Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI), or Air Force of the South (Aeronautica del Sud), was the air force of the Royalist
"Badoglio government" in southern Italy
during the last years of World War II
. The ACI was formed in southern Italy
in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September. As by this point the Italians had defected from the Axis and had declared war on Germany, the ACI pilots flew for the Allies
.
(Regia Aeronautica) remained under German
control. This was known as the National Republican Air Force
(Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
, or ANR), ostensibly part of the forces of the Benito Mussolini
's Fascist state in northern Italy, the Italian Social Republic
(Repubblica Sociale Italiana). The ANR pilots flew with the Axis.
By the end of 1943, 281 Italian warplanes had landed at Allied airfields, but most were no longer useful for combat. The crews of these aircraft were re-equipped with Allied
aircraft and engaged in transport, escort, reconnaissance, sea rescue, and limited tactical ground support operations flying 11,000 missions from 1943 to 1945.
The ACI never operated over Italian territory, its objectives being always in the Balkans
(Yugoslavia
or Albania
). This was to avoid any possible encounter between Italian-manned aircraft fighting on opposite sides. During the entire history of ICA, no encounter, let alone combat, was ever reported between ACI and ANR aircraft.
The ACI formed the basis of the post-war Air Force of the Italian Republic (Aeronautica Militare Italiana
).
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
"Badoglio government" in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during the last years of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The ACI was formed in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September. As by this point the Italians had defected from the Axis and had declared war on Germany, the ACI pilots flew for the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
.
Description
A small part of the Italian Royal Air ForceRegia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
(Regia Aeronautica) remained under German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
control. This was known as the National Republican Air Force
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
thumb|250px|Wing emblem of the A.N.R. from 1944 to 1945.The National Republican Air Force was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force in northern Italy.-Description:This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of...
(Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana
thumb|250px|Wing emblem of the A.N.R. from 1944 to 1945.The National Republican Air Force was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force in northern Italy.-Description:This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of...
, or ANR), ostensibly part of the forces of the Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's Fascist state in northern Italy, the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
(Repubblica Sociale Italiana). The ANR pilots flew with the Axis.
By the end of 1943, 281 Italian warplanes had landed at Allied airfields, but most were no longer useful for combat. The crews of these aircraft were re-equipped with Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
aircraft and engaged in transport, escort, reconnaissance, sea rescue, and limited tactical ground support operations flying 11,000 missions from 1943 to 1945.
The ACI never operated over Italian territory, its objectives being always in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
(Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
or Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
). This was to avoid any possible encounter between Italian-manned aircraft fighting on opposite sides. During the entire history of ICA, no encounter, let alone combat, was ever reported between ACI and ANR aircraft.
The ACI formed the basis of the post-war Air Force of the Italian Republic (Aeronautica Militare Italiana
Aeronautica Militare
The Italian Air Force is the air force of the Italian Republic. It has held a prominent role in modern Italian military history...
).
Units
- 2°Gruppo, 3°Stormo Trasporto, Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud, LecceLecceLecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
-GalatinaGalatinaGalatina , known before the unification of Italy as San Pietro in Galatina, is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in Apulia.Among the most important cities in Salento, it is situated some 21 km south of the city of Lecce....
, Southern Italy, November 1944 - 10°Gruppo, 4°Stormo, Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud, LecceLecceLecce is a historic city of 95,200 inhabitants in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Lecce, the second province in the region by population, as well as one of the most important cities of Puglia...
-GalatinaGalatinaGalatina , known before the unification of Italy as San Pietro in Galatina, is a town and comune in the Italian province of Lecce in Apulia.Among the most important cities in Salento, it is situated some 21 km south of the city of Lecce....
(Bell Aircobra) - 20°Gruppo, 51°Stormo, Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud, Leverano (Spitfire)
- 28°Gruppo, Stormo Baltimore, Southern Italy (Martin BaltimoreMartin BaltimoreThe Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...
)
Notable members
- Carlo Emanuele BuscagliaCarlo Emanuele BuscagliaCarlo Emanuele Buscaglia was an Italian aviator, and one of the most famous Italian pilots of World War II....
- Alberto Veronese
- Teresio Martinoli
- Rodolfo Daniel Martinez Didolich
- Duilio Fanali
- Carlo NegriCarlo NegriSottotenente Carlo Negri was a World War II Italian pilot. He was the first casualty of the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force, executed by firing squad by the Germans shortly after his capture....
- Vittorio SanseverinoVittorio SanseverinoVittorio Sanseverino was an Italian pilot. Besides his combat experience in World War II, he is known for having test-flown a large part of the aircraft built by FIAT for the postwar Italian Air Force, including the Fiat G.91, the Fiat G.222, the North American F-86D Sabre and the F-104...
Aircraft
- Ambrosini SAI.2SAmbrosini SAI.2S-See also:...
- AVIA FL.3AVIA FL.3-References:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2380-External links:* *...
- Breda Ba.25Breda Ba.25|-See also:-External links:**...
- Breda Ba.39Breda Ba.39-References:* Sapienza Fracchia, Antonio Luis: "La Contribución Italiana en la Aviación Paraguaya". Author's edition. Asunción, 2007. 300pp....
- Bell P-39Q Airacobra
- Bell P-39N Airacobra
- CANT Z.501 GabbianoCANT Z.501The CANT Z.501 Gabbiano was a single engine flying boat that served with the Italian Regia Aeronautica during World War II. It had a crew of four or five and was used mainly for reconnaissance. Initially a successful aircraft, it was obsolete by 1940, but was still used throughout World War II,...
- CANT Z.506B AironeCANT Z.506The CANT Z.506 Airone was a triple-engine floatplane produced by CANT from 1935. It served as a transport and postal aircraft with the Italian airline "Ala Littoria"...
- CANT Z.1007bis AlcioneCANT Z.1007The Cant Z.1007 Alcione was a three-engined medium bomber, with wooden structure. Designed by ingegner Filippo Zappata, the "father" of the CANT...
- CANT Z.1018 LeoneCANT Z.1018The CRDA CANT Z.1018 Leone was an Italian medium bomber of the 1940s.-Design and development:In 1939, the Regia Aeronautica initiated its R Plan, or 3,000 airplanes, a campaign to quickly increase its strength with modern aircraft...
- Caproni Ca.133Caproni Ca.133|-See also:-References:*Ca.133 reconnaissance table, Storia militare magazine n.83. *Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 0-753714-60-4....
- Caproni Ca.164Caproni Ca.164|-See also:...
- Caproni-Bergamaschi Ca.310 LibeccioCaproni Ca.310|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bishop, Chris. The Complete Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. London: Brown Books, 1998. ISBN 1-897884-36-2....
- Fiat BR.20M CicognaFiat BR.20The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber produced from mid-1930s until the end of World War II by the Turin firm. When it entered service in 1936 it was the first all-metal Italian bomber and it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bomber of the world...
- Fiat CR.32bisFiat CR.32The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. This nimble little Fiat was compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable and gave impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Pattuglie Acrobatiche. The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in...
- Fiat CR.42 AS FalcoFiat CR.42The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
- Fiat G.8Fiat G.8The Fiat G.8 was a military utility aircraft produced in Italy in the mid-1930s. Its design and production were undertaken at the CMASA works in Pisa which became part of Fiat in 1930, hence the type is sometimes referred to as the CMASA G.8 or Fiat-CMASA G.8...
- Fiat G.12TFiat G.12-See also:-References:* Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. London:Jane's Publishing, 1981. ISBN 0-7106-0148-4.* Angelucci, Enzo The World Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, London, 1987....
- Fiat G.50bis FrecciaFiat G.50The Fiat G.50 Freccia was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production...
- Fiat RS.14BFiat RS.14|-See also:-Comparable Aircraft:*Heinkel He 115*Consolidated PBY Catalina*Fokker T.VIII*Hall XPTBH-References:* Mondey, David , The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II, Chancellor Press, ISBN 1-85152-966-7...
- Martin A-30 Baltimore III
- Macchi MC.200 Saetta
- Macchi MC.202 FolgoreMacchi MC.202The Macchi C.202 Folgore was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Macchi Aeronautica and operated by the Regia Aeronautica . Macchi aircraft designed by Mario Castoldi received the "C" letter in their model designation, hence the Folgore is referred to as the MC.202...
- Macchi MC.205V Veltro
- Nardi FN.305
- Reggiane Re.2001 Serie III Falco IIReggiane Re.2001The Reggiane Re.2001 Falco II was an Italian fighter aircraft, serving in the Regia Aeronautica during World War II. A contemporary of the renowned Macchi C.202, the production of this type was to be limited to only 252, but it was a flexible design that proved to be able to undertake a number of...
- Reggiane Re.2002 ArieteReggiane Re.2002|-See also:-Bibliography:* Angelucci, Enzo and Matricardi, Paolo. Combat Aircraft of World War II: 1942-1943. New York: Military Press, 1988. ISBN 0-517-66578-6....
- SAIMAN 200SAIMAN 200|-See also:...
- SAIMAN 202
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 MarsupialeSavoia-Marchetti SM.75The Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 Marsupiale was an Italian passenger and military transport aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s. It was a low-wing, trimotor monoplane of mixed metal and wood construction with a retractable tailwheel undercarriage....
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 SparvieroSavoia-Marchetti SM.79The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 PipistrelloSavoia-Marchetti SM.81The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello was a three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian Regia Aeronautica during World War II...
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.82Savoia-Marchetti SM.82The Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 was an Italian bomber and transport aircraft of World War II. It was a cantilever, mid-wing monoplane trimotor with a retractable, tailwheel undercarriage...
- Savoia-Marchetti SM.84Savoia-Marchetti SM.84The Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 was an Italian bomber aircraft of World War II. It was designed by Savoia-Marchetti as a replacement for its successful SM.79, and shared its three-engine layout...
- Spitfire LF.Mk.VBSupermarine SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
See also
- Military history of Italy during World War IIMilitary history of Italy during World War IIDuring World War II , the Kingdom of Italy had a varied and tumultuous military history. Defeated in Greece, France, East Africa and North Africa, the Italian invasion of British Somaliland was one of the only successful Italian campaigns of World War II accomplished without German support.In...
- Pietro BadoglioPietro BadoglioPietro Badoglio, 1st Duke of Addis Abeba, 1st Marquess of Sabotino was an Italian soldier and politician...
- Co-belligerenceCo-belligerenceCo-belligerence is the waging of a war in cooperation against a common enemy without a formal treaty of military alliance.Co-belligerence is a broader and less precise status of wartime partnership than a formal military alliance. Co-belligerents may support each other materially, exchange...
- Regia AeronauticaRegia AeronauticaThe Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
(Italian Royal Air Force 1923-1943) - Aeronautica Nazionale Reppublicana (Pro-Axis Air Force 1943-1945)
- Aeronautica MilitareAeronautica MilitareThe Italian Air Force is the air force of the Italian Republic. It has held a prominent role in modern Italian military history...
(Post-war Italian Air Force 1945-present) - Italian Co-Belligerent NavyItalian Co-Belligerent NavyThe Italian Co-Belligerent Navy , or Navy of the South or Royal Navy , was the navy of the Italian royalist forces fighting on the side of the Allies in southern Italy after the Allied armistice with Italy in September 1943...
- Italian Co-Belligerent ArmyItalian Co-Belligerent ArmyThe Italian Co-Belligerent Army , or the Army of the South , was the army of the Italian Royalist forces fighting on the side of the Allies during World War II....