3 Stormo

23 Gruppo

 

75 Squadriglia

23 Gruppo CT Squadriglie 70, 74, 75 Stormo 3

23 Gruppo CT Squadriglie 70, 74, 75 Stormo 3

Arrival	Base	Country	Aircraft	Zone	Duties
9 Jun 1940	Cervere	Italy	CR 42	Sqa 1	GA. AE, DF
21 Jun 1940	Torino-Mirafiori	Italy	CR 42	Sqa 1	IT
22 Jun 1940	Villanova d’Albenga	Italy	CR42	Sqa 1	DF
25 Jun 1940	Torino-Mirafiori	Italy	CR 42 Ca 133	Sqa 1	TG
9 Jul 1940	Campiglia	Italy	CR 42	Sqa 1	IT
9 Jul 1940	Capodichino	Italy	CR 42	Sqa 3	IT
10 Jul 1940	Reggio Calabria	Italy	CR 42	Sqa 2	IT
11 Jul 1940	Comiso	Sicily	CR 42	Sqa 2	AE. DF
16 Dec 1940	Castelbenito	Tripolitan	CR 42	Sqa 5	IT
19 Dec 1940	Ain el Gazala	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	IT
20 Dec 1940	Derna	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	DF. AE
1 Jan 1941	Ain el Gazala	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	DF. AE
5 Jan 1941	Tmimi	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	AE
6 Jan 1941	Derna	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	AE
7 Jan 1941	Berka	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	AE. DF
9 Jan 1941	Benghasi K 2	Cirenaica	CR 42	Sqa 5	DF
4 Feb 1941	Uadi Tarnet	Tripolitan	CR 42	Sqa 5	DF
6 Feb 1941	Sorman	Tripolitan	CR 42	Sqa 5	DF
1 Mar 1941	Comiso	Sicily	CR 42 Re 2000	ASIC	DF. AE. AR
19 Apr 1941	Pantelleria	Pantelleria	CR 42	ASIC	CE
21 Jun 1941	Boccadifalco	Sicily	CR 42 MC 200 Re 2000	ASIC	DF. NF, TG
12 Dec 1941	Castelbenito	Tripolitan	CR42 MC 200	Sqa 5	DF
13 Dec 1941	Misurata	Tripolitan	CR 42 MC 200	Sqa 5	CE
24 Dec 1941	Trapani-Milo	Sicily	CR 42 MC 200	ASIC	DF
27 Dec 1941	Torino-Mirafiori	Italy	MC 200 G 50 bis MC 202	Sqa 1	TG
Jul 1942	Ciampino	Italy	MC 202	Sqa 3	IT
Jul 1942	Capodichino	Italy	MC 202	Sqa 3	IT
Jul 1942	Gerbini	Sicily	MC 202	ASIC	IT
Jul 1942	Gela	Sicily	MC 202	ASIC	IT
Jul 1942	Pantelleria	Pantelleria	MC 202	ASIC	IT
Jul 1942	Castelbenito	Tripolitan	MC 202	Sqa 5	IT
16 Jul 1942	Abu Haggag	Egypt	MC 202	Sqa 5	GA. DF, AE
22 Oct 1942	Abu Nimeir	Egypt	MC 202	Sqa 5	DF
1 Nov 1942	Abu Smeit	Egypt	MC 202	Sqa 5	DF
5 Nov 1942	Bir el Astas	Egypt	MC 202	Sqa 5	IT
6 Nov 1942	Bu Amud	Cirenaica	MC 202	Sqa 5	DF
10 Nov 1942	Benghasi	Cirenaica	MC 202	Sqa 5	IT
11 Nov 1942	En Nofilia	Tripolitan	MC 202	Sqa 5	GA
16 Nov 1942	Tauorga	Tripolitan	MC 202	Sqa 5	DF
17 Jan 1943	Castelbenito	Tripolitan	MC 202	Sqa 5	DF
19 Jan 1943	Medenine	Tunisia	MC 202	ATUN	DF. AE. GA
7 Feb 1943	El Hamma	Tunisia	MC 202	ATUN	DF
26 Mar 1943	Achichma	Tunisia	MC 202	Sqa 5	DF
30 Mar 1943	Castelvetrano	Sicily	MC 202	ASIC	IT
Apr 1943	Torino-Caselle	Italy	MC 202	Sqa 1	DF
18 Jun 1943	Milano-Bresso	Italy	MC 202	Sqa 1	DF
28 Jun 1943	Ciampino Sud	Italy	MC 202	Sqa 3	DF
5 Jul 1943	Cerveteri	Italy	MC 202 MC 205 V Me 109 G. F	Sqa 3	DF. TG

At the start of the war. the Gruppo carried out strafing attacks on bases in southern France and escorted bombers. Bad weather hindered early operations, making Cervere particularly impractical. Combats were fought with French fighters. Notably on 15 June with GC III/6. who claimed four CR 42s and three BR 20s for the loss of two D 520s. The Italian losses were actually five fighters and one bomber.

Border patrols were flown in the latter stages of the campaign. After the armistice, a detachment was sent to Bresso to form a Sezione Caccia Noturne, for the night defence of Milano.

Then the unit became Autonomo and moved to Sicily. They made their first raid on Malta on 12 July, claiming a Hurricane. They also escorted bombers, recce planes and rescue aircraft in Maltese skies. At this time claims were made by both sides that aircraft with ‘Red Cross' insignia were being shot at and/or used for non-rescue-evacuation purposes. Both probably without foundation. In November, the unit escorted 97 Gruppo's Ju 87s against shipping south of Malta.

The next month, they moved to the African front with their Fiats and attendant Capronis. They left behind a small Nucleo of pilots and aircraft, which evolved into 156 Gruppo on 20 January 1941. Some fighters used base Z 1. near Gazala. for strafing duties on 17 December. Three days later the Gruppo was at Derna. Their first big operation was on 25 December, escorting 15 Stormo over Solium port. On I March, two S 79s of the SAS transferred the personnel and crews from Sorman to Comiso. The CR 42s were left to 18 Gruppo and part of 151 Gruppo.

After a rest the men rejoined the unit on 1 April, and took over the equipment of 156 Gruppo, which disbanded on the 8th. That month, some of the Gruppo pilots were formed into a Sezione Sperimentale with six Re 2000 Serie I fighters. Although a better aircraft than the MC 200. it lost the major production contract and only a limited number were built for the Italian forces. (It did serve well with the Hungarian Air Force, however). The Sezione was attached to 23 Gruppo. becoming 377 sq CT on 1 August, then leaving to become Autonomo on 28 December.

Meanwhile, on 19 April. 75 sq and part of 74 sq moved to Pantelleria for convoy escorts between Naples and Tripoli. The unit was spread between Pantelleria (74 and 75 sq convoy escorts). Trapani-Milo (70 sq defence), and Palermo (Sez Sperim defence) for the next four months.

On 27 September a CR 42 was shot down by Italian naval antiaircraft fire while on convoy escort. This raised the usual interservice arguments which the leaders never seemed to solve. That same month the unit received some MC 200s. These were used on day and night training at Boccadifalco.

On 12 December the unit took 14 CR 42s and seven MC 200s to Libya, leaving the Re 2000s and a CR 42 at Milo with 377 sq. Twelve days later, after coastal defence work, they returned to Sicily. S 82s were used at this stage, for personnel transport.

Reuniting in Italy, they received five G 50 bis for training. Some pilots went to Bresso, using MC 200s to defend Milano from February to May 1942. The rest of the unit underwent intensive training. On 15 May they rejoined a reformed 3 Stormo under Squadra 1, along with 18 Gruppo. By this time they had 12 G 50 bis and one MC 200. The pilots were also called on to ferry these types to Libya in this period. On 22 May. the first MC 202 was received, being passed from 20 Gruppo to 70 sq. The Gruppo was intended to join operations over Malta, but the African front was in more urgent need of fighters. So. on 8 July, leaving the G 50 bis at Mirafiori. 75 sq moved south, picking up new MC 202s at Ciampino and Capodichino along the way. On the 11th and 14th. 74 and 70 sq followed a similar route, rejoining 75 sq at Abu Haggag by 16 July.

They claimed a P-40 on their first sorties, the next day. The new fighters were set to escorting CR 42s of 50 Stormo. and MC 200s °f 18 Gruppo. on fighter-bomber raids. Operating under 4 Stormo until 25 July, they returned to 3 Stormo control. For the next two months there were many dogfights with P-40s. Spitfires. Martlets and Hurricanes. The CO of Squadra 5 sent them congratulations on 31 July for five claims w ithout loss. The MC 202s had problems with the sandy conditions. 10 being forced down at Derna on 31 August, during a sandstorm. The aircraft had been rushed to the frontline before sandfilters could be installed. This had to be remedied under operational conditions, despite the heavy involvement in the Alamein battles.

During the second battle (30 August to 5 September) the unit kept 60% serviceability, claiming 18 aircraft for the loss of three in 175 sorties. One of the pilots went to the assistance of a German pilot who was cornered in a dogfight. The German was none other than Hans Joachim Marseille, the top-scoring ace of the Desert War (157 claims)! In gratitude, his unit. I/JG 27. sent the Gruppo a crate of champagne.

Heavy rain now made the bases less efficient and night bombing raids caused casualties. Many aircraft were destroyed and damaged by bombing on 21 October, so the unit moved the next day. Serviceability was now down to 40%. with a daily average of 12 to 15 aircraft available.

On 5 November the unit, one of the last to pull out of the forward area, withdrew to Bir el Astas. 40 km from Marsa Matruh. The ground staff went straight to Bu Amud. joined by the aircraft and pilots the next day. The unit helped delay the Allied advance across Libya, by constantly strafing the forward troops. On 3 December 70 sq was detached to Castelbenito for the defence of Tripoli. The rest of the Gruppo joined them on 17 January. 4 Stormo left for Italy, passing its remaining MC 202s to 23 and 18 Gruppi. On 19 January, 74 and 75 sq moved into Tunisia. 70 sq. and 83 sq of 18 Gruppo. followed the next day. being the last Italian air units in Libya.

During the Tunisian phase. P-38s were met for the first time. They initially proved easier to shoot down than other fighter types. 70 sq was known to use a FN 305 liaison aircraft at this time and 75 sq was detached to Sfax during January and February . By the end of March the personnel flew to Sicily in S 82s, leaving their aircraft to 54 Stormo.

Re-equipping in Italy, they sent sections to Bresso and Lonate Pozzolo for local defence. Then the unit reunited at Ciampino from 28 June for the defence of Rome. Some Me 109 Gs and a Me 109 F arrived early in July and joined in bomber interceptions. By the start of August half a dozen MC 205 V Serie III were also received. All three types were now used on bomber intercepts, mainly against the B 17s and B 24s.

The unit was meant to move to Sardinia on 21 August, but the chaotic situation prevented this. On 7 September, the unit had eight MC 202s and two MC 205 Vs operational.