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MM23838, Capt. Carlo E. Buscaglia, 281
a
Squadriglia, 132
o
Gruppo AS, Gadurra, Rhodes, summer 1941
52
a
Squadriglia, 27
o
Gruppo BT, 8
o
Stormo BV, Son San Juan,
Baleares, March 1938
Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia started his military
career with the 50
a
Bomber Squadriglia and in
the ranks of 252
a
Sq., he took part in a combat
baptism, a raid on the port of Marseille, on June
21, 1940. His fame began to rise after training for
torpedo attacks and his subsequent assignment to
278
a
Sq. operating from El Adem. Tenente
Buscaglia hit the heavy cruiser Kent, the
light cruiser Glasgow and several transport
ships during his stay with the unit. On
March 5, 1941, 281
a
Squadriglia was formed,
and Capitano Buscaglia was appointed as
commanding officer, subsequently becoming
CO of the 132
o
Gruppo in early April 1942.
On November 12, 1942, a Sparviero flown
by Buscaglia was shot down by a Spitfire
and Buscaglia was declared dead. However,
he survived with severe injuries and burns and
was transferred to a POW camp at Fort Meade, MD.
After the surrender of Italy, Allies offered him
command of the 28
o
Gruppo Bombardemento.
Ironically, his former 132
o
Gruppo, now operating
on the ANR side, was renamed 1
o
Gruppo
Aerosiluranti Buscaglia. On August 23, 1944,
Buscaglia crashed while taking off. His Baltimore
exploded and Buscaglia succumbed to his injuries
and burns the following day.
The first Sparvieros destined to support the
Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War
landed at Son San Juan airport in February
1937 and belonged to 12
o
Stormo BV. The crews
of this unit participated in actions against the
Republicans until November 1937, when the
12
o
Stormo pilots were replaced by colleagues
from the 27
o
Gruppo of the 8
o
Stormo BV, known
as the Falchi delle Baleari (Balearic Falcons).
The Sparvieros, supplied from Italy, were painted
in pre-war camouflage scheme, consisting of
large color fields using the Marrone Mimetico 2,
Verde Mimetico 1 and Giallo Mimetico 3 shades
on the upper and side surfaces, while the lower
surfaces were covered by Grigio Mimetico.
KITS 02/2024
INFO Eduard
41
February 2024