Editing Macchi C.205 Veltro (section)

===Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana===
A total of 29 C.205s reached northern airfields and were used by the Italian Social Republic Air Force (ANR – ''Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana'').{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Macchi produced the remaining 72 aircraft of the third series for the ANR before production was shut down by Allied bombing in May 1944. Statistics on aircraft production post-Armistice are unclear and incomplete.
In general, C.205s fought well in RSI service: they were attached to units that had homogeneous equipment, or at least of comparable quality, and were guided by German radar stations. Though few in number, they achieved success in inflicting losses on Allied bombers and fighters.<ref name="Giorgio Massiniello"/>
The first air battle of the ''Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana'' – still with German insignia – took place on 3 January 1944. The C.205s, guided by Italian ace ''Capitano'' Adriano Visconti, intercepted a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and their escort of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings bombing RIV factories in [[Villar Perosa]].
On 24 January, the Macchi 205 were transferred to two bases in [[Friuli]]. On 28 January, the C.205s, now with Italian markings, succeeded in shooting down a B-24 Liberator, their first four-engined American bomber. This air victory was credited to ''Sergente'' Marconcini, wingman of the ace Visconti.<ref>Giuseppe Pesce. con Giovanni Massimello. ''Adriano Visconti Asso di guerra''. Parma: Albertelli Edizioni, 1997.</ref>

1° ''Gruppo'', based in [[Udine]], was equipped with a few ''Veltros''. According to one author:
{{blockquote|At the start of February 1944, 1° ''Gruppo'' was transferred to a base on the outskirts of Reggio Emilia, with the task of attacking Allied four-engined bombers and the P-51s that escorted them. Dogfights with the aircraft that could be considered the best fighter of the time meant that the Italian pilots were hard pressed; however they were able to claim 58 Mustangs, though at a high price. At the end of May 1944, the number of C.205s of the ANR was so low that the unit had to be re-equipped with Fiat G.55.<ref>Sgarlato 1998, {{page needed|date=January 2025}}.</ref><ref>''Aerei da combattimento della Seconda Guerra Mondiale'' Novara: De Agostini editore, 2005, p. 52.</ref>}}

A few ''Veltros'' were also delivered to 3° ''Gruppo'', based in [[Vicenza]], while further ''Veltros'' were scattered throughout other small units. <!-- I'm not sure what this means: Overall, around 100 ''Veltros'' were taken on charge, surviving partially during the re-equipment of the groups to [[Messerschmitt Bf 109|Bf 109]]s.  -->
<!----Regia Aeronautica pilots were typically quite impressed by Veltros, which offered agility, speed and heavy armament at high levels. ANR pilots had mainly G.55s and Bf-109s, but still liked the plane.
[[Guido Carestiato]] (Macchi's chief test pilot), remembering Veltros said pleasant words: ''Personally I consider the Veltro one of the most successful fighters fielded by belligerents, surely the best Italian fighter that I know. I did not forget the outstanding characteristics of the Veltro, so docile, safe and beautiful''. But he remarks some disappointment about Orione: ''With less satisfaction I remember the two versions of MC.205N, with more powerful weapons and bigger wing surface. Even if they were excellent aircraft, they did not have the brightness and the strong personality of the Veltro''.<ref>Lembo, Daniele: ''C.205 Orione'', Aerei nella Storia magazine, West Ward Editions, Parma, n.17 p.15</ref> ---peacock section--->
''Regia Aeronautica'' also had a poor opinion about the C.205N, plagued by overheating in the climb.
The 1° ''Gruppo'' C.T. of the ANR, based at the Campoformido airfield, was equipped with C.205. Its first operation, on 3 January, began with a surprise blow right away: the Italian fighter pilots shot down four P-38 Lightnings. By 25 February, 1° ''Gruppo'' C.T. had reported 26 victories for nine losses. An extremely bitter aerial combat took place on 11 March. The Italians claimed 12 victories for themselves, but lost three of their own pilots, including 1st Lt Boscutti, who was killed by an American P-38 Lightning pilot after he had bailed out from his stricken fighter and was hanging from his parachute. On 18 March, 30 C.205s from 1° ''Gruppo'' C.T. and 60 Bf 109 from JG.77 joined combat with about 450 Allied bombers and their escorts, shooting down at least four enemy aircraft, but Corp. Zaccaria was killed while hanging from his parachute again by a P-38 pilot who fired at him from close range.<ref name="Neulen pag.79">Neulen 2000, p. 79.</ref>
Allied bombing in April 1944 destroyed most of the Macchi and Fiat facilities bringing fighter production to an end. With the interruption of production, the Italians were forced to re-equip their three groups almost fully with Bf 109s, largely because the Germans were quick to offer some of their best models, including Bf 109G-6s and Bf 109K-4s. The Allies were less generous with the [[Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force]] (ICAF), and ''Veltros'', including some upgraded C.202s, were slowly replaced with worn-out [[P-39 Airacobra|P-39]]s and Spitfires, but not before summer 1944.<ref>Gueli, Marco. "Spitfire con Coccarde Italiane." ''Storia Militare magazine'', n.62. Parma: Albertelli editions, pp. 4–10.</ref>