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Summer 1943. A Regianne Re 2005 of the 362nd Squadriglia, 22nd
Gruppo,completes a firing pass on a B-17F of the 301st Bomb Group
somewhere over the Italian countryside. Considered by many to be the
most beautiful of the three "Serie 5" fighters Italy produced around
the Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine, the "Sagittario, (Archer) was capable
of holding its own ground in combat with either the US Mustang or the
English Spitfire, the Re 2005 was a sleek and graceful design that
excelled in the hands of a competent pilot, and although its handling
was considered to be exquisite, it still mounted a hefty weapons
load. With a pair of Breda-Safat 12.7mm machine guns in the upper
cowling, one 20mm MG 151 cannon firing through the propellor hub, and
two more Mauser 151s in the wings, the Sagittario would have been a
serious threat to Allied fighters and bombers. However, because of
production difficulties compounded by aerial bombing of the Regianne
factories, only 30 or so of these fine aircraft were completed before
Italy capitulated in September of 1943. |
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