Reinforcement/Replacement Aircraft To Sicily/North Africa

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Reinforcement/Replacement Aircraft To Sicily/North Africa

Post by Indianapolis » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:47 pm

Greetings!

I am looking for references that might list the numbers of aircraft sent to the Sicily/North African Theatre as reinforcements/replacements. I have found sources that list units sent/leaving the theatre, Orders of Battle at various periods showing units and strengths, and losses. However, I am finding very few sources that actually list the number and types of aircraft sent as replacements, etc. Would anyone have any sources they could refer me to?

Thanks in advance!

Indianapolis

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Post by Editor » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:24 am

I'm not aware of a list of the number of aircraft sent to Sicily and North Africa as either reinforcements or replacements, however I can take a look around. The best person to speak to is Riccardo Trotta.

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Reinforcement/Replacement Aircraft To Sicily/North Africa

Post by Vincent Biondi » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:08 am

Hello Indianapolis,,
I'm not sure if I understand your question.
I have a couple of publications that list Wings, Groups, Squadrons, type of aircraft and quanties that were sent to Sicily and North Africa in August 1942.
Is that what you mean?
Vincent.

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Post by Indianapolis » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:54 pm

Vincent,

That is close to what I am looking for. If you are familiar with Michael Holm's website on the Luftwaffe www.ww2.dk you can do a search for each gruppe. At the bottom of each page is a link "flugzeugbestand und bewegungsmeldingen" to take you to another page that shows a chart showing the number of aircraft delivered to the unit for a given month and their source-new/repaired/from other unit.

Regarding the Allies, Playfair in the series of volumes on the ME and Med (HMSO) listed charts for the total number of Allied reinforcement and replacement aircraft sent to the theatre by month for each type. (By having a record of unit deployments you can then estimate the numbers of these that were actual replacements.

While I have found info on the German and Allied air forces I have found nothing comparable for the Italians. From many different sources I have been able to piece together a decent record of deployments of units (squadrons, groups, wings)/number of aircraft sent to say Sicily or North Africa, and info on losses but nothing showing anything regarding replacement aircraft. I am wondering if this info exists somewhere? Any info on leads will be appreciated!

Thanks

Indianapolis

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Post by Vincent Biondi » Tue Jul 31, 2007 6:36 pm

Well,
Her goes.
As of August 1st 1942, this was the aircraft strength in Sicily:

(STORMI) (GRUPPO) (SQD.) (A/C) (PLACE) (# of A/C)

(7 STO) (4th) (14, 15) SM 84 Sciacca 15
(7 STO) (25th) ( 8, 9) SM 84 Castelvetrano 7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(9 STO) (29th) 62, 63 CZ 1007 Sciacca 8
(9 STO) (33th) 59, 60 CZ 1007 Sciacca 9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(10 STO) (30th) 55, 56 SM 79 Sciacca 10
(10 STO) (32nd) 57, 58 SM 79 Boccadifalco 9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(51 STO) (20th) 151, 352, 353 MC 202 Gela 6
(51 STO) (155th) 351, 360, 378 MC 202 Gela 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(43 STO) (88th) 264, 265 CZ 1007 Castelvetrano 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5 STO) (102nd) 209, 239 JU 87 Gela 15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- (2 Aut.) 150, 152, 358 RE 2001 Caltagirone 10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- (377 Aut. Photo Reconn)

-------------- Re 2000 Sciacca 6
-------------- CR 25 Sciacca 3
--------------CR 42 Sciacca 8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


As of August 1st 1942, this was the aircrfat strength in North Africa:

(35 STO) (86, 95) 190, 191, 230, 231 CZ 1007 Barce 15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2 STO) (13) 77, 78, 82 MC 200 Bu Amud 19
(2 STO) (150) 363, 364, 365 MC 200 Bengasi-K3 18
(2 STO) (131) 279, 284 SM 79 Derna 8
(2 STO) (133) 174, 175 SM 79 Bengasi-K3 8
(2 STO) (12) 159, 160, 165 G 50 Castelbenito 18
(2 STO) (160) 375, 393, 394, Cr 42 Sorman 20
(2 STO) (145) 604, 610 CA 309 Tripoli 14
(2 STO) (8) 92, 93, 94 MC 200 Abu Haggag 17
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3 STO) (18) 83, 85, 95 MC 200 Abu Haggag 22
(3 STO) (23) 70, 74, 75 MC 202 Abu Haggag 20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4 STO) (9) 73, 86, 97 MC 202 Fuka Sud 20
(4 STO) (10) 84, 90, 91 MC 202 Fuka Sud 19
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(50 STO) (158) 236, 387, 388 CR 42 Abar Nimeir 11
(50 STO) (159) 389, 390, 391 CR 42 Abar Nimeir 11
(50 STO) (101) 208, 238 CR 42 Derna 22
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------(66 Aut.) 87, 131 CA 311 Zuara 12
--------------(68 Aut.) 24, 33 CA 311 Zuara 5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGIA MARINA (Royal Italian Navy)
Reconn, Search and Rescue Floats.

---------------145 CZ 501 Pisida 6
CZ 506 Pisida 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------148 CZ 501 Menelao 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------196 CZ 501 Bengasi 5
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps you,
Vincent.

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Post by Indianapolis » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:11 pm

Vincent,

Great info! I will take any info like that anytime I can get it! Could you please tell me your source?

Many Thanks!

Indianapolis

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Post by Vincent Biondi » Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:49 pm

Hi Indianapolis,
I have a set of books written about 20 years ago by A. Emiliani, G. Ghergo and A. Vigna, entitiled:
REGIA AERONAUTICA, "I Fronti Africani" (The African Fronts)
REGIA AERONAUTICA, "Il Settore Mediterraneo" (The Mediterranean Sector)
They are very helpful with dates, pictures etc.
Vincent.

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Post by Indianapolis » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:51 pm

Thanks Vincent!

I envy you! I have seen those cited as references but I have never had the pleasure of reading those. This really helps me in two ways, first you gave me an Order of Battle for a period I didnt have before, second I now know the specific info I am looking for is not in those particular volumes, they had been among my best suspects.

If you wouldnt mind could you please tell me if there is any other Order of Battle info? I am just interested in the date the OB is given, not the whole list. I am curious if they show any other OoB's for other dates I dont already have. I might try getting them by interlibrary loan, photocopy them and worry about translating them later.

Thanks Again!

Indianapolis

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Post by Vincent Biondi » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:54 pm

Unfortunately,
These are the only Battle of Orders in the books.
Sorry, I don't have any other info to give you.
Vincent.

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Post by Indianapolis » Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:32 pm

Vincent,

Hey I appreciate what info you gave me! I was thinking those books you had would have had more OB info in them. Now that I have found someone that actually owns them it really helps me knowing what they have/don't have. As I said I have seen those books cited as references in other works I have read. So by process if elimination I can narrow down where to find what I am looking for. Thanks again, you gave me some valuable info I didnt have before!

Indianapolis

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