Italian loss on 24 October 1940

[Laurent Rizzotti]

On 24 October 1940, Sottotenente Carlo Battaglia of 73a Squadriglia, 9o Gruppo CT, died in a crash during take-off from Berka airfield, near Benghazi. At the time of his death, Battaglia was credited with 2 shared biplane victories.

Source: http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_battaglia.htm

I would like to know in which aircraft (type, and serial will be bonus) crashed this pilot.

In 1940 the 9° Gruppo was equipped with Fiat CR.42 but received Mc200 at the end of the year. It is also possible that he was a passenger in another type of aircraft.

Thanks in advance

[Håkan]

Hello,

My friend Ludovico Slongo is having problems accessing the forum but sends this respond:

"Dear Laurent,
Battaglia, crashed on take off from Benghazi Berka airfield at 14.35 on the 24th of October 1940. Cause unknown but possibly some sort of technical failure. His plane was Fiat CR 42 M.M.5650.
9° Gruppo didn't receive any C200 in 1940. Some of the new Macchi fighters had been received by 4° Stormo (apparently only by the sister unit of 9° Gruppo that was 10° Gruppo) in summer 1939, but had been soon rejected and during autumn of the same year had been exchanged with CR 42s. At the beginning of 1940, no CR 42 was in charge of the Stormo.
The first C200 reached 9° Gruppo starting from 15 February 1941 when the unit was based in Gorizia refitting after the first north africa campaign.
ciao
Ludovico"


Best wishes/Håkan

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks a lot to both of you