RE 2000 377 Sq

[James A Pratt III]

Did the RA's RE 2000 of the 377 Sq make any claims ect during the period 1941-43? From reading the books on Malta ect I know they flew a few night fighter-bomber ops against Malta and flew convoy CAP & ASW ops. Does anyone have any more info on this units operations? Also does anyone have any other info on the RE 2000's operational use by the RA? I know a few were tested as catapult launched fighters on Italian warships. Thanks in advance.

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear James,
the operations of 377 Sq. are covered in detail in the wonderful book on Reggiane Fighters written by Italian researcher Sergio Govi in 1983 and last printed in 1987 (today the book is available only as a pdf file from the editor). The book is written only in Italian language.
However from this study, it appeares that the Re 2000 pilots only claimed a victory and this was on June the 14th 1942 by fighters of 377 Squadriglia.
That day, two pilots, part of a section of three fighters that had been moved to the island of Pantelleria to cover the Italian ships of the "VII Divisione Navale" , met -during the fourth protecting cruise of the day- a plane identified as a "Bristol Blenheim" and claimed it shot down as shared.
Pilots were Capitano Luciano Marcolin (the Sq. CO since May) and Sergente Ugo Sgubbi. It was really the swan-song of this fighter because on August the 16th 1942 the Re 2000s were finally discarded to be used as training plane.
According to Govi, all in all, eighteen Re 2000 fighters were used by Regia Aeronautica from 1941 to August 1942.
Ciao

Ludovico