Aer Macchi C.202 - 205 Folgore - Veltro

By Richard Caruana

With the introduction into service of the Macchi C.202 Folgore and the C.205 Veltro the Regia Aeronautica finally caught up with the major combatants of WWII. This was mainly thanks to the licence production of the Daimler-Benz BD.60I and 605 in-line liquid-cooled engines. The C.202 and C.205 are considered to be the most elegant fighters ever produced in Italy, and proved to be excellent dogfighters possessing superb speed and manoeuvrability. While the C.202 was widely employed within the Italian air force during the two years of combat between its introduction in July 1941 and Italy's Armistice of 8 September 1943, the C.205 saw limited service after its introduction. It was to become a protagonist once more in Northern Italy serving with the ANR.