Fiat G50bis 351 squadriglia 155 gruppo C.T. Ain El Gazala April-Dicember 1941

March 26, 2021

After the campaign over the Channel, the 351 squadriglia entered in the 155 gruppo since half april and with the other 2 squadriglia (360 and 378) moved to Ain el Gazala till December 1941, flying G50bis (bis was the "Trop" version, so called A.S.) and this squadriglia had the shield with the Hunter painted close to a palm tree.

Reference: Bancarella Aeronautica - Regia Aeronautica Caccia & Assalto pag 65 (painting), Bancarella Aeronautica - Ali d'Italia - Fiat G50 (picture) pag 22

Skin provided by E69 Julian (gained his permission), modified by me.

A) Group Commander Magg. Luigi Bianchi, pilot Flying-teacher since 1933, he had as student Deutsche pilots Galland and Molders and even Finnish pilots over G50; he was a Spain Volunteer pilot (closed this campaign with 2 I-16 shot down), became Group Commander in 1941 and soon sent to Libian front, where he fought for 11 months, shot down 2 more planes. Gained 1 Bronze medal, 4 Silver Medals, I and II German Iron Cross, ended his career as Wing Commander of modern Aeronautica Militare with the rank of General.

Luigi Bianchi (militare) - Wikipedia

Download https://www.mediafire.com/file/9661lcjt4pgcd84/1941-08-26+G-50+Magg+Luigi+Bianchi+Cte+gr+155+till+Dec+Ain+el+Gazala_.png/file

ATTENTION: contains fasces and Savoy Royal house, don't use it if hurt yourself

Edited June 8, 2023 by ITA-SUP-Bigans

March 28, 2021

Actually, this is the only picture I found for 1941 of 155 group C.T. and it was 360, one of the 2 other squadriglia of the unit.

From 1941 a new skin was the default one out of factories.

See the following skin, we called it marmorizzata (marbled), it was a three colour, sand, brown and green, under fusolage and wings light blu gray. unfortunatly I did not find something more close to the original picture. In June 1941 Luftwaffe imposed the yellow nose over engine and in August was definetly imposed the fasci up/down the wings neutral background.

So the skin painted at page 242 af book Courage Alone Fiat G 50 sq 351 is wrong!

The true picture of marmorizzata is at page 239 of the same book and it was painted on a new plane exit by factory in 1941.

The paint more closer to the real picture is here Colori e schemi mimetici Regia Aeronautica _ Orlee PLus

I hope someone make a template like the one in the previous link.

Edited June 7, 2023 by ITA-SUP-Bigans

June 7, 2023

B) n.12 sq 351 gr 155 C.T. S.Ten Aristide Sarti, 2 bronze medals, 2 silver medals, war cross, KIA by 3 P 47 in 1945 flying a Me109g6, defending north italian cities by carpet bombings by Allied.

https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristide_Sarti