The Messerschmitt Bf.109 in Sicily
When 4o Stormo relinquished its Bf 109s, two Gruppi Autonomi became the main Italian users of the type, 3o and 150o, based on the Sicilian airfields of San Pietro di Caltagirone (Catania) and Comiso (Ragusa) respectively. Their training period was made difficult by a lack of two-seater aircraft and spares, which the Germans refused to supply.

The 150o Gruppo made its debut on 25 April with a patrol sortie, while its first Bf 109 combat occurred on 28 May. On 31 May lieutenants Drago and Chiale (363a Squadriglia) claimed the first victories. On the morning of 9 June, Drago was flying 363-7 when he shot down a Spitfire flown by 1st Lt. McMann (308th FS/31st FG), who was rescued after spending hours in water. The Americans flew in force to find their downed companion clashing with 14 Macchi C.202s (151o Gruppo) and four Bf 109 (150o Gruppo), claiming four Macchis (which were actually just two) and Drago's Messerschmitt. Drago managed to return to Palermo on the last S.81 that flew out of Pantelleria.

3o Gruppo claimed its first and only victory on 13 June. This claim was made by Sergeant Major Cavagliano of the 153a Squadriglia who took off with Italian and German (JG 53) colleagues to intercept a B-24 force escorted by Spitfires from 126, 185, 229 and 249 Squadrons. His victim was probably Spitfire V ER811/T-J flown by Flight Sergeant BW Sheehan (249 Squadron).

Up to this date, the two Italian Bf 109 groups flew some 323 sorties, losing 13 aircraft but putting in claims for 23 victories. Further clashes came in the following days resulting in additional claims but unit effectiveness was greatly diminished by massive air strikes launched by the Allies in preparation for the invasion of Sicily. Italian losses, both on the ground and in the air, climbed at correspondingly high rates. By 9 July 1943, 3o and 150o Gruppi each fielded 21 Bf 109s, but only six 150o Gruppo machines were considered serviceable. At that date, Fliegerkorps II (Sud) fielded in Sicily 131 Bf 109, including 64 serviceable, operated by JG 53 and 77 from airfields at Catania, Comiso, Gerbini and Milo. Four days later the RAF's No. 3201 Servicing Commando Unit found at Comiso a total of 45 Bf 109, several C.202 and various other aircraft, occasionally in fair condition.

3o Gruppo flew its last operational sortie on 6 July, followed by the 150o Gruppo on 9 July. Between 14 and 23 July the crews were flown back to Turin awaiting a rather unlikely re-equipment.

An accident occurred to Sergeant Giulio Preto of 359a Squadriglia who crashed on 23 July 1943 at Sorvillo, near Capaccio (Salerno), suggests that a few Messerschmitts might have also served with the 22o Gruppo at Capodichino. Local police reported Preto's aircraft as a Messerschmitt serial number "359128" - an unlikely number possibly based on a misreading of the 359-12 squadron code but unfortunately no further information is availble for this machine.

70a Squadriglia received a dozen Bf 109G-6 in July. With these it participated actively in the defence of Rome from its base at Cerveteri, but by September there remained only a single serviceable Bf 109.

Sicily showed that German mistrust hampered co-operation and made it unresponsive to operational needs. When the Regia Aeronautica requested further aircraft in August 1943, the Italian Supreme Command stated openly that it was imperative to avoid a lack of spares that would keep its aircraft grounded. The Italians thus asked that any further deliveries be accompanied by spare parts, guns, ammunition and engines but the September 1943 armistice interrupted negotiations.

Source:
[1] Alegi G. and Gueli M., "Ali Straniere in Italia, Messerschmitt Bf.109 Italiani", La Bancarella Aeronautica, Torino, 2002

Even as squadron commander, Lt. Ugo Drago always stuck to the individual code '7', considering it a lucky number. This aircraft carried the large white codes typical of 363a Squadriglia but lacks the Gruppo badge and wing markings. Ref.[1]

Ugo Drago
Ugo Drago was born at Arborio (Vercelli) on 3 March 1915. He obtained a diploma from the Rome Accademia di Educazione Fisica (Academy of Physical Education), working for a time as an instructor before deciding to join the air force. He obtained his 'wings' in 1939, was given the temporary grade of Sottotenente, and was posted to CR.42-equipped 363a Squadriglia, 150° Gruppo. He eventually rose to the position of commander of this unit in June 1942, and he remained with the gruppo up until the Armistice was announced.

Drago had obtained his first victory whilst flying a CR.42 on 2 November 1940, the future ace downing a Greek PZL P.11 during a bomber escort mission to Salonicco. Another two Polish-built fighters fell to his Safat guns on 14 November over Korirza, and he claimed a Blenheim on 13 February 1941. At the end of the Greek campaign, having re-equipped with C.200s, 150° Gruppo remained in the Balkans to defend the territory captured by the Axis powers. The unit stayed in Greece until December 1941, when it was posted to North Africa to undertake convoy escort and tactical support missions.

Starved of opportunities to add to his tally of four kills, Drago was transferred with the gruppo to Sicily in the spring of 1943, where it became the first unit in the Regia Aeronautica to re-equip with the Bf 109G. After initial teething troubles with the Messerschmitt fighter during the brief work-up period, the Italian pilots soon grew to appreciate the aircraft's proven operational capabilities.

On 9 June a signal from the Sicilian HQ of the Regia Aeronautica to the Air Ministry reported how that 14 C.202s and four Bf 109s had 'engaged a formation of some 50 Spitfires and P-38s in combat in the skies above Pantelleria - four Spitfires were shot down, plus four more probably destroyed'. During the course of the battle Drago and two other Italian pilots had been shot down. A second signal soon followed the first, reporting that "Tenente Pilota Drago of the 150° Gruppo, who returned last night from Pantelleria in a S.81, has declared that he definitely shot down two Spirfires during the engagement over Pantelleria. These would be his last kills with the Regia Aeronautica.

Together with a good number of pilots from his gruppo, Ugo Drago chose to side with the Repubblica Sociale Italiana following the Armistice, joining II° Gruppo Caccia. He was given command of 1a (later renumbered 4a) Squadriglia, which flew G.55s for a short time before converting onto the Bf 109G. Drago was credited with 11 personal victories during the period 24 June 1944 to 23 March 1945, and was duly promoted to the rank of Capitano. These victories consisted of four P-47s, two P-51s, a P-38, a B-24, a Boston, a B-26 and a B-25. By VE-Day, Drago and Capitano Mario Bellagambi had jointly become the highest-scoring aces of the ANR.

Ugo Drago flew over 400 combat missions during World War 2, being decorated wirh three Silver Medals for Military Valour (plus another awarded by the RSI), two War Crosses, and German Iron Crosses, First and Second Class.

Post-war, he emigrated to Argentina (where he was joined by other Italian aces such as Giuseppe Robetto and Adriano Manrelli) and found employment as a flight instructor. In 1953 Drago returned home to join Alitalia, and subsequently enjoyed a long career as a Comandante. Ugo Drago passed away on April 22, 2007 in Rome, Italy.

Source:
[2] Massimello G. and G. Apostolo, "Italian Aces of world War 2", Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 34, Osprey Publishing, 2000.

Weighed down with all the accoutrements associated with a fighter pilot in the final months of the war, II° Gruppo Caccia's Capitano Ugo Drago stands on the wing of his ANR Bf 109G [2].

Source: Beaman, Jr., J. R. and D. Greer, "Messerschmitt Bf.109 in action Part 2", Aircraft Number 57, Squadron/signal Publications,1983.

This model was a pain to build ... glued - dismantled - glued again - and again corrected. And it's not even the fault of some imperfections of the Trumpeter kit (Revell and Hasegawa are not perfect either) but rather because of my lack of knowledge about the Bf-109G - and the mistakes I made during construction process. I don't even dare describe the whole project. Finally: the Trumpeter kit has been improved - the upper part of cowling has been replaced with correct resin from Barracuda Studios, rudder – taken from Revell kit, riveting recreated with Rosie the Riveter tools. Dust filter, wheels and propeller from QuickBoost. I airbrushed the model with MRP paints (typical scheme RLM 74/75/76 with mottling characteristic for Erla production) using Montex and PMask vinyl masks. All stencils are wet transfers from HGW. And so, against all odds, the Erla bulid Bf-109G-6/R-6/Trop in the livery of Tenente Ugo Drago from 363 Squadriglia 150 Gruppo, Sciaccia, Sicily, July 1943 was born. In the only preserved photo, the plane does not look worn - that's why I did the weathering gently. I will be much wiser building next Italian Messerschmitts.

Still some weathering and final touches needed. The most "exhausting" build in my life - it started it's life as 1/32 Trumpeter G-2 with corrected rudder, then become G-6 standard with Quickboost "beule" gun blisters, spinner and tropical filter with hand made (Milliput) wheel blisters on the wings - and finally (at last...) G-6 Erla with rebuilt engine cover. All markings have been airbrushed using Montex masks. True model building like in my "early days" :-) Life is not easy.... I hope the final result will be acceptable. Waiting for your comments - there is still time to improve one thing or another ;-)

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