Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force

Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force

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". The ACI was formed in southern Italy in October 1943 after the Italian Armistice in September. The ACI pilots flew for the Allies.

A small part of the Italian Royal Air Force ("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").

Units of Italian Co-belligerent Air Force

*28°Gruppo, Stormo Baltimore, Southern Italy
*2°Gruppo, 3°Stormo Trasporto, Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud, Lecce-Galatina, Southern Italy, November 1944

Members of Italian Cobeligerante Air Force

*Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia
*Alberto Veronese
*Teresio Martinoli
*Rodolfo Daniel Martinez Didolich

Aircraft of Italian Co-belligerent Air Force

* Ambrosini S.A.I.2S
* AVIA FL.3
* Breda Ba.25
* Breda Ba.39
* Bell P-39Q Airacobra
* Bell P-39N Airacobra
* CANT Z.501 Gabbiano
* CANT Z.506B Airone
* CANT Z.1007bis Alcione
* CANT Z.1018 Leone
* Caproni Ca.133
* Caproni Ca.164
* Caproni-Bergamaschi Ca.310 Libeccio
* Fiat CR.32 bis.
* Fiat G.8
* Fiat BR.20M Cicogna
* Fiat G.50bis Freccia
* Fiat RS.14B
* Fiat CR.42AS Falco
* Fiat G.12T
* Martin A-30 Baltimore III
* Macchi MC.200 Saetta
* Macchi MC.202 Folgore
* Macchi MC.205V Veltro
* Nardi FN.305
* Reggiane Re.2001 Serie III Falco II
* Reggiane Re.2002 Ariete
* SAIMAN 200
* SAIMAN 202
* Savoia-Marchetti SM.75 Marsupiale
* Savoia-Marchetti SM.79-I Sparviero
* Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello
* Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 Marsupiale
* Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
* Supermarine Spitfire L.F.Mk.VB

ee also

* Military history of Italy during World War II
* Pietro Badoglio
* Co-belligerence
* Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force 1923-1943)
* Aeronautica Nazionale Reppublicana (Pro-Axis Air Force 1943-1945)
* Aeronautica Militare (Post-war Italian Air Force 1945-present)
* Italian Co-Belligerent Navy
* Italian Co-Belligerent Army

External links

* [http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/italy/italymain.shtml Italian Air Force]


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