[globetrotter]

Hi Tasos / Aviator,

Years ago I read statement from Military Archive that I mentioned. Everything is OK except places …
On April 17 1941 Caproni Ca310 Libecchio from 603.Training unit t/o from Niksic airfield in Montenegro via Greece most probably to Agrinion or Paramythia. Lost en route he finally landed in field south of Santa Karanti (Santa – Saint – Agios?). After ‘’briefing’’ with locals and orientation, Caproni took off again and after some time landed at island Corfu (Kérkira) on soft ground without damaging plane but critically low on fuel.
Caproni was abandoned and crew with pilot Milic Jokic joined group of Greeks with boat leaving the island to Kalamata. He was captured there by Germans on 29 April 1941.
There was another Caproni from same unit that landed on Corfu but broke undercarriage due to soft terrain. It seems that both machines were burned by locals prior to invasion of island.
There were a lot of missions over Greek soil during mid April 1941 performed by Royal Yugoslav Air Force. Some of them as part of ‘’Air bridge” operation, others in order to collect RYAF personnel escaped to Greece. There was lot of flying over Greek airfields as Paramythia, Agrinion, Ioanina, Menidi, Tatoi and Elevsis even over Florina. Final direction was over Crete via Egypt.
Types involved in action over Greece were: Dornier Do-17K, Savoia Marchetti SM.79, Bristol Blenheim Mk.1, Caproni Ca310, Lockheed Electra, Messerschmitt Bf-108 Taifun, Breguet 19 Cyclone, SIM XIV floatplane, Heinkel He-8 floatplane and of course Dornier Do-22 floatplanes.

Cheers
GT

PS Could anyone help with location of Santa Karanti?