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Aviation Elite Units #38
53° Stormo
Formed in May 1936, 53° Stormo was initially equipped with the iconic Fiat CR.32 biplane fighter. These were replaced by CR.42s three years later, and upon Italy's declaration of war on the Allies in June 1940, the unit saw action against French and British aircraft that same month.
With France defeated, the Regia Aeronautica turned its attention to Greece, and 53° Stormo's 150° Gruppo was again in the forefront of the action against RAF Gladiators - the unit also operated over Yugoslavia.
Meanwhile, 53° Stormo's 151° Gruppo had been sent to Libya in July 1940, and it saw considerable action in North Africa until returning to Italy in January 1942. 150° Gruppo had also been sent to North Africa in early 1941, the unit having by then re-equipped with Macchi C.200s. Operations against Malta followed during the summer of 1942, when 53° Stormo was issued with Macchi C.202s.
As the Allies gained ground in North Africa in late 1942, and then launched a series of offensives in the Mediterranean, numerous Italian fighter units were pulled back to defend the homeland, and amongst these was 53° Stormo, which was issued with 50+ Bf 109Gs sourced from Jagdgeschwader 53 in early 1943.
After flying defensive operations over Sicily and Pantellaria, 53° Stormo fought its final actions over Rome, Torino and Milan. 150° Gruppo claimed its final kill on 8 September 1943, and this also proved to be the last victory credited to the Regia Aeronautica prior to Italy's surrender the following day.
With firsthand accounts sourced from the archives, numerous period photos and colorful artwork, this books further broadens the coverage of Osprey's Elite Units series.
With France defeated, the Regia Aeronautica turned its attention to Greece, and 53° Stormo's 150° Gruppo was again in the forefront of the action against RAF Gladiators - the unit also operated over Yugoslavia.
Meanwhile, 53° Stormo's 151° Gruppo had been sent to Libya in July 1940, and it saw considerable action in North Africa until returning to Italy in January 1942. 150° Gruppo had also been sent to North Africa in early 1941, the unit having by then re-equipped with Macchi C.200s. Operations against Malta followed during the summer of 1942, when 53° Stormo was issued with Macchi C.202s.
As the Allies gained ground in North Africa in late 1942, and then launched a series of offensives in the Mediterranean, numerous Italian fighter units were pulled back to defend the homeland, and amongst these was 53° Stormo, which was issued with 50+ Bf 109Gs sourced from Jagdgeschwader 53 in early 1943.
After flying defensive operations over Sicily and Pantellaria, 53° Stormo fought its final actions over Rome, Torino and Milan. 150° Gruppo claimed its final kill on 8 September 1943, and this also proved to be the last victory credited to the Regia Aeronautica prior to Italy's surrender the following day.
With firsthand accounts sourced from the archives, numerous period photos and colorful artwork, this books further broadens the coverage of Osprey's Elite Units series.
128 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2010
6 people want to read
About the author
Marco Mattioli
12 booksMarco Mattioli was born in 1966 in Rome. Since his youth, he always showed a deep interest in military history. In 1992 he entered the Italian National Association of Journalists and started working as a contributor to some important Italian magazines specialized in defense and military history.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 22, 2011
This is a book in the Osprey series "Aviation Elite Units." The focus here? An Italian Air Force wing (in Italian, Stormo). A stormo was based, at the lowest level, was the squadron (about 9 planes); two to three squadrons (squadriglie in Italian) made up a group (Gruppo). Two or more gruppi comprised a Stormo.
the 53 Stormo was constituted in the 1930s, comprised of biplanes (pictures on pages 6-8 well illustrate). There are also nice renderings of aircraft flown by the Stormo over time on pages 68-77 (including some German-made fighters).
By the outbreak of World War II, this air wing began to be supplied with a monoplane, CR.42. The first actions were in France and the Balkans. Later service began in the latter part of 1940, when the stormo deployed to Africa. Here, they engaged with elements of the British Air Force, with mixed success. The Stormo was deactivateds in earlry 1941 and was reformed in early 1942. The new theater of war? The central Mediterranean, including Sicily. Losses ended up being heavy.
Its active involvement ended with the Italian surrender.
A useful unit history, nicely detailed and introducing the reader to many of the pilots and their leaders.
the 53 Stormo was constituted in the 1930s, comprised of biplanes (pictures on pages 6-8 well illustrate). There are also nice renderings of aircraft flown by the Stormo over time on pages 68-77 (including some German-made fighters).
By the outbreak of World War II, this air wing began to be supplied with a monoplane, CR.42. The first actions were in France and the Balkans. Later service began in the latter part of 1940, when the stormo deployed to Africa. Here, they engaged with elements of the British Air Force, with mixed success. The Stormo was deactivateds in earlry 1941 and was reformed in early 1942. The new theater of war? The central Mediterranean, including Sicily. Losses ended up being heavy.
Its active involvement ended with the Italian surrender.
A useful unit history, nicely detailed and introducing the reader to many of the pilots and their leaders.
Displaying 1 of 1 review