forced down behind own lines.
- No discussion of air-to-air engagements.

Regards,
...geoff