In our previous article, we presented the Fiat CR.42 Falco aircraft. Now let’s learn something more about the pilots of the three versions included in the WW2 Wings of Glory Airplane Packs: the Italians Luigi Gorrini and Vito Rinaldi (Regia Aeronautica), and the German Feldwebel Hors Gressler (Lutwaffe). Luigi Gorrini Born in July 1917 in Piacenza, Italy, Luigi Gorrini joined the Regia Aeronautica in 1937 and …
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was the most famous WW2 Italian fighter, and the most widely used, with more than 1,780 aircrafts built. It was the last development of the Fiat biplane fighters produced by the engineer Celestino Rosatelli (CR was the acronym for “Caccia Rosatelli”), started with the CR.1 in 1923. The CR.42 was highly maneuverable and sturdy, and even if it was outdated compared to …
Captain Gambier smiled grimly as HMS Defence slid neatly into the space between Mucius and Tourville. She had withstood their broadsides coming in – a gritty thing – and now Defence was in position to rake both French vessels simultaneously, and from close range! Gambier had anticipated that he would not be in a position to fire his guns before he was up close, and had …
Captain Richard Bowen felt HMS Terpsichore heel over hard as his orders to pack on sail were swiftly carried out by his crack crew. The sail his watch had spotted earlier was closing fast – it was a Spanish Frigate, about the same size and weight as Terpsichore, and it looked to be moving into a fighting position, with its hopes of running into Cartagena dwindling. …
Captain James Gambier scowled across the water at the signal flags flying from Admiral Graves’ Royal Sovereign. Rather than Follow Ahead, the typical maneuver one expected to break the French line, Admiral Graves was signaling for the Squadron to Engage the Enemy – to turn and close with the ships closest to him – passing between them and racking both. This was a dangerous maneuver – …
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