Due to my PC problems, only now I've seen your excellent work. Really great! I hope you'll continue to build Italian aircraft. I expecially appreciate the correction of the windscreen: how did you made it? Vacu-form on a new master and plastic strips?
I think you'll appreciate some info on this aircraft and its duty. It was MM 23945 (MM is Matricola Militare – Military Serial), and came to 278ª Squadriglia, at time based at Berka (Lybia), on 6th May 1941, piloted by Ten. La Guercia. So, it was never flown by Ten. Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia, as he had left the Squadriglia since 23rd February. It was a brand new aircraft of Reggiane’s XV Serie (40 aircraft built by that factory between February and June 1941), and replaced 278-3 MM 23881, which was lost in the Lybian desert in the night between 21st and 22nd April 1941, with the death of Cap. Oscar Cimolini and all the crew. MM 23945 had its baptism of fire two days after its arrival, when four aircraft of 278ª Squadriglia attacked enemy ships during Royal Navy’s Operation Tiger. At the end of same month it was transferred to Pantelleria together with MM 23871 (Ten. Spezzaferri and Ten. La Guercia), while the other four aircraft went to Gerbini (Sicily). Until 23rd July they performed only escort and uneventful patrol missions, but that day four aircraft attacked a convoy during RN’s Operation Substance, where they claimed two cargo ships and a cruiser hit. The pilots from Pantelleria were Ten. Copello and Ten. Spezzaferri. The following day, Ten. Spezzaferri took off (possibly on this aircraft) from Pantelleria and claimed sunk a steamboat. On 27th July, 278-3 and MM 23871 were transferred to Gerbini, being replaced in Pantelleria by other two S 79s. On 2nd August, Ten. Silva released against a cruiser, with unknown results. Until 26th September, the Squadriglia performed only training missions with Regia Marina. The following day, they attacked with other torpedo-bomber Units the convoy of RN’s Operation Halberd (see
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_santoro.htm for a detailed description of this battle), where two S 79s of 278ª, led by Cap. Magagnoli and Ten. Silva, badly damaged the cargo Imperial Star, which was scuttled the following day. At the end of October, Comando Aeronautica ordered to over paint the yellow cowlings, either with camo pattern or a solid green, perhaps the new Verde Oliva Scuro 2 (FS 34052). However, available photos of this unit’s aircraft show that the lower third of center engine cowling and the lower half of lateral ones were left yellow, perhaps to help recognition by Axis ships. MM 23945 was still in use in March 1942. From May 1941 to that date the following pilots served in 278ª Squadriglia: Cap. Massimiliano Erasi, Cap. Dante Magagnoli, Cap. Ugo Rivoli, Ten. (then Cap.) Mario Spezzaferri, Ten. Guido Barani, Ten. Gaetano Bucceri, Ten. Carlo Copello, Ten. Emilio Iuzzolino, Ten. Mario La Guercia, Ten. Guido Robone, Ten. Giorgio Sacchetti, Ten. Lelio Silva, S.Ten. Gaetano Marletta, S.Ten. Mario Mazzocca, S.Ten. Vittorio Moretti, S.Ten. Carlo Pfister and S.Ten. Giovanni Scalia.
On April 1st the Squadriglia passed to 132° Gruppo Autonomo Aerosiluranti. Since 15 August 1940 it had performed 26 torpedo bombing mission, claiming four cargos and six cruisers sunk, and 23 ships hit.
Best Wishes
Stefano
