The C.205 Veltro ("Greyhound") is considered the best Italian fighter of World War II. It was said that in the hands of a good pilot, it could defeat any allied plane. When the prototype of the Veltro was built, there were two other planes competing for the same contract: the Fiat G. 55 Centauro and the Reggiane Re 2005 Sagittario. The Veltro was faster at medium and low altitude than it's competitors and it was sturdier. Despite the fact that it carried heavier armament, it was found to be just as maneuverable as its competitors. The main drawback was that the wings were shaped like those developed for the Saetta, an earlier design that lacked the same flying characteristics as the Veltro. The Veltro flew first in 1942 and began being incorporated into fighter squadrons a year later. The plane was never mass produced because Italy capitulated in late 1943. Interestingly, the fighter was used to some extent by the Co-Belligerant Force with the Allies and the Aviazioni National R.S.I., the fascist supporters of Mussolini, after Italy fell. The aircraft was also flown by the Egyptian Air Force during the Israeli War for Independence in 1948.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale diecast replica of an Italian Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana Macchi C.205 Veltro fighter that was piloted by Luigi Gorrini, who was attached to 1 Squadriglia "Asso di Bastoni," 1 Gruppo Caccia, during 1944. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 4-1/4-inches
Length: 3-1/2-inches

Release Date: October 2019

Historical Account: "Loyal to the Fatherland" - The National Republican Air Force (Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, or ANR) was the air force of the Italian Social Republic during World War II, closely linked with the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) in northern Italy.

This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of the region, intercepting Allied bombers en route to southern Germany and the allied and occupied territories of the Axis, and giving close support to German and Italian land forces. Later during the war various units served with German forces based at Spilve, near Riga (Reichskommissariat Ostland), on the northern Russian Front, amongst others in the central and south area (Crimea) on the front.

The ANR, after the 1943 armistice that divided Italy, received numbers of Italian aircraft, later augmented with their own local production, and further aircraft from Germany. This force was opposed to the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, or ACI, or Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud), the Italian pro-Allied air force, though they never actually met in combat.

Combat operations began in December 1943, leading, in the following January, to the attack performed by the 1st Squadriglia "Asso di Bastoni", against a formation of US P-38 Lightnings, three of which were shot down. Starting from June 1944, ANR started to receive Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6s for its fighter force. From October 1944 to February 1945, when the 1st Fighter Group "Asso di Bastoni" returned from training in Germany, 2nd Fighter Group "Gigi Tre Osei" was the only ANR fighter unit active in the defence of the northern Italian territory. From mid-1944, the casualty ratio started to outbalance the victories of the Italian pilots. The last interception missions were carried on April 19th, 1945.

Bomber units included the Gruppo Aerosiluranti "Buscaglia Faggioni", led by Carlo Faggioni and entitled to Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia who, at the time, was presumed dead but was instead held in an Allied Prisoner of War camp and later fought with the Aeronautica Cobelligerante. The unit, using old Savoia-Marchetti SM.79, performed several raids against the Allied bridgehead of Anzio. Its only two recorded victories were the sinking of a British transport ship north of Benghazi (at the time the group was based in Greece), and an enemy cargo vessel off Rimini on February 5th, 1945.