Mc202 Folgore  of  the squadron leader. The commanding officer of 356 Squadriglie was Captaino Virginio Teucci. The commanding officer of 21 Gruppo was Major Ettore Foschini, who also flew '1' on occasion.  (Thanks to Pips Priller for the info)
of 51 Stormo(Air Fleet)  from 21 Gruppo autonimo (Independant wing)  356Squadriglia(squadron) 
during November 1942 while on foreign campaign duty in the Ukraine.

...after some pause due to the bad weather, the operations were resumed in November with repeated strafing missions by the Macchi MC.200s and MC.202s and by bombing attacks by the BR.20s. By the end of the month, after a series of moves to more advanced airfields, the Italian units were concentrated on the airfield of Voroscilovgrad, except for a Squadriglia (on a rotational order) of fighters and some BR.20s located on the advanced airfield of Kantemirovka. 

On 19 November the Soviet offensive started and hit the ARM.I.R.  part of the front on 11 December. After a week of harsh fighting, the Soviet troops and masses of tanks broke through the central part of the Italian front and joined units that had overrun the 3rd Rumanian Army on the right flank effectively surrounding them. 
For the ARM.I.R.(Italian Expeditionary force) this was the beginning of a tragic retreat littered with combats to break out of the encirclement. Once again all of the Italian aircraft were in the air strafing and bombing the Soviet troops and tanks, while the S.81s tried to do their best to supply the encircled units, transporting the wounded and supplying the Corpo d'Armata Alpino, which remained on the Don until 14 January. The last operation to support the Italian troops was flown by 21 Gruppo on 17 January 1943. 


A pretty rare aircraft scheme for a pretty stressful period for those pilots of the RA. I hope you enjoy it.

MC202 Folgore 3dz's made by Col.Gibbon

Skin by DeanH - JG2_Wolff

Info and wing detail (White triangles top and bottom) via Aeromaster Decal sheet : AD48189b



Technical Data:

Role: Single-seat fighter and fighter bomber 
Engine: 1x Alfa Romeo AR1000 RC 41-1 Monsone (licenced version of the German Daimler-Benz DB-601); 1,175hp 
Length: 29,04 ft 
Height: 9,96 ft 
Wing span: 34,71 ft 
Wing area: 180.83 sq/ft 
Empty weight: 5,115 lbs 
Useful Load: 1,278 lbs 
Loaded weight: 6,393 lbs 
Max. Speed: 370mph at 16,500ft 
Service ceiling: 37,740 ft 
Range: 475 miles 
Climb to 16,400 ft: 4' 40" 
Armament: 2x 12.7mm MG with each 400 rounds on cowling and 2x 7.7mm MG with each 500 rounds in wings, plus provision for 320kg of bombs 
Crew: 1 
In Service: 1941 
Countries in Service: Italy 
Aircraft built: 1,070 

