Italian World War 2 Aircraft
During the turn of the nineteenth century, Italy was at the forefront of aerial warfare after having first used aircraft in a combat reconnaissance role on October 23rd 1911. This was followed shortly by the first aerial bombing in history on November 1st the same year. Italy was also among the pioneering nations (after France and Great Britain) to form an independent air force, the Regia Aeronautica which was a separate military branch from the Army and Navy.
Under the Fascist Military expansionist government, the Regia Aeronautica was used to good effect as a propaganda machine. Despite the impressive display of aerial power, the Italian Air Force at the outbreak of war in September 1939, was the smallest among the three major Axis nations.
The Italians held onto the dominant belief in the agility of biplanes, even after they had proven ineffective; and lacked pursuit in bigger performance engines and firepower. This meant that the Italian Air Force went to war not only in numerical inferiority, but their aircraft was also outclassed by that of comparative nations.
The inevitable result was an Air Force ill-equipped to fight the air battles of the Second World War. Except for few occasions, Italian Air Power, much like the Italian Navy and Army, never played any significant role during the war.
The last mission flown by the Italian Air Force was in September 1943 in defense of the Frascati bombing raid flown by USAAF planes near Rome.
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