Macchi C.202 Folgore

When Italy entered the war (on the German side) in June 1940, its fighter aviation was in crisis. Powered by low-power radial engines (about 870 HP), the Fiat G-50, the Fiat Cr-42 biplane and the Macchi C.200 fighters turned out to be too slow in clashes with Allied fighters. The best of the three - the Macchi C.200 (its designer was engineer Mario Castoldi), with a speed of 490 km / h, was an equal opponent for the French MS-406, but it gave way to the English Hurricane and the French D-520 with speed and weapons. Overall, the shooting armament of Italian fighters - mostly 2 Breda SAFAT 12.7 mm machine guns - was their weakness until the end of 1942.

In line with the assumptions of the Ministry of Aviation in 1939, the Aeronautica Macchi plant decided to modernize the C.200 fighter, equipping it with a more powerful propulsion unit. As the new Italian engines had many serious faults, the choice fell on the German Daimler-Benz DB 601 A, which was licensed in early 1940. The prototype of this all-metal low wing, designated C.202 "Folgore" (lightning), was tested on 10.08.1940 r “and because the plane presented very good parameters (it was, for example, faster than the Bf-109E with the same engine, and the performance equaled the Spitfire V), mass production started shortly afterwards. During it, many modifications were introduced, such as additional armor or a tropical dust filter. A serious drawback was the weak ranged armament consisting of 2 12.7 mm SAFATs, later reinforced by 2 7.7 mm MGs - it was insufficient to fight the Allied bombers. This "weakness" was removed in the successor of the C.202 - the C.205 fighter - by replacing the wing MGs with 2 20mm cannons.

In July 1941, the first "Folgore" went to the Regia Aeronautica combat units. The first victory was achieved by the 9th Group 4 Stormo (regiment), based from September 1941 in Sicily - on September 30, Lieutenant I. Frigerio shot down Hurricane from 185 squadron RAF. The C.202 pilots achieved the greatest successes over Africa, mainly in fights with P-40s and Hurricanes, which (apart from armament) gave way to "Folgore".

Italy's top ace, Adriano Visconti, had 26 victories at C.200 and C.205 (although he only admitted to 10). The famous RA pilots included: Teresio Martinoli (22), Franco Lucchini (21 + 1 in Spain), Leonardo Ferrulli (20 + 1), Ugo Drago (17), and the most effective pilot in Africa Regia Aeronautica Franco Bordoni Bisleri (19).

The model in this issue shows the Macchi C.202 of the 88th Squadron of the 6th Group of the 1st Regiment, flown by Ensign GianLino Baschirotto. He was a veteran and ace of the civil war in Spain (he flew in the famous "Cucaracha" squadron, won 5 victories over republican planes). He did not win C.202 for a long time. His bad streak was interrupted at the turn of May and June 1942 - within two weeks he shot down 2 P-40s and 2 Hurricanes. In January 1943, he knocked down the Beaufighter. His last victory (Spitfire) was on April 20, 1943 near Pantellaria, piloting the C.205 "Veltro". He had numerous Italian and German Iron Cross 2nd class decorations. After the war, he was the founder of the first Italian aerobatic team. He achieved the rank of colonel. Vicenza's worries in 1986.