21. Gruppo CT (354. a 355. Squadriglie)

21 Gruppo CT (354th and 355th Squadriglie)

Date
Airport
country
aircraft
6/10/40
Ciampino Sud
Italy
CR 32
8/4/40
Naples, Aeroporto Militare del Campo di Marte di Ugo Niutto /
Italy
CR 32, MC 200 and G 50
4/12/42
Bari, Aeroporto di Bari /
Italy
MC 200
5/4/42
Otopeni?
Romania
MC 200
5/4/42
Stalino
Russia
MC 200
7/42
Voroshilovgrad
Russia
MC 200
7/9/42
Makeyevka
Russia
MC 200
7/24/74
Voroshilovgrad
Russia
MC 200 and MC 202
1/22/43
Stalino
Russia
MC 200 and MC 202
1/43
Zaporozhye
Russia
MC 200 and MC 202
2/43
Odessa
Russia
MC 200 and MC 202
5/43
Zagabria
Jugoslavie
MC 200 and MC 202
5/15/43
Firenze
Italy
MC 200
6/43
Capua
Italy
MC 200
6/23/43Rilievo, Aeroporto di Trapani-Chinisia / SicilyMC 200
7/15/43
Palermo?
Sicily
MC 200
7/16/43
Manduria
Italy
MC 200
7/24/43
Pescara
Italy
MC 200
8/6/43
Gioia del Colle, Aeroporto di Gioia del Colle /
Italy
MC 200
URL : https://www.valka.cz/21-Gruppo-CT-354-a-355-Squadriglie-t30568#110705 Version : 0
Status on 10 June 1940


Numerical strength of the 21st Gruppo


354. Squadriglie 9 G. 50, 1 Cr. 32, 1 Ca 133
355. Squadriglie 9 G. 50, 1 Cr. 32, 1 Ca 133
356. Squadriglie 9 G. 50, 1 Cr. 32, 1 Ca 133



subordinate to 51. Stormo C.T.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/21-Gruppo-CT-354-a-355-Squadriglie-t30568#111551 Version : 0
21. Gruppo Autonomo


The 21st Gruppo originally moved from the 51st Storm to the 52nd. Storm in September 1940, and then became a separate unit by October. Armed with a mixture of CR.32 and MC.200, the Gruppo remained in air defence operations at Naples, then at Bari before being moved to Stalin in May 1942, on the eastern front near Rostov-on-Don.
The posting to the USSR to replace the depleted 22nd Gruppo before Stalingrad, resulted in almost a year on the Eastern Front. For several months the 21st Gruppo operated from an airfield near Voroshilovgrad, providing air cover for the Italian troops - especially during the crossing of the Don and the subsequent advance to Stalingrad. The unit received a dozen MC.202s in September, but they were not used very often due to weather and breakdowns. Winter effectively grounded the unit, and the last few flights were made from Miller Airfield by 17 January 1943. Five days after that, the unit moved to Stalin and prepared to move to the homeland, leaving behind 15 unserviceable machines.
The 21st Gruppo achieved 74 kills with MC.200 on the Eastern Front, losing 15 aircraft in aerial combat or accidents.
Back in Italy, the 21st Gruppo again received the MC.202 and after two months training was transferred to Sicily in June 1943. By August 1943 less than a dozen operational MC.202s remained at Gioia del Colle airfield.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/21-Gruppo-CT-354-a-355-Squadriglie-t30568#140701 Version : 0
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