Fiat G.55 claims
Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2021 3:50 pm
Other than Toressi, did any ANR pilots make any claims flying this type? Thanks.
From the always reliable Stefano Lazzaro:
It is known that 2° Gruppo had flown three combat missions with the G.55:
1) on 30 April 1944, at least five pilots of 5^ Squadriglia (Bellagambi, Manzitti, Ancillotti, Mazzanti and Talin, but maybe also Cavagliano, Betti and Rosas) intercepted several B-17s and P-38s, and claimed a P-38 with Manzitti, who was killed.
2) On 12 May 1944, 7 G.55s chased 13 four-engine bombers, strafed of which one was probably destroyed. The Italian pilots in this engagement are not known.
3) On 25 May 1944, 16 G.55s (Drago, Fagiano, Orsolan, Mingozzi, Camerani, Camaioni, Luziani, Marin, Valenzano, Bellagambi, Luccardi, Longhini, Pignatti, Feliciani, Fornaci and Santuccio) engaged in combat against a hundred B-24s and 42 P-38s. A B-24 was claimed by Feliciani and a P-38 by Orsolan, Orsolan being killed in this action. Drago, Fagiano, Mingozzi, Camerani, Luziani and Marin stated to have strafed several bombers.
Keep in mind that 2o Gruppo operated the G.55 only briefly from early May 1944 to May 29/30 1944 before converting to the Bf.109 and transferring all of its G.55s to 1o Gruppo.