Italy was the
largest user of the Bf-109 outside of Germany during WW II. Starting in
1943, the Germans provided overhauled fighters to the Regia Aeronautica to
replenish the Italians' fighter force after it had been decimated during months
of ferocious combat with the Allies. In 1944, Bf-109s were supplied to the
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR) to continue the fight agains t
allied bombers in Northern Italy. In the last nine months of the war, ANR
units provided the only air opposition over Northern Italy after Luftwaffe units
were withdrawn to the defence of the Reich. Most Bf-109s operated by the
ANR were recently overhauled airframes that came in German markings. The Italians
hastily painted out the German markings and applied their own markings. Eventually, most
ANR aircraft carried two sets of markings- German crosses and Italian tricolore
on the fuselage and tail. The swastika was always painted out.
This aircraft is
from the ANRs 2a Squadriglia 'Asso di Bastoni' (Ace of Clubs), based at
Malpensa, which today is Milan International Airport. The camoflauge is
RLM 75/76/82 with the rudder in RLM 83, because it was added on during the
aircraft's overhaul. The kit is the well-known Hasegawa Bf-109G-10 with
Sky Models decals and Eduard color photo-etch seatbelts. No drop tank was
used because most ANR missions were short-range defensive sorties.
Weathering was minimized because this aircraft had just come from an overhaul
facility and the ANR was unable to maintain a very high ops tempo.
Leonardo
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