Italian activity on 4 March 1943

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello, I have two question about the Italian air force activity around Tunisia on 4 March 1943.

1) The 82d Fighter Group listed Lt Harry S. Gasaway as missing in action following a pass by two "Italian Fiat G-50s" at a 97th Fighter Squadron formation flying over the sea NW of Rass Ben Sakka between 0845 and 0900 hours.
In "Fighters over Tunisia" (rather outdated now), Shroes link the above loss with a claim for a P-38 by Ltn. Alfred Hammer of II./JG 53, but the time of the claim is 1512 hrs, six hours later. Even given the time difference between US and German reports, this is too much.
So maybe this P-38 was shot down by an Italian fighter. Does someone know a corresponding Italian claim ?

2) Still according to "Fighters over Tunisia", an MC 200 flown by Serg. Lorenzo Balbo was seen to dive straight into the sea near Zembra Island for no apparent reason while flying from Tunis to Pantellaria. No units is given and I would like to know which unit this aircraft was belonging to. The serial number of the MC 200 would be a bonus.

Thanks in advance

[sparviero III]

Serg.pil. Lorenzo BALBO belonged to 384^ squadriglia C.T. ( 157° Gruppo Autonomo C.T.)

[Mark R.]

No Americans claimed an MC-200 or FW-190 or Fiat G-50bis on that date. I don't think Sergente Balbo was shot down by any USAAF planes. In addition to Shores mentioning some G-50bis approaching that formation of the 82 FG, the group mission report (No. 77 dated 1700 hours on 4 March 43) states "Top cover fighters were attacked by one BF-109 just after the bombing. One of our fighters was destroyed...." In addition, the US formation was attacked by "another Bf-109, painted black, [which] attacked from off the deck. Two Fiat G-50bis attacked out of the sun E of Rass Ben Sekka." The mission report also states "Lt Harry S. Gasaway, for reasons as yet unknown, at about 5,000 feet went straight into the sea about ten miles NW of Rass Ben Sekka, wing over wing." Seems like the Fiat G-50bis are the most likely candidates. As for times, the formation was over the target (vic Zembra Island) around 0845. They returned to Ain M'Lilla around 1035 hours

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

From the Italian records in NARA T821 (kindly provided by Mark):

"4 Mc 202 avvistavano presso Isola Zembra una formazione di 15 bimotori 'Boston' scortati da velivoli da caccia bicode. che stavano bombardando 5 motozattere; 2 Mc 202 intervenuti prontamente raggiungevano bombardieri presso Isola Plane e ne mitragiavano efficacemente due. 1 nostro Mc.200 per cause imprecisate e precipitato in mare."

So it would seem that there was no enemy involvement in the loss.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks a lot for these replies

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Andrew,
when you mentioned that there was no enemy involvement in the loss, which loss do you mean? That of Balbo or that of Gasaway ?
All the data mentioned in the thread were new to me and I found them most interesting, thanks to all.
Ludovico

[Andrew Arthy]

Dear Ludovico,

Sorry for the confusion. I meant the loss of Balbo, because the Italian report states: "unspecified reasons" as the cause of his loss (assuming my translation of the Italian is correct!).

Perhaps also relevant to the activities of this morning: at 04:06 on 4 March Castelvetrano airfield asked if Tunis and Gamart airfields were serviceable. The British Y-Service then noted the arrival at base X1W (probably in Tunisia) of an unknown number of Mc. 200s at 07:00. They had come from Castelvetrano. Two Mc. 200s flew from X1W back to Castelvetrano between 16:10 and 16:50.

Unfortunately it seems that the British didn't hear anything about the morning mission itself.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Ludovico Slongo]

Thank you Andrew,
it is a pity not having more details.
In fact it seems that the only way to get a better view of these encounters of 1943 from the Italian side, is to track one by one all the families of the veterans and collect the surviving documents of the individuals to rebuild the complete picture (as much as possible). Surely difficult and time consuming but sooner or later someone has to do it.

Ludovico