Page 43
253
a
Squadriglia, 104
o
Gruppo BT, 46
o
Stormo, Gadurra,
Rhodes, August 1942
256
a
Squadriglia, 109
o
Gruppo BT, 36
o
Stormo, Castelvetrano,
Sicily, June 1940
The crews of 104
o
Gruppo Sparvieros were
retrained for anti-ship torpedo attacks in the
spring of 1942, and the unit first moved to
Decimomanu airfield on the island of Sardinia
in May 1942 to conduct raids on ships of the
Harpoon convoy. Later they moved to Rhodes in
July, from where they undertook reconnaissance
flights over the eastern Mediterranean and
attacks against Allied shipping in the same
area. The Sparvieros used by 252
a
Sq. and
253a Sq. against ships in the summer of 1942
were camouflaged with Verde Oliva Scuro
2 shade on the upper and side surfaces, the lower
surfaces were painted in Grigio Azzuro Chiaro
1 shade. The olive color on upper surfaces was
supplemented with irregular patches of GAC 1
paint before Rhodes deployment. The vertical fin
of the aircraft number 253-8 was like the other
aircraft of the unit adorned by silhouettes of the
ships, which were hit during the operation against
the Harpoon convoy by the entire 104
o
Gruppo BT.
The entire 109
o
Gruppo, consisting of 256
a
Squadriglia and 257
a
Squadriglia, was formed
along with its sister 108
o
Gruppo in the spring of
1938 at Bologna Borgo Panigale airfield. These
units were equipped with Savoias SM.79 and
SM.81 and took part in the occupation of Albania
with them. Subsequently, they were moved back
to Sicily, from where they undertook raids on
Malta and on convoys transporting much needed
material destined for the struggling island and
its inhabitants. The camouflage of this Sparviero
consisted of a base color of Giallo Mimetico
3 on the upper and side surfaces, with irregular
patches of Marrone Mimetico 53193 and Verde
Mimetico 53192 shades. The lower surfaces
were camouflaged with Grigio Mimetico. On both
sides of the vertical fin, there was painted the
emblem of 36
o
Stormo, the towers of Asinelli and
Garisenda, monuments and landmarks of the
city of Bologna, meant as a honor of the place
of origin of this unit.
KITS 02/2024
INFO Eduard
43
February 2024