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Old 9th January 2005, 15:45
Mirek Wawrzynski Mirek Wawrzynski is offline
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Tribut to Italian units in East Africa in 1940-41

To Steefen
Thanks for the futher info about SAAF book, I will check this option.

To Mitch W.
I have to comments some info about 300 modern Regia Aeronautica planes in East Africa. If one think that Caproni Ca 133 or Savoia S.81 bomber could be counted as a modern comabt planes I can not agrree, Thses both planes had fought in war n Abisynia and in Spanish Civil war.

There were in fact only few modern military planes in RA inventoro on June 1940 (12 Savoia S.79 bombers in 44 Gruppo and 24 modern Fiat CR.42 fighters, the rest planes were outdated like 18 Fiat CR.32 from about 300 military planes.
.
On the beginning of this war RAF and SAAF had smaller amount of combat planes but parts of them were much more military, modern planes then Italina had.
Since 1941 this distance of planes values had been bigger (next supplaies from Britain) and RAF and SAAF had ovehelming superiority over Italina air force (like possesed more Hurricanes from RAF stocks supplied to SAAF units :1..2. 3. Sq SAAF).

Looking at the achivments of RA units their crews fought quite long, brave and had shown the stubborn resistance and had inflicted quite serious losses on SAAF and RAF units possesing rather obsolet and old planes (especialy since March 1941 - Aliied campaigne).
This is obvious if one compare the Fiat CR.32 and Fiat CR42 with the Furies (a few), Gloster Galdiator I II, Hurricane Mk I and Curtiss Mohawk IV on the Allied side.
Or Ca 133 and SM 81 (most of the bomber force) and with Blenheims, Battles or Wellesley bombers.
One should be very brave even mad to sit in Ca 133 cocpit having overhead in the wing a big fuel tank and making with this knowledge the comabts flights on enemy position. Not funy and nice perspecitve - the tank was not protecting.and not selfsealing and he was easly burning like a torch.

Three times even this old FIAT CR 32 shot down Hawker Hurricane - confirmed and more Bristol Belnheim or one Martin 167. The planes far superior in a speed then old FIAT CR.32 .

SAAF and RAF had overhelming superiority over RA units.

Regards,

Mirek Wawrzyński
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