P-40 Macchi 202's & Italian airmen

Reading Flying under fire vol 2 about Canadian flying stories in WW2. Here is an interesting blip about Italian airfighting.


Utilizing our turning circle, which was much tighter than that of the 109 and very slightly better than that of the Macchi, was an obvious tactic and an effective one.

But the Macchi's were flown by Italian pilots who preferred to perform aerobatics rather than fight agressively. They liked to do rolls, loops, and other pretty manoenvres. I'm not kidding! They were fine airmen, good pilots, and they had an outstanding aeroplane. But they would never press an advantage or attack with the determination the 109's displayed. Their pilots may have been kind of funny; but my goodness, they could fly. all thgeir manoevers were beautiful but had nothing to do with fighting a war.

I got on a Macchi's tail once and we covered miles of sky. He did a couple of beautiful slow rolls - his nose didn't drop one bit - they were perfect! I sat there, throttled back because he had lost a bit of speed, and waited. I couldn't hit him when he was in the middle of a slow roll. They were lovely and, if I could have talked to him on the radio, I would have congradulated him. Then he did another loop with a roll off the top. The roll was just the least bit sloppy, & that was when I got him. It had been the most beautiful aerobatic performance one would ever hope to see. But being realistic, in terms of air fighting it served no practical purpose whatsoever.

This is interesting as it fits in well with Mannocks WW1 philosophy; stunt flying never shot down an aircraft.

The P-40 could outturn the 109 below 10.000 ft, but not above it. Did not know the 40 could outturn the Macchi.

 

Anybody got any Macchi stories? Captured ones that allies flew perhaps? Also has there been any serious study of the Italian scores? Did Italians scrap all war documents regarding such?