The Smithsonian’s Macchi C.202

There is a Macchi C.202 Folgore suspended from the ceiling in the World War II gallery at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC. It is one of the 3 remaining C.202s. The other 2 are on display in the Italian Air Force Museum in Vigna di Valle.[i] The service history of the Smithsonian’s C.202 is unknown. It was sent to the U.S. Army’s Technical Service Command at Wright Field, Ohio and assigned the Foreign Evaluation number FE-498. National Air & Space Museum technicians restored the aircraft in 1975. The aircraft was given the markings of the Regina Aeronautica’s 4⁰ Stormo, 10⁰ Gruppo, 90⁰ Squadriglia. The unit was active from 1940 until the end of World War II. 4⁰ Stormo claimed 500 victories.[ii] Aviation Historian Christopher Shores wrote, “Regina Aeronautica claims bore very little resemblance to the reality of the situation.”[iii] The C.202’s left wing is 21 centimeters longer than its right wing. The longer wing counteracted the airplane’s torque and propeller factor and lessened the tendency of the aircraft to swing on takeoff.[iv] The C.202’s engine was an Alfa Romeo R. A. 1000 R. C. 411 Monsonie, which was a license-built Diamler-Benz DB 601.

The C.202 made its first flight on August 10, 1940. C.202s began frontline service in July 1941. C.202 production ended in 1944.[v] Postwar versions of the Folgores were equipped with the more powerful Diamler-Benz DB 605 engine and redesignated the C.205 Veltros. The C.205 continued service until the Egyptian Air Force retired them in 1949.[vi] With a top speed of 372 mph[vii] and good maneuverability it was better than many of the Allied fighters in front line service in the Mediterranean Theater. It was deficient in firepower. Its twin 12.7 mm machine guns were inadequate against fighters and almost useless against bombers. A few C.202s were later fitted with two additional 7.9 mm machine guns, still inadequate. A few were later fitted with two 20mm cannons which gave them respectable firepower.

[i] Warbirds Directory by John Chapman & Geoff Goodall, © December 1992.

[ii] National Air & Space Museum web site: (http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19600332000)

[iii] Air Aces by Christopher Shores, © 1983 Bison Books, Page 7.

[iv] National Air & Space Museum web site: (http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19600332000)

[v] Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide, by Tony Holmes, © 2005 Harper Collins Publishers 2005.

[vi] National Air & Space Museum web site: (http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19600332000)

[vii] Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide, by Tony Holmes, © 2005 Harper Collins Publishers 2005.

• September 30, 1941 – Sottotenente Frigerio shot down an RAF Hurricane piloted by a Lieutenant Lintern. Later that day C.202 pilots Tenente Luigi Tessari and Sargento Raffaello Novelli shot down a Fulmar, despite a 5 Hurricane escort. The Fulmar was looking for Lt. Lintern, he was never found. Two seaplanes rescued the Fulmar crew.[i]
• November 26 – In an air combat with RAF Hurricanes the C.202s shot down 3 Hurricanes, another 2 made crash landings at their base. The Hurricanes shot down 2 Macchis.[ii]
• June 15, 1943 – Twenty C.202s attacked bomber formations of B-17s, B-25s, & B-26s, that had a P-38 escort. The C.202 pilots claimed a 4 engine bomber and a twin engine bomber. First Lieutenants Ray Crawford and Richard A. Campbell each shot down a C.202.[iii]
• June 24 – Two C.202s claimed to have shot down a twin-engine Allied aircraft.
• July 5 – Macchi C.202s engaged USAAF aircraft over Sicily. Capitano Franco Lucchini, an ace credited with 26 kills in World War II and Spain, fell to the guns of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Witnesses claimed Lucchini shot down an American fighter during this battle. The fighter escort shot down and killed Leonardo Ferrulli, another ace with 23 kills to his credit. Witnesses report he shot down 2 American fighters. [iv]
• January 30, 1944 – 60 P-47s flew under radar and attacked the Villaorba airfield. The P-47s claimed almost 38 Axis aircraft including 6 C.202s.[v]

[i] Asisbiz (http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/MC-202/Macchi-MC202-Folgore.html)

[ii] Asisbiz (http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/MC-202/Macchi-MC202-Folgore.html)

[iii] Fifty-Three Stormo⁰ by Marco Mattioli (https://books.google.com/books?id=e2ao-InmCeYC&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105&dq=c.202+kills&source=bl&ots=sABOXh_Awc&sig=AgB-3xoVFAU1SOa29FmYr8pTaSo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEEQ6AEwCWoVChMIyuP8np7KyAIVS2s-Ch18rQzL#v=onepage&q&f=false)

[iv] Fighter Aces by Christopher Shores, © The Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited 1975, Page 111.

[v] Fifteenth Air Force Story by Kenn C. Rust, © Historical Aviation Album 1976.