Claims of Italian night fighters 1940-43?

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Does anybody know how many claims had the Italian night fighter pilots 1940-1943?

It seems to me, that about 30-50? And it's so much.

mw

[edwest]

Here is a thread that may help:


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=18452




Ed

[fabriziogttf]

Hello,
in the following list, some night kills by Italian fighters, from “La caccia notturna italiana 1940-1943” by G. Grande (“Storia Militare”, april 2006):
15/08/1940, Whitley V P4964, 10. Squadron RAF, damaged on Turin and crash-landed, by CR42 of an unidentified unit
16/08/1940, Whitley V N1497, 10. Squadron RAF, shot down on Turin, by CR42 of 150 Gruppo CT (pilot Graffer)
16/03/1941, Wellington R1837, 37. Squadron RAF, shot down on Tirana (Albania), by CR42 of 160 Gruppo CT (pilots Desideri and Pinna)
28/10/1941, Albacore, 828. Squadron FAA, shot down on C. Scaramia (Sicily), by CR42 of 171 Gruppo CN (pilots Desideri and Pinna)
28/10/1941, Wellington, 104. Squadron RAF, shot down on Naples by CR42 of 376^ Squadriglia Autonoma CT (pilots Parmeggiani and Calafiore)
5/12/1941, Wellington R1066, 40. Squadron RAF, shot down on Naples by CR42 of 21. Gruppo CT (pilot Patriarca)
23/10/1942, Lancaster I R5566, shot down by CR42 of 13. Gruppo CT (pilot Catania)
21/11/1942, Halifax DT571, 76. Squadron RAF, shot down on Turin by CR42 of 59. Gruppo CN (pilot Scagliarini)
17/07/1943, Lancaster III DV183, 207. Squadron RAF, shot down on Northern Italy, by Do217J1 of 60. Gruppo CN (pilot Ammannato)
17/07/1943, Lancaster III ED538, 467. Squadron RAF, damaged on Northern Italy, by Do217J1 of 60. Gruppo CN (pilot De Michelis), crash-landed at Blida (Algeria) and written-off
Please note that CT stands for Caccia Terrestre (Day Fighters) and CN stands for Caccia Notturna (night fighters): the only successfull night fighters up to 1943 were the old biplanes Fiat CR42 (other types used, apart from 12-14 Do217J and 3 Me110, were Caproni F5 and Reggiane 2001CN).

Hope this helps

Fabrizio

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Thanks for this information, :-)
mw

[AndreasB]

Originally Posted by fabriziogttf

Hello,
in the following list, some night kills by Italian fighters, from “La caccia notturna italiana 1940-1943” by G. Grande (“Storia Militare”, april 2006):
5/12/1941, Wellington R1066, 40. Squadron RAF, shot down on Naples by CR42 of 21. Gruppo CT (pilot Patriarca)

This was a/c 'K' of No. 40 Squadron, crew:

Pilot: P/O Hutt
2nd Pilot: P/O Miller
Navigator: P/O Pyle
Wireless Operator: Sgt. Poole
Front Gunner: Sgt. Arferault
Rear Gunner: Sgt. Abbott.

All the best

Andreas

[fabriziogttf]

I have to make a correction about the Albacore of 828. Sqn FAA, for which the pilot, who shot down it, is not known to me ("Desideri and Pinna", as indicated, is the consequence of a "cut & paste" operation...).
According to "Bombardate l'Italia" (by Gioannini and Massobrio, 2007), page 514, a Halifax was claimed by Ten. Balli (233^ Squadriglia/59. Gruppo CN) with a Re2001CN (i.e. the version with two 20 mm-Mauser in underwing pods) on the night on August, 17th, 1943.
Regards

Fabrizio

[AndreasB]

By the way, does anyone know what became of the crew of Wellington R1066?

All the best

Andreas

[Juha]

Originally Posted by AndreasB

By the way, does anyone know what became of the crew of Wellington R1066?

All the best

Andreas

Pilots F/O D F Hutt and P/O I E Miller survived as PoWs, others KiA. CR42 pilot given as Mar V Patriarcha Ottaviano.

Source: Gunby's & Temple's RAF Bomber Losses in the Middle East and Mediterranean.

[AndreasB]

Thanks!

All the best

Andreas

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Albacore of 828. Sqn FAA was claimed by CR.42 of 301a Sq. CN (171o Gruppo CN), second place of the victory was over Comiso. The commander of 301a Sq was capitano Carlo Miani and the commander of 171o Gruppo Autonomo Caccia Notturna (301a, 302a Squadriglia CN) was maggiore Giovanni Buffa. 302a Sq was never activated. Whole unit between 25 October 1941 and 18 December 1941 had claimed 4 probably victories and only one could be confirmed – this Albacore. There were only a few CR.42 CN (no more then 3) most were standard CR.42.


mw