STORMO! Italeri 1/32 Macchi C.202 Serie III by Luca Bossi

Italeri 1/32 Macchi C.202 Serie III
Folgore (Thunderbolt)
by Luca Bossi

Italeri 1/32 Macchi C.202

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One of the best fighters of World War II, this classic fighter possessed a great rate of climb, high speed and maneuvreability and was a first-rate aircraft on all counts. The Macchi C.202 was the contemporary of the Bf.109F and the Spitfire Mk.V and in certain aspects the aircraft was superior to both, such as in the rate of climb, dive speed and agility. Both the Macchi and the Sptifire shared a common lineage in the Schneider Trophy racers. In fact the Supermarine (Spitfire) designs were largely influenced by the . The C.202 was used extensively in North Africa, the Soviet Union and in defense of the homeland and was Italy’s best fighter of WWII, although more powerful fighters had been produced later in the war. Over 1,150 C.202s were built in little over two years. Although often overlooked, the two Breda 0.50in caliber SAFATs provided adequate firepower and had double the range of contemporary English fighter 0.303 MGs as well as greater hitting power. In fact no formal request for heavier armament was made until the appearance of the American four-engine heavy bombers. The Folgore was well liked by its pilots and its only shortcoming was that too few were built.

The Malta Offensive
The first occurences of the "202" in the skies of Malta lasted from September 24 to November 24, 1941. The most important engagements, however, occurred in April 1942, when 4o Stormo, now entirely equipped with the C.202, began a cycle of operations against the island from Gela (Sicily) airbase; on escorting flights of Axis bombers were the order of the day, as were clashes with Royal Air Force fighters, which now employed the Spitfire. It was during this period that one of Italy's greatest fighter aces, Sergente Maggiore Teresio Martinoli flying the Macchi fighter for the first time, with numerous kills already, and who would end his flying career in June 1944 with 22 individual + 8 shared victories. Returning from North Africa in January 1942, 155a Sq was now present at Ciampino Sud no longer autonomous but part of the 20o Gr., 51o Stormo re-equipped with C.202s. After redeploying to Sicily, intense activity over Malta resumed in the months of May and June escorting bombers. On July 27, 1942 squadron commander, Furio Niclot, a former test pilot for Breda and world record holder, was shot down and killed in a C.202 51o Stormo. The German decision to continue the advance towards Alexandria, Egypt significantly reduced the offensive on the island, and the planned landing on the island C3, most certain of success, was now abandonded. By June 30 about sixty C.202s were available for deployment against the island, a new group destined to operate against the island had to be urgently dispatched to Africa. The last offensive against Malta (October 1942) involved 74 Macchi C.202s from three groups: the 129 British fighters detected by photographic reconnaissance over the island's airfields were reduced to 80 but were soon replaced by Spitfires launched from the British aircraft carrier Furious. The Regia Aeronautica and the Luftwaffe no longer committed themselves and abandoned the attacks, even though the air defense of the island had cost the Royal Air Force as many as 844 fighter aircraft. [1]

Some Italian Aces that scored against the Supermarine Spitfire over Malta [2, 3, 4]:

Fuio Doglio Nicolot
Ennio Tarantola
Teresio Martinoli
Franco Lucchini
Duilio Fanali
Feruccio Serafini
Jacopo Frigerio
Carlo Miani
Adriano Visconti

References:

During a raid on Malta on 27 July 1942 by nine Luftwaffe Junkers Ju.88s, Macchi C.202 11-378 MM.7842, 378a Squadriglia, 155o Gruppo that formed part of the fighter escort became the first of four victories that day by Canadian Ace Sergeant George ‘Screwball’ Beurling of 249 Squadron. The Italian pilot Sergente Maggiore Falerio Gelli managed to force-land on the island of Gozo (nearby Malta) with minor bruises. Gelli had previously claimed three Spitfires shot down over Malta. CMPR D1 camouflage scheme. Nocciola Chiaro 4 mottles over Verde Oliva Scuro 2. Undersides GAC1.

Gozo Island located just NW of Malta. The terrain on which C.202 11-378 landed. Note the location of the stony ridge and small white building in the top-left corner in both photos.

360a, 378a Squadriglie, 155o Gruppo (51o Stormo)
This unit was originally formed in 1939 and by September 1940 was receiving sand filters for its G.50s in readiness for desert operations. 360a Sq left for 22o Gruppo by October, but rejoined this Gruppo in March 1941. 351a Sq transferred from 20o Gruppo in April and the unit left for Libya in the new year.

The poor supply system and difficult terrain caused many damaged G.50s to be abandoned during the retreat in 1941. Even with sand filters the unit was worn down by the fine dust. Soon after arriving it was escorting Italian and German Ju.87s in the first joint Axis attacks. By April it was busy joining Bf.110s and Bf.109s escorting Ju.87s over Tobruk maintaining these escorts through the year. Other known units involved in the attacks were 96o Gruppo, 18o Gruppo, III./ZG 26, II./StG 1 and III./StG 1. On the night 21 November the Gruppo lost several aircraft to a bombing raid. Serviceability was now low so it returned to Italy in the new year.

At this time the unit rejoined 51o Stormo which had been disbanded from Sept 1940 to 1 January 1942. Receiving the C.202 in March, the unit was then ordered to Sicily for operations over Malta. It claimed a Spitfire on 2 June in its first operation over the island. On 14 June the unit moved to Chinisia to escort torpedo-bombers during the attacks on the Malta-bound Harpoon convoy. It returned to Gela when the convoy had gone. Following the Allied invasion of North Africa, the unit took twenty-one fighters to Tunisia to help defend the Axis forces.

By December 1942 the unit was back in Italy receiving more C.202s. During March 1943 twenty-eight C.202s made eight scrambles in the defence of Rome. Training continued, meanwhile, from Ciampino, Capua and Capodichino for the next few weeks. The new fighters including the more modern C.205V began beign received.

By May the unit was in Sardinia, with twelve C.205Vs and over twenty C.202s escorting and intercepting around the Tunisian coastline as well as local defence. 351a Sq and 360a Sq were rushed to Sicily to help fight the invasion, but were back in Sardinia after three weeks of heavy action.

On 11 August 360a Sq used a captured P-38G (in Italian markings), sent from Guidonia and downed a B-24. The Italian fuel corroded the fuel tanks and the a/c apparently became unserviceble, indicating possibly the presence of moisture in the fuel and the rather low-quality materials or impurties and contaminants present in the metal used to manufacture the P-38 fuel tanks (a good defense against possible capture!). On the 12th, fresh aircraft were passed-over by 20o Gruppo to replace the recent losses in Sicily. Some success was achieved against USAAF fighters in August, mainly P-40s. 378a Sq was detached to Milis from 21 August. The unit had four C.202s and eight C.205Vs still operational on 7 September, at Casa Zeppera. [5]

Source:

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Construction

This is III^ Serie. This is a Macchi C.202 MM.7848 flown by Sergente Maggiore Faliero Gelli of 378^ Squadriglia 155°Gruppo, Gela (Sicily) and shot down by Flt Sergent George Beurling on July 27 1942 consequently in a belly-crash landing on Gozo Island probably near Ta Drabani location, wounded and safe but a POW.

I built this kit quite completely by the box maintaining aileron, rudder and tail plane. Spinner and propellers blades by Quickboost.

Colours and Markings:
Standard Verde Oliva Scuro 2 (self made) whith light brown spots (Gunze H310 TAN 30219). Under Surface Grigio Azzurro Chiaro (Tamiya XF19 + 10% XF23). Decals: fuselage Tauro Model TM32\545, wings Italeri box decals.

References:
Ali D'Italia n.2 - Macchi.C.202 La Bancarella Aeronautica.
Squadron Signal In Action N.41– Macchi C.202 Veltro.
Aero Details n.15.
Ali e Colori n. 5 - Macchi C.202 e 205 from 43 to 48.- - La Bancarella Aeronautica.
Combat Aircraft n.145.
STRATUS Mushroom series n.8102.

And dozens of photos taken 30 years ago by my brother of the Macchi C.202 kept at the historical museum of the Italian Air Force at Vigna di Valle.

Technical Data

Aircraft: Macchi MC.202
Manufacturer: Aeronautica Macchi S.p.A.
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Engine: Daimler Benz DB 601A-1, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled, 1,175hp
Wingspan: 34 ft 8 1/2 in (10.57m)
Length: 29 ft 1 in (8.85 m)
Height: 9 ft 11 1/2 in (3.02 m)
Weight: 6,480 lb (2,937 kg) (Loaded)
Maximum Speed: 372 mph (600 km/h) at 18,050 ft (5,500 m)
Ceiling: 37,700 ft (11,500 m)
Range: 475 miles (765 km)
Armament: 2 x 12.7 mm SAFATs (0.5 in)
Crew: 1

Additional Images

Macchi C.200 and C.202

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