stabjg77

12.11.43

 

 

 

 

14 Me 109 and 14 MC 205 figther screen and scrambles without enemy contact (Luftflotte 2).

13.11.43

 

 

 

 

41 Me 109 and 12 MC 205 scrambled on report of incursion into North Italian region without enemy contact (Luftflotte 2).

16.11.43

 

Supplementary report from II. Fliegerkorps at 16.11: 2 MC 205 barrier over Genoa broken off owing to bad weather (Luftflotte 2).

25.11.43

 

 

II./JG 77 has been re-equipped with the Macchi 205. The machine is fast and good to fly except for a tendency to enter a spin easily when losing speed in tight turns. A further disadvantage is the fitting of an Italian radio. Despite talking over a powerful transmitter it is barely possibly to communicate with the aircraft. Finally, refuelling and rearming are very intricate, so that re-establishing operational readiness is very protracted.

The operation of the radar sets is still not cause for satisfaction, including Set F120 …

13.42–14.47

17 Macchi 205s scramble (no contact). Since no coherent picture could be obtained from the reports and radio contact could not be established with the aircraft, no contact with the enemy.

17 MC 205 scrambled against reported enemy formation in the Albenga area (Map Ref. 8578). No contact with enemy (Luftflotte 2).

26.11.43

 

 

12.52–14.16

14 Macchi 205s scramble. Since radio contact could not be established and the light was strongly blocked by […], conact was not made with the enemy.

16.30–17.15

2 Macchi 205s reconnaissance flight.

At the behest of the Koflug, reconnaissance of a castle where a Partisan HQ […]. No special conclusions.

27.11.43

 

 

15.16–16.30

2 Macchi 205s scramble. No radio contact, no contact with enemy.

8 MC 205 against one four-engined aircraft over Torino (Luftflotte 2).

28.11.43

 

 

15.42–16.45

14 Macchi 205s scramble. Heavies between Lagnasco and Turin. No contact with enemy.

28 Me 109 scrambled on radar report without enemy contact.

2 MC 205 combating partisans and reconnaissance in Map Square 75832/04

Fighter take-offs:

33 Me 109 from 10253

6 MC 205 from 10129

27 Me 109 from 10235

32 Me 109 from 10158

(Luftflotte 2)

29.11.43

 

 

 

Bf 110 arrived from 7. Jagddivision as contact aircraft for flights heading into Germany and is stationed with II./JG 77 in Lagnasco.

01.12.43

 

 

13.25–14.25

16 Macchi 205s scramble.

Aborted: 3 [with] weapons unserviceable; 1 oxygen; 1 went into a spin; 2 had to break off.

Contact with the American formation. Combat with 25 Lightnings, bombers could only be attacked with difficulty.

Successes: 1 Lightning shot down, 2 Lightnings and 5 bombers effectively shot up.

 

CX/MSS/T20/93

Report of 1/12 from JG 77, Fighter Control Post West, to Fliegerkorps (Roman) II C:

Approach by about 120-engine a/c in five formations with fighter escort of Lightnings, bombs dropped at 1240 hours on Turin and OT 5(+) at 1405 hrs [GMT]. Scramble by 16 MC 205 at 12.25, interception. 1 Lightning shot down for certain, 2 probables, 3 4-engine a/c effectively shot up. No losses, down 1325 hrs.

NOTE: (+) = 4507 North, 0915 East.

Summary:

Circa 120 four-engined aircraft, attack on Torino in several waves. Damage to the FIAT factories and station. 1 Lightning shot down.

Incursion by 47 twin-engined aircraft iwth Lightning escort south of La SPezia. Bombs dropped on La Spezia - Parma. 6 Lightnings shot down by our fighters.

Timely detection of the formations flying in against Torino - La Spezia facilitated rapid direction of our fighter forces on to them. Further enemy losses can be reckoned with.

One reconnaissance machine (Mosquito) shot down by fighter(s) over Torino.

Details:

16 MC 205 scramble from 10129 against hostile formation heading for Torino. 1 Lightning shot down, two more shot down can be counted on. Two Liberators white coolant streams after being fired on. 2 MC 205 on R/T flight during which sighting of a Mosquito. Shot down by Oberstlt. Steinhoff (164th victory).

(Luftflotte 2)

02.12.43

 

 

14.30–15.41

4 Macchi 205s scramble.

An hostile reconnaissance plane was spotted over Turin. Recognised by condensation trails 3–4000 m. over our own aircraft. Enemy lost in the clouds.

 

CX/MSS/T21/16

To Kapitän ((Fliegerkrops (Roman) II)) 8, QM, from JG 77, Technical Officer on 2/12:

Strength return 2/12:

Stab JG 77: 3 (2) Bf 109 G-6

II./JG 77: 25 (14) Macchi 205 V

[Unserviceable a/c: 3 change of engine, 1 damage to wings, 1 generator, 1 engine trouble, 1 undercarriage]

To strength from II./ZG 76: 1 Bf 110 (serviceable)

 

 

 

10.12.43

 

 

13.12–14.10

18 Macchi 205s scramble with orders to patrol over base. No contact with enemy.

18 MC 205 screen over Airfield 129 without contacting the enemy. (Luftflotte 2)

navtagtn

INTRODUCTION

I translated the January–July 1944 section of this war diary when working with Ferdinando D'Amico and Gabriele Valentini on Air War Italy 1944–45, using photocopies of the original (in the Bundesarchiv, Freiburg) kindly supplied by Jean-Louis Roba.

Later, I also translated the sections dealing with the Macchi 205 for an article by Ferdinando and Gabriele, I Veltro Dell'Asso Di Cuori, in the Italian aviation magazine JP4. For that I used the microfilm copies of the diary in the Imperial War Museum, London.

So far as I know, there isn't another English translation or I might have saved myself a lot of time and effort.

In places the handwriting of the original defeated me and it still does.

In 2022 I added references to the Macchi found in Luftflotte 2's "close of day" reports on Bundesarchiv file RL 2-II/303.


Translation and presentation
© Nick Beale 1989–2022

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