by Metatron » Sat Feb 10, 2007 2:31 pm
Did any Italians fly in the Luftwaffe? Long, long ago I read of 2 fliers Ignio Scarpa & Renato Gori who allegedly flew in the Luftwaffe but I'm not sure if my memory is correct.
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by Veltro » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:52 pm
Pre 43 I would guess no. Post 43 yes....transport unit operating in the East with mixed personal ( Sm82's I think).
Eddy
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by Gian » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:28 am
The SM81 and '82 aircraft flown by "Gruppo Terracciano" on the Eastern front had German insignia but Italian pilots...Yet some Italians might have joined the Luftwaffe when South Tirolean and other Volksdeutsche were hired by the Reich...Also in the dark days after September 8, a few donned the Flaktroops' uniform as a sign of goodwill...
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by Veltro » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:35 am
ground forces ( while not in the question) are mentioned elsewhere in the forum ( considerably more than a "few" and those were mainly press-ganged ( from various prison camps) into it. I think the issue of the German ( Austrian) minority was dealt with pre-war.
Now that I think about it......given the reaction in general of the ANR to the Germans I can't see it happening.
Eddy
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by Gian » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:38 pm
Well, I said "a few" because I don't have any figures at hand and I want to be quite cautious. And yes, relationships between LW and ANR were tense, since the Germans had been tempted to completely "annex" their Italian colleagues - The book "Air war Italy" gives an insight into the matter through the evolution of markings on ANR aircraft: Italian flags first, flags+Balkenkreuze later, and finally the sole German markings. Does this match your info?
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by Veltro » Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:30 pm
Ciao Gian, yes I have the book as well. I quite like it! If I had to guess, I would say that ANR markings were starting to vanish because the aircraft that they were being equipped with ( as replacements) were beaten up 109's. More than likely time & material were in such short supply that the aircraft, ME109, was taken on as is.
The only obvious thing that would contradict this would be ANR serial numbers or something of the sort ( My best guess).
Somewhere in here the numbers are mentioned I recall having a discussion with sergemaster about this ( speaking of which, have not heard from him in a while). Ahhh the book "War in Italy: A brutal story" Lamb ( I think this is the right title and author?) has the figures on Italians press-ganged into German ground service. I have thebook at home......
Eddy
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by BRY » Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:12 pm
Some Italian pilots saying their goodbyes after transporting some Luftwaffe paras from Wesenberg to Kaunas.
Did any Italians fly in the Luftwaffe? Long, long ago I read of 2 fliers Ignio Scarpa & Renato Gori who allegedly flew in the Luftwaffe but I'm not sure if my memory is correct.
----------------
by Veltro » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:52 pm
Pre 43 I would guess no. Post 43 yes....transport unit operating in the East with mixed personal ( Sm82's I think).
Eddy
---------------
by Gian » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:28 am
The SM81 and '82 aircraft flown by "Gruppo Terracciano" on the Eastern front had German insignia but Italian pilots...Yet some Italians might have joined the Luftwaffe when South Tirolean and other Volksdeutsche were hired by the Reich...Also in the dark days after September 8, a few donned the Flaktroops' uniform as a sign of goodwill...
---------------
by Veltro » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:35 am
ground forces ( while not in the question) are mentioned elsewhere in the forum ( considerably more than a "few" and those were mainly press-ganged ( from various prison camps) into it. I think the issue of the German ( Austrian) minority was dealt with pre-war.
Now that I think about it......given the reaction in general of the ANR to the Germans I can't see it happening.
Eddy
----------------
by Gian » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:38 pm
Well, I said "a few" because I don't have any figures at hand and I want to be quite cautious. And yes, relationships between LW and ANR were tense, since the Germans had been tempted to completely "annex" their Italian colleagues - The book "Air war Italy" gives an insight into the matter through the evolution of markings on ANR aircraft: Italian flags first, flags+Balkenkreuze later, and finally the sole German markings. Does this match your info?
------------------
by Veltro » Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:30 pm
Ciao Gian, yes I have the book as well. I quite like it! If I had to guess, I would say that ANR markings were starting to vanish because the aircraft that they were being equipped with ( as replacements) were beaten up 109's. More than likely time & material were in such short supply that the aircraft, ME109, was taken on as is.
The only obvious thing that would contradict this would be ANR serial numbers or something of the sort ( My best guess).
Somewhere in here the numbers are mentioned I recall having a discussion with sergemaster about this ( speaking of which, have not heard from him in a while). Ahhh the book "War in Italy: A brutal story" Lamb ( I think this is the right title and author?) has the figures on Italians press-ganged into German ground service. I have thebook at home......
Eddy
-------------------
by BRY » Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:12 pm
Some Italian pilots saying their goodbyes after transporting some Luftwaffe paras from Wesenberg to Kaunas.
