Captured crew of Italian plane 16.Nov.41 Ostfront

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello!

On 16.Nov.41 armored train No.2 shot down an Italian plane near Natalievka (Donbass). The crew (Ltn and Sgt) were captured. Is it possible to find out the type of the plane and the names of the crew?

Best regards,
Andrey

[James A Pratt III]

The Italian official histories are online at archive.org translated in English. I stumbled on to them at believe it or not combinedfleet.com

The RA volume has on 12 Nov 41 the 371 Sqn Ct for several days flying CAS for the 80th Infantry Regiment surrounded in Nititowka by the 174 RD of the RKKA. Nothing else from this period. from the rest of the 22 Gp or 61 Gp flying Ca 311s Could the plane be from another Air force? Like Hungarian, Rumanian,Slovak, German?

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

James, thank you very much!

I have now downloaded all 4 volumes in English from archive.org. Found also vol.1 in the original, but haven't found where these volumes are on combinedfleet.com yet.

Originally Posted by James A Pratt III

Could the plane be from another Air force?

Don't know yet. The document says they are Italians.

I was at TsAMO in July and asked in passing if the captured Italian documents are available? Alas, not yet at the moment. I don't even know what is there. But, I think, in the winter of 1942/43 during the defeat of the Italian 8th Army a lot of documents were captured.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Stig Jarlevik]

Gentlemen

Would it be possible for you to show a bit more exact where these docs are?
At least I am a man with two left hands when it comes to find anything on the internet.....

Cheers
Stig

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

At least I am a man with two left hands when it comes to find anything on the internet.....
Cheers
Stig

Not a problem for us left-handed people.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello Stig,

The Royal Italian Air Force In WW2 Vol.1-4:

https://archive.org/details/lra-1-th...8Ver%202.0%29/

https://archive.org/details/lra-2-th...in-ww-2-vol.-2

https://archive.org/details/lra-3-th...in-ww-2-vol.-3

https://archive.org/details/lra-4-chapt.-2-ver.-1

From war diary of 15.SD about the Italian crew (upper strings of page 41):

https://pamyat-naroda.ru/documents/v..._to=17.11.1941


Cheers,
Andrey

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

Not a problem for us left-handed people.

He,he Nick

Perhaps I should have said two left feet then....

Cheers
Stig

[Stig Jarlevik]

.....also thanks a lot Andrey!!

Much appreciated!

Cheers
Stig

[Gianandrea Bussi]

The aircraft lost on 16 november 1941 was a Ca.311 of the 119a Sq. Osservazione Aerea. The crew - ten. pil. Giuseppe Lepri, ten. oss. RE Fortunato Rosini and av. sc. mot. Savio Bonifacio - after being hit by the anti aircraft fire, parachuted and became POW: only Bonifacio survived, came back to Italy and soldiered on in the post war Aeronautica Militare.

Please note that the history of the Regia Aeronautica written by Nino Arena is unfortunately not reliable. Italian historians don't use it.

After researching the history of the R. Aeronautica on the East front for many year, collecting pictures, documents, flight books ect., I'm now writing the text. But the way is still long...

ciao

Gianandrea

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello Gianandrea,

thank you a lot, and especially for your evaluation of the official history of the Regia Aeronautica. What is the unreliability of these volumes? Is the basic information (OOB, etc.) also unreliable?

I wish you success in writing your book.

Best regards,
Andrey