Italian ANR losses

[veltro]

The data of the Modelaid work is at least imprecise.

On 2 April 1944, 31 C.205s of 1° Gruppo were involved in an operation in Klagenfurt area. One B-17 was claimed by Ten. Robetto at 10.10 hrs. and one P-38 by M.llo Benati but the only confirmed claim (by the Germans) was the B-17, reportedly shot down in square Pl.Qu. KK. During the combat two C.205s collided, killing Ten. Emilio Marchi, while the second pilot managed to bale out.

According to some sources, the pilot bailing out was S.M. Aroldo Burei, but the documents of the Italian unit stated that Burei was wounded on the combat of 6 April, so its identity cannot be confirmed.

This accounts to two C.205s lost, as confirmed by the "Flugzeugmaterial-Verluste" listing of the Germans for that day.

On 6 April 1944, 33 C.205s were operating in Karlovac area (Croatia) intercepting USAAF formations of B-24s escorted by P-47s. In the ensuing combat one P-47 was claimed by Ten. Bruno Cartosio at 15.45 hrs. (confirmed by the Germans in square Pl.Qu.QL3-6/QM1). The Italians suffered two losses: S. Ten. Remo Lugari, shot down in Fiume area, and M.llo Luigi Morosi, MIA .A third C.205 was lost with the pilot baling out. According to some sources it was Serg. Luigi Gorrini, but the documents of the units report two more pilots wounded in the combat: M.llo Vittorio Pirchio and S.M. Aroldo Burei.

The two wounded does not necessarily imply any losses of aircraft, even more so considering that according to the "Flugzeugmaterial-Verluste" listing only the two C.205s of Lugari and Morosi are accounted for, as "1 Totalverlust" and "1 Vermißt".

At any rate, even considering the loss of the third C.205, the total amount of losses for the two combats is of five aircraft.

Of course, this does not take in consideration the number of aircraft eventually damaged which, so far, are not known.

Concerning the question wheter the Osprey booklet on the Italian aces dealt with ANR operations, I guess that two columns and a half of text cannot certainly be described as an account of any kind although it would be fair to add that this wasn't the aim of the work.

Hope this helps.