Newsgroup: it.cultura.storia.militare
Titolo: Sunderland abbattuto in Libia 1940

Un amico mi chiede informazioni in merito al seguente
episodio:
At dawn on 21 June 1940, a Shorts Sunderland from 230
Squadron appeared over Tobruk harbour. Sergente Roberto
Steppi of the 84a Squadriglia took off immediately and
intercepted the seaplane 20 kilometres north of Tobruk were
it already was under attack of two CR.32s flown by Tenente
Ranieri Piccolomini and Tenente Giorgio Savoia of the 92a
Squadriglia, which had scrambled from Tobruk "T2" at 04:30.
Diving on the Sunderland, Steppi opened fire aiming at the
cockpit but after two bursts of fire his guns jammed and he
was obliged to leave the pursuit.
Tenente Lucchini of the 90a Squadriglia took off after Steppi
and joined the fight, following the Sunderland far out over
open sea and leaving it off coast with two engines smoking.
Neither Lucchini nor Steppi claimed any victory but, two days
later, on 23 June, news arrived from the Navy base at Bardia,
that the Sunderland, heavily damaged, had been obliged to ditch
in the sea off the coast and had been captured with all the crew
dead except from the pilot, who was wounded. The victory
was assigned to the four pilots collectively although it should
be attributed to Lucchini.
This was the first reported Italian meeting with the lumbering
Sunderland and its overall dimensions made a strong impression
on them. Asked about his feelings during the combat, the
"Archduke", as Piccolomini was playfully nicknamed by
his comrades, stated graphically - "That was not a plane, that
was a tram".
The loss of a Sunderland can't be verified with RAF records
and it was reported that a Sunderland from 230 Squadron was
attacked at 05:40 near Tobruk and returned to base lightly damaged,
claiming one of its attackers shot down. The first Sunderland loss
in the Mediterranean wasn't reported until 6 August 1940.
Fonte   
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_lucchini.htm
Qualcuno è in grado di fornire ulteriori informazioni?
L'abbattimento del 21 giugno è effettivamente avvenuto, o no?
-- 
Davide
"Solo se la vostra visione va oltre quella del vostro maestro,
siete adatti per ricevere e tramandare la trasmissione."
(Massima Zen)


Una buona domanda che dovrebbe da parte nostra avere una risposta, riporto  
quando descritto a pag. 31 da "2° Stormo" di G. Strada Roma 1975:
"Il 21 giugno, alle ore 04.30, il Ten. Piccolini e il Ten. Savoia della  
92° Squadriglia con i loro Cr 32 partono su allarme e nel cielo di tobruk  
intercettano, attaccano e abbattono, dopo un breve ma aspro combattimento,  
un quadrimotore del tipo Sunderland."
ora se mi venite a domandare "e' effettivamente stato abbattuto ?", sono  
molto dubbioso un quadrimotore sunderland contro due cr32 che avevano  
quasi la stessa velocità ( tenuto conto che il reparto aveva gravi  
deficenze in fatto di personale e ricambi) armati solo con le una-due ( se  
funzionavano) safat.....

 safat.....
L'ho pensato anch'io. Anche perchè mi pare strano che la RAF si
dimentichi di aver perso un Sunderland.
Aggiungo però che Courage Alone non solo cita questo abbattimento
del 21 giugno (accreditandolo all'8° Gruppo CT), ma addirittura
scrive che il medesimo reparto abbattè un secondo Sunderland a
Bardia il 3 luglio!
Da ricerche svolte, so che alla nostra entrata in guerra solo il 230 sqdn
aveva i Sunderland. Rinforzato "poco dopo" dal 228 Sqdn (che perse
l'aereo del 6 agosto). Quindi entrambi i primi abbattimenti, se sono
davvero avvenuti, erano a danno del 230 Sqdn. credo.



Devo documentarmi, allora da quel che leggo di sfuggita dal testo di  
Malizia  Shores e Cull "Malta The hurricanne Years" la 230 basata ad  
Alessandria aveva come seconda base d'appoggio Malta a riprova una foto  
scattata il 5 luglio 1940 con Latecoere 298B a Kalafrana. in giungo la Sq.  
dovrebbe essere a Mersa Matruh, mesi dopo arrivo' la 228ima
Interessante questo passaggio a pag.39:
"24--28/7/40
Sunderland flyingboats from 230 Squadron also began to operate over the  
seas around Malta at this time, their first engagement with Sicily-based  
aircraft being reported on 24 July when Sqn.Ldr. Ryley's big aircraft was  
intercepted by a single MC200, but drove it off without damage. A much  
more violent series of clashes took place four days later however. Early  
on 28 July Sqn.Ldr. Ryley lifted L5804 off Kalafrana Bay to reconnoitre  
the Sicilian coastal areas. He arrived off Syracuse at 1048 and at 1105  
was attacked by three MC200s of the 6° Gruppo Autonomo C,T, which, with  
the ban on their operational use now lifted, had taken off for a  
reconnaissance over Malta. The flyingboat crew reported being attacked by  
four fighters, and claimed that they had succeeded in shooting down one in  
flames and driven off the rest during a 57 minute running fight. No loss  
was actually sustained by the Italians, but the Sunderland did not escape  
unscathed on this occasion, suffering extensive damage, and with three of  
the gunners wounded. L.A.C. DA Campbell climbed into the wing to plug  
holes in the tanks, remaining there until he passed out due to petrol  
fumes. He was revived - by bullet splinters which struck him! A 'Daily  
Mail' correspondent, Alex Clifford, was also aboard and rendered  
considerable assistance, manning one of the guns after the gunner had been  
wounded; it was believed that he had gained hits on one of the attacking  
Macchis. The flyingboat limped back to Malta, put down on the water, and  
was at once beached by the pilot to prevent its sinking.
At 1550 Flt.Lt. Garside took off in Sunderland L2160, also heading for  
Sicily, where he bombed a submarine off Cap Spartivento, Calabria (not to  
be confused with Cap Spartivento, Sardinia). At 1640 this aircraft too was  
attacked by a trio of MC200s, but after their first pass one was reported  
to have broken away with smoke pouring from the engine. The other two  
attacked again, but this time the rear gunner thought he saw his fire  
striking one fighter, which appeared to break up and fall into the sea.  
Following this the third withdrew, and the Sunderland continued its patrol  
having suffered no damage. There does seem to have been a little wishful  
thinking on this occasion too, for once more the Macchis - again from the  
6° Gruppo - all returned unscathed. During the day a third 'boat' flown by  
Flg.Off, A.M.G. Lywood was attacked by two CR 42s, but no damage was  
suffered. This series of running battles was widelypublicised in the  
British Press shortly afterwards - mainly thanks to the opportune presence  
of the war cor­respondent in Ryley's aircraft. As a result the Sunderland  
received the popular ­and very journalistic - nickname of 'The Flying  
Porcupine'."
c'e' da menzionare che un equipaggio della 230Sq. venendo abbattuto nel  
dicembre del 1941 dalla caccia tedesca ritornando verso le proprie linee  
fece prigionieri 130 italiani...
-- 
Creato con il rivoluzionario client e-mail di Opera:  
http://www.opera.com/mail/


[........]
La prima perdita di un Sunderland nel mediterraneo è appunto del 6 agosto
(Sundeland N9025/Y del 228 sqn), costretto ad ammarare dopo uno scontro con
3 Cr42. Prima di tale data nessuna perdita.
Jaco