Editing Macchi C.205 Veltro (section)

==Operational history==
[[File:Captured Macchi MC.205 at Catania 1943.jpg|thumb|An Italian C.205 at Catania airfield, Sicily, Italy]]
The C.205 entered production only five months after its maiden flight and began reaching front line units in February 1943. At the end of April, the 1° ''Stormo'', based in [[Pantelleria]], is the first unit to enter action with the C.205, on Mediterranean, escorting maritime and aerial convoys to and from [[Tunisia]]. During their first sortie, 22 C.205 clashed with very good results against more numerous formations of [[Curtiss P-40 Warhawk|Curtiss P-40s]] and [[Supermarine Spitfire]]s.<ref name="Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8">Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8.</ref> During the next few months, C.205s of the ''Regia Aeronautica'' were involved in several major engagements with some of the 4,000 Allied aircraft that were stationed in the Mediterranean at that time.
At the end of May, because of the vulnerability of [[Pantelleria]], the 1° ''Stormo'' was moved to [[Sigonella]] airfield in [[Sicily]] and the minor airstrip of Finocchiara, 15&nbsp;km south-east of [[Ragusa, Italy|Ragusa]]. On 8 June 1943, 15 C.205s of 1° ''Stormo'' escorted three torpedo bombers attacking Allied ships which were shelling Pantelleria's defenses.<ref name="Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8"/> At the end of June, the ''Stormo'' had no more serviceable ''Veltros''. On 24 June, 1° ''Stormo'' left Sicily for [[Osoppo]], then later [[Ronchi dei Legionari]], and was replaced by 4° ''Stormo''.<ref name="Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8"/> Few pilots returned to [[Udine]], while the remaining aircraft joined other units.<ref name="Giorgio Massiniello"/>

4° ''Stormo'', which had left Africa in January 1943, was re-equipped with C.202s and C.205s on the airfields of Campoformido (10° ''Gruppo'') and [[Bresso]] (9° ''Gruppo''). It was then moved to Rome-[[Ciampino]] airport. On 9 July 1943 (the eve of the [[Operation Husky|Allied invasion of Sicily]]), 4° ''Stormo'' was based on the [[Catania]] plain, with a complement of 10 ''Veltros'' and 38 ''Folgores'' (no Italian unit was equipped with ''Veltros'' alone). Later it received a batch of a further 10 C.205s. The Italian pilots flew as many as six sorties per day, but on 14 July, with the first Allied paratroopers landing on the Catania plain, 4° ''Stormo'' was forced to retreat to [[Crotone]] airfield in [[Calabria]] after setting fire to four or five damaged C.205s that could not be repaired in time.<ref name="Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8"/>

51° ''Stormo'' fought with some success over Sardinia {{clarify|date=January 2017}} (apart from the battle of 2 August), but sustained heavy losses, especially at the end of July and the beginning of August.
3° Stormo C.T., commanded by  ''Tenente Colonnello'' Tito Falconi, also had the opportunity to fly the ''Veltro'' in combat. At the time it was based at [[Cerveteri]] airstrip, with the task of defending Rome, 83ª, 85ª and 95ª ''Squadriglia'', 18° ''Gruppo'' (of 3° ''Stormo'') all received a number of C.205s.<ref name="Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8"/> Commander Falconi assigned them to the most eminent pilots: ''Sergente Maggiore'' [[Luigi Gorrini]], ''Tenente'' [[Franco Bordoni-Bisleri]]  and ''Maresciallo'' [[Guido Fibbia]].<ref>Nino Arena, Macchi MC. 205, Modena, Stem Mucchi 1994</ref>
3° ''Stormo'' used the new type effectively to intercept American bombers and fighters in the skies over Latium.<ref name="Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 8"/>
"The Macchi fighter possessed some excellent qualities, and the Italian pilots made optimum use of the aircraft which had a maximum speed of {{convert|644|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}."<ref name="Neulen p. 70">Neulen 2000, p. 70.</ref>

One of the greatest British fighter pilots of the Second World War, Group Captain [[W. G. G. Duncan Smith|Duncan-Smith]] DSO DFC, respected both the C.205 and the Italian airmen who flew it:
{{blockquote|In general the standard of flying of the Italian pilots was very high indeed, and in encounters with Macchi 205s particularly we were up against aircraft that could turn and dog-fight with our Spitfires extremely well.<ref>Duncan-Smith 1981, p. 151.</ref>}}

Like its predecessors, the first ''Veltros'' were insufficiently armed, but the aircraft often performed well in combat. Guido Carestiato said the C.205 was the "best Italian fighter that he knew". The C.205 ace Luigi Gorrini<ref name="surfcity1">{{cite web |title=Italian biplane fighter aces - Luigi Gorrini |url=http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_gorrini.htm |website=surfcity.kund.dalnet.se |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref> scored 19 or 24 victories (in return, he was downed four or five times). Gorrini claimed 12 victories in July 1943, several of them with the ''Veltro''.<ref name="Lembo">Lembo 2002, p. 4.</ref>

===Battle of Pantelleria===
[[File:Macchi MC.205.jpg|thumb|Regia Aeronautica C.205V with a North Africa dust filter.]]
1° ''Stormo'' received the first ''Veltros'' in time to fight over the southern Italian air base. In free-ranging patrols, the wing fielded 24 ''Veltros'' (around <sup>1</sup>/<sub>10</sub> of all those produced) and nine Folgores in an attempt to intercept enemy aircraft in the area.
While patrolling between Cap Bon and Cap Mustafà on 20 April 1943, Italian fighters spotted a large enemy formation {{convert|35|km|mi|abbr=on}} west of Pantelleria. The Italians started to close in to the aircraft of Nos. 1, 92, 417, and 601 SAAF Squadrons, which were flying at low level, but were surprised by six Polish pilots of 145 Squadron flying high cover. These were joined by other Spitfires, and the 33 Macchis found themselves in combat with up to 60 Spitfires (mainly Mk VCs, and possibly Mk VIIIs and IXs). The Italian pilots claimed 15 victories (one by ''Maresciallo'' Baschirotto, who fired 500 rounds), with 14 Spitfires downed in the sea and another over African soil.

However, another analysis of this combat shows that the ''Regia Aeronautica'' pilots claimed a total of 17 aircraft on 20 April and claimed to have downed 15 Spitfires in this engagement; although Italian ground observers claimed to have seen 14 aircraft crash into the sea or onto land, only one Spitfire, flown by Flg Off Drecki of [[No. 145 Squadron RAF|145 Sqn]], was heavily damaged. In return, three C.205Vs were lost. There is also a possibility that Bf 109s of I./JG77 were involved in this engagement.<ref>Shores et al. 1975, p. 330.</ref>

Allied records report only two C.205Vs downed (''Tenenti'' Andreoli and Fanelli), while another made an emergency landing near Cap Bon, and explains why some sources quote two losses and others three, but there is some doubt as to whether this aircraft, the only one to touch down on African soil, was a ''Veltro'' or a ''Folgore''. At least one other Macchi was damaged, and the pilot wounded. Similarly, the Italian claims did not match any losses recorded in Allied squadron reports.

===Battle of Capo Pula===
On 2 August 1943, two British [[Bristol Beaufighter|Beaufighters]] were downed and the Italians sent a [[CANT Z.506|CANT Z.506 ''Airone'']] aircraft escorted by four C.205Vs on a search-and-rescue mission. A group of P-40s attacked the Z.506, but despite the defence put up by the ''Veltros'', one American fighter crashed into the Z.506 and both fell into the sea.<ref name="Mattioli">Mattioli 2002, {{page needed|date=January 2025}}.</ref>

A USAAF search and rescue [[PBY Catalina]] mission was also mounted, escorted by 12 [[P-38 Lightning|P-38]]s. C.202 and C.205s of 51° ''Stormo'', led by Ennio Tarantola, intercepted this flight. The Catalina was taken by surprise on the surface near the Sardinian coast, having broken a propeller blade in the heavy sea conditions. The Italians also claimed to have downed all 12 P-38s, whereas the Americans claimed three or four victories over the Axis fighters with no losses. Later records showed that only the Catalina and the C.202 of'' Maresciallo'' Bianchi, a close friend of Tarantola, had been shot down.<ref name="Mattioli 65">Mattioli 2002, p. 65.</ref>

The two or three victories over P-38s claimed by Tarantola are not supported by any data available; however, no further SAR missions were made by Americans to search for the downed pilots. Except for a crewman killed by strafing, the crew of the Catalina was saved, thanks to a fast vessel of the [[Royal Navy]] whose captain was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)|DSC]] for battling adverse sea conditions, coastal battery fire and enemy aircraft while rescuing the survivors.<ref name="Mattioli"/>

===Defence of Rome===
In mid 1943, Gorrini obtained one of the three C.205s delivered to the 3° Stormo (the other two were assigned to other aces, ''Tenente ''[[Franco Bordoni Bisleri]] and ''Maresciallo'' Guido Fibbia). In six weeks, during the ''Difesa di Roma'', Gorrini became the top scoring C.205 pilot; by the Armistice, he had claimed three [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]]s, three [[Lockheed P-38 Lightning]]s (three damaged), two [[B-17 Flying Fortress|B-17]]s and two Spitfires.<ref>Pagliano 1969, pp. 195–202.</ref><ref name="Mattioli 994">Mattioli 2002, pp. 9, 94.</ref><!---On the 19 July 1943 shot down, during a single mission, a four-engined [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]] [[bomber]] and a[[Lockheed P-38 Lightning]] fighter (with another P-38 damaged). On the 20 July, Gorrini downed another P-38 and damaged one.

On 13 August, while on a mission in defence of Rome, Gorrini downed a B-24 Liberator off the coast of [[Ostia]] but was hit and baled out over Sezze, in Latium. On 26 August, he shot down a Spitfire and, on 27 August, two B-24s attacking [[Cerveteri]]; one of the 20&nbsp;mm MG 151 guns overheated and exploded in the wing, sending his aircraft into a steep dive and damaging it beyond repair. On 29 August, Gorrini shot down two P-38s and damaged two others. On 30 August, he destroyed another B-17, and he was mentioned in the ''Bollettino di Guerra'' (Bulletin of War). His last victory before the Armistice of Cassibile was a Spitfire shot down on 31 August, off the Gulf of Naples.
<----He continued under the aegis of the [[Italian Social Republic]] (RSI, the German puppet state in northern Italy), flying in combat sometimes with the G.55, but mainly with the C.205.---this is not a story about Gorrini---->

Given the shortage of modern aircraft, the more advanced combat aircraft, such as the ''Veltros'', were usually given to the best flyers and most experienced pilots like Vittorio Minguzzi.<ref name="surfcity2">{{cite web |title=Italian biplane fighter aces – Vittorio Minguzzi |url=http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_minguzzi.htm |website=surfcity.kund.dalnet.se |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref><ref>Shores et el 2018, p. 405.</ref>

===After the Armistice===
At the time of the [[Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces]] on 8 September 1943, the ''Regia Aeronautica'' had received 177 ''Veltros'', but only 66 were still usable. Six of these flew to Allied airfields to serve with the [[Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force]].<ref name="Mattioli 96972">Mattioli 2002, pp. 9, 69-72.</ref>

===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>

=== In Luftwaffe service ===
Luftwaffe II.Gruppe of [[JG 77]] operated with requisitioned C.205Vs for two months, from October until December 1943,<ref name="Neulen pag.78">Neulen 2000, p. 78.</ref><ref name="Mattioli 83">Mattioli 2002, p. 83.</ref> when the German unit was re-equipped with new Bf 109s. Thus there are photos of C.205s with black crosses painted over the mid-fuselage Italian white stripe markings. The Germans were less enthusiastic about the C.205Vs, nor were they really impressed by the early evaluations in spring of 1943. There is mention in the KTB (History diary) on 25 November 1943 page: "the group has 23 Macchi, 11 are ready to fight. Macchi is fast and had a good flying characteristics, except for the tendency to lose control in sharp turns. The fighter is disadvantaged because its radio, while powerful, is far from reliable in action. Refueling and rearming process is slow and difficult, it takes much time to make the fighters ready. Today's mission was made with 17 Macchis, radio control problems caused delays, and the mission concluded without intercepting the enemy."<ref name="D'Amico pp. 78–83.">D'Amico, Fernando and Valentini Gabriele. "I Veltro dell'Asso di Cuori." (in Italian) ''JP-4 magazine'', May 1991, pp. 78–83.</ref>
In the brief German use, Veltros had at least five losses by accidents, often caused by the inverted throttle used on Italian aircraft (In German and Allied fighters the "open throttle" position was forward, not back, and this was the source of several errors). The first losses occurred on 27 September 1943 near [[Albenga]]. Two German pilots were killed and other wounded in these accidents. On the other side, it was recorded only one aerial combat in which Germans claimed at least one P-38 and two probable (1 December 1943).<ref name="D'Amico pp. 78–83."/>

After II.JG 77 was equipped with new Bf 109s, the C.205s were sent to Italian units. Some Veltros were ferried by [[JG 53]].

=== In Croatian Service ===
A small batch of C.205s were in service with the [[Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia]], ''Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske'' (ZNDH) in 1944, but the Croatian "Veltros" flew few sorties and were soon overwhelmed by the waves of Allied fighters that swarmed over Yugoslavian skies. On 30 June 1944, three recently arrived C.205s, flown by Eastern Front veterans (Major Josip Helebrant, Oberleutenant Ljudevit "Lujo" Bencetic<ref name="Savic and Ciglic pp. 77-78">Savic and Ciglic 2002, p. 77–78.</ref> and Feldwebel Bozidar "Bosko" Bartulovic<ref name="Savic and Ciglic p. 85">Savic and Ciglic 2002, p. 85.</ref>), along with three inexperienced pilots in C.202s, took off to intercept USAAF Fifteenth Air force bombers heading to bomb [[Blechhammer]], location of [[Nazi Germany]] chemical plants, prisoner of war (POW) camps, and [[forced labor]] camps. The Macchis attacked the USAAF bombers and their escorting fighters, 5th FS/52nd FG P-51 Mustangs over [[Bjelovar]], but five of the Italian-built aircraft were shot down both by the bomber's defensive fire and by the Mustangs. Only Bencetic – an ace with a final score of 15 kills<ref name="Savic and Ciglic pp. 77-78"/> and his "Veltro" succeeded in returning to base at [[Zagreb]].<ref name="Savic and Ciglic p. 66">Savic and Ciglic 2002, p. 66.</ref> Helebrant and Bartulovic bailed out and survived the war, with a final score of, respectively, 11 and eight kills.<ref name="Savic and Ciglic pp. 82-85">Savic and Ciglic 2002, pp. 82–85.</ref>

===Postwar===
[[File:Macchi C.205.jpg|thumb|C.205 Veltro in service with the postwar [[Aeronautica Militare]], around 1960]]
Production of the C.205 continued in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War; the [[Aeronautica Militare Italiana]] (AMI) proceeded to take delivery of Macchi-built C.205s until late 1948.<ref name="Mattioli 87">Mattioli 2002, p. 87.</ref> Nor would the AMI be the sole customer of the type.

During 1948–1949, Egypt received 62 refurbished C.205Vs,<ref name="Cattano p76-77">Cattanno 1995, pp. 76–77.</ref><ref name="Mattioli 8889">Mattioli 2002, pp. 88-89.</ref> of which 41 were converted from C.202 airframes. In May 1948, eight C.205V and 16 C.202 were upgraded and in February 1949, three brand new and 15 ex-MC.202, and in May another 10 MC.205 and 10 MC.202 were upgraded. This last contract was not finalized and, given the end of the [[1948 Arab Israeli War]] (1948–49), the fighters were delivered to the AMI instead. Egypt also ordered 19 G.55s and Syria another 16, all new-built.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

The new ''Veltros'' were fully equipped, while the ''Folgore'' conversions were armed with only two 12.7&nbsp;mm Breda machine guns. They were the lightest series of the entire production, and consequently had the best performance, but were seriously under-armed. A total of 15 Macchis were delivered to Egypt before the end of the [[1948 Arab-Israeli War]], seeing brief combat against the [[Israeli Air Force]].<ref name="Cattano p77">Cattano 1995, p. 77.</ref><ref name="Mattioli 88">Mattioli 2002, p. 88.</ref> Some Veltros, equipped with underwing [[Hardpoint#Racks|bomb racks]] were used in ground-attack sorties against Israeli targets.<ref>Berrone 2000, p. 116.</ref> On 7 January 1949, a C.205 claimed an Israeli P-51D Mustang.<ref>Glancey 2006, p. 168.</ref> In return, two or three Veltros had been claimed by IAF fighters by the end of the war in July, with another six under repair.<ref>Berrone 2000, p. 117.</ref>

Israeli secret services reacted with a bombing in Italy, which at the time was supplying both Israel and the Arab states. On 15 February 1947, an SM.95 airliner was destroyed, possibly by sabotage, soon after takeoff from Rome. On board were an Egyptian princess, several politicians and an Italian intelligence officer. A subsequent bombing was at [[Venegono Inferiore|Venegono]] on 18 September 1948; one hangar was damaged by several explosive devices, destroying three MB.308 and one MC.205 in Macchi facilities. The hangar, not totally demolished, contained several Veltros destined for Egypt.<ref>{{cite book |author=Mantelli - Brown - Kittel - Graf |title=Aer. Macchi - La Trilogia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m64mCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA127 |date=2015 |publisher=Edizioni REI |isbn=978-2-37297-230-7 |page=127}}</ref> All the G.55s ordered by Egypt were armed with four Breda (12.7&nbsp;mm) machine-guns, and they were brand new; 16 were single-seaters and three were twin-seaters. Syria ordered sixteen G.55A; all single-seaters.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

The MM/Snc were: Macchi first batch: 1201–1224; second batch, 1225–1242. Fiat G.55A were 91214–91220, 91225–91229, 91221-91224 (G.55B two-seats).<ref name="Gori pp. 64–68.">Gori, Paolo. "Caccia Italiani in Palestina (in Italian)". ''JP-4 magazine'', April 1991, pp. 64–68.</ref>

During 1951, the final batch of Veltros were delivered, the fighter serving mainly with No.2 Sqn until the mid-1950s. The last batch, 20 Veltros (10 ex-MC.202, six Veltro sr.III and 4 sr.I) were assigned to AMI with deliveries continuing until 29 May 1951. The phasing out process was however swift, because the new Anglo-American jet fighters were available at a surprisingly low cost at the time of the official phasing out of the Veltro (around 1951), although the last MC.205 was phased out in 1955. The "Folgore" was stricken off register in 1948, with the exception of those C.202 airframes transformed into Veltros.<ref name="Gori pp. 64–68."/>