Italian ace Natalino Stabile

[Håkan]

Hello,

The Italian 10-victory ace, Natalino Stabile, who claimed 8 victories while serving with 88a Squadriglia, is credited with one claime during the Spanish Civil War (XXIII Gruppo) and one while serving with the ANR (3a Sq.). Is there anyone who knows when these two claims were made?

His other claims were made:
23/3/41 Hurricane
12/12/41 Hurricane
14/2/42 P-40
14/2/42 P-40
25/5/42 P-40
25/5/42 P-40
27/5/42 P-40
10/7/42 P-40

Best wishes/Håkan

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hej Håkan

Something is wrong here.
Checking Courage alone, sure enough, Natalino Stabile is listed under 8+1 (Spain not mentioned)
Checking Nino Arena's books about the ANR he states there was a pilot named Nicolino Stabile who claimed a B-24 (since the books are not very reader friendly for a non-italian speaking individual, I cannot locate any date)
Aerofan issue 69 also lists the man as Natalino Stabile and this time with 10 victories in total. Perhaps Arena got the name wrong?
Since he is not mentioned at all by Beale/D'Amico/Valentino in Air War over Italy 1944-45, it may suggest a score before June 1944, when the book makes it's beginning....

With regard to Spain, the Italian involvement is sadly lacking at least on my bookshelves, and I cannot help what so ever here....

Cheers
Stig

[Håkan]

Hej Stig,

Yes, something is strange here...
Ferdinando D'Amico has already kindly provided me with the date for the ANR claim (30/01/44) when he claimed a B-24 as you point out.
The strange thing is that his unit fought against P-47s of 325th FG that day.
D'Amico also has the name as Nicolino...

Best wishes/Håkan

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hej igen

Perhaps he used a nom-de-guerre or something
Thanks for the date update. If you ever find something thorough on Italy in Spain, please let me know.

In the meantime I have tried to "verify" Stabile's other eight victories, and while his first is mentioned by Shores in his Malta, the Hurricane years, I also believe it is possible to "see" his involvement in North Africa with his scoring on 12/12, 14/2, 25/5 and 27/5. See Shores Fighters over the Desert. There are even shoot downs which Shores were unable to link to any German claim at the time, but without knowing full Italian claim details any specific Stabile victories are hard to confirm.

However his claim on 10.7.42 is worse since by that time his unit was back on mainland Italy. Any idea?

Cheers
Stig

[Håkan]

Hej igen,

Thanks to the work of my friend and colleague, Ludovico Slongo, I have good verifications (both Commonwealth and Italian) on Stabile's claims. I'll add a page about him on my site tomorrow and start doing the additions in the coming days/weeks.


The 1o Stormo and 88a Squadriglia took part in combat on 10 July (in fact their last combat on this tour) and 88a Sq. returned to Italy a few days later.

Best wishes/Håkan