Editing Macchi C.202 Folgore (section)

===Postwar service===
As a consequence of the Allied aerial bombing against the Italian Social Republic, during which the manufacturing facilities of the Macchi company had sustained damage during 1944, both the production life and combat career of both the C.202 and the further refined C.205 were cut short. Post-war, some of the aircraft which had survived the conflict were joined by a small number of newly manufactured C.205s. The surviving aircraft were operated by the [[Aeronautica Militare Italiana]], where they were used as trainer aircraft as late as 1948 before being phased out entirely.<ref name="Angelucci and Matricardi p. 219." />

The [[Royal Egyptian Air Force]] ordered a total of 42 C.205s, but 31 of these were in fact re-engined ''Folgores'' (C.202s), armed with only a pair of 12.7&nbsp;mm Breda machine guns. Some of these aircraft later fought during the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War]] the [[Israel|State of Israel]]; the Egyptian fighters were reportedly still in service as late as 1951.<ref>Sgarlato 1998, pp. 41–45.</ref> [[Switzerland]] had placed an order for 20 C.202s, however, none of these were ever delivered; this was due to the deteriorating war situation at the time (May 1943) that meant that Italy no longer had the capability to export these types of aircraft.<ref name="Sgarlato p. 40">Sgarlato 1998, p. 40.</ref><ref name="Savic and Ciglic 2002">Savic and Ciglic 2002</ref> During mid-1944, at least 12 C.202s, and probably another 12 aircraft, were delivered to the Croatian Air Force Legion for operational use against the [[Royal Air Force]] and [[United States Army Air Forces]] over Croatia, all of which being ex-LW fighters.<ref name="Sgarlato p. 40" /><ref name="Savic and Ciglic 2002" />

Those allied pilots who flew against the ''Folgore'' were frequently impressed with its performance and manoeuvrability.<ref name="Spick p. 117.">Spick 1997, p. 117.</ref> The C.202 was often considered to have been superior to both the British Hawker Hurricane and the American [[Curtiss P-40]] Kittyhawk that it commonly fought against, at first on the Libyan front, as well as being the equal of the [[Supermarine Spitfire]] Mk. V. The C.202 was able to out-turn all three, although the Spitfire possessed a superior rate of climb.<ref>Glancey 2007, pp. 165–166.</ref> The C.202 could effectively fly against the Hurricane, [[Lockheed P-38 Lightning]], [[Bell P-39 Airacobra]], Curtiss P-40 and even the Spitfire at low altitudes, but the aircraft's combat effectiveness was somewhat hampered by its weak armament.<ref name="Cattaneo">Cattaneo 1971, {{page needed|date=January 2018}}.</ref>{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}