Three Italians in one day...OR...Which one did my grandfather shoot down?

[mrfahrenheit]

On April 25, 1944, three Italian G.55s were shot down by P-47s of the 318th FS (325th FG).

As the following link shows, three of them went down, with only one (Toressi) being for sure claimed:

Italian biplane fighter aces - Giulio Torresi

My grandfather, Joseph Harper, had a probable on that date, and shot down one of the two remaining Italian losses (either Biagini or Tarantola).

To me, it sounds like the other American kill (by Emmert) was south of Turin. Between 2000 and 2003, all three of these crashes have been recovered. So, it should be possible to deduce which plane was credited to my grandfather, Harper.



Does anyone have maps of the locations of the crashes? Because, I would think, if of the two non-Toressi crash sites, one was more northern, that would be the one claimed by my grandfather.

Any information into this is much appreciated! Thanks!

cjb

[Marcogrifo]

Hi mrfahrenheit,

If I can I'd suggest you to post your request also on this forum: 150GCT Forums-Storia dell'Aviazione

IMO, it's a good place where to put your question and is often read by Mr. Ferdinando D'Amico (nick: veltro) who is the author of one of the best (if not the best) book about ANR (Camouflage and Markings of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana - 1943-45), the RSI airforce that fought allies in the skies of northern Italy during 1944-45.
It worth a try, anyway

Of course, you can easily post in english.
Posting requires registration.

Cheers

[mrfahrenheit]

Thank you! I will post my question there as soon as my registration is finalized. Thank you again for your help.

[Maximowitz]

Thank you! I will post my question there as soon as my registration is finalized. Thank you again for your help.

Hi, you're the chap who posted over on the TOCH forum about Hartmann shooting down your grandfather I believe?

[mrfahrenheit]

Hi, you're the chap who posted over on the TOCH forum about Hartmann shooting down your grandfather I believe?

Yes, I'm the same chap.

A fellow who wrote a book about said Italian squadron just sent me a map of the three crashes, with the northern-most being Tarantola. So, until I can research the thing further, I would guess that this is the one my grandfather claimed as a probable. The gentleman who emailed me said that early on in the research for his book, he realized that Harper's was not a probably, but rather a full kill.

Thank you all in advance for any further light you can shed on this!

[Maximowitz]

Pleased to hear you are getting some answers, family history becoming alive as it were.


As for Hartmann having any surviving gun camera footage of the event... doubtful. The GAF being in such dire straits at the time would seem to preclude such things. But who knows...stranger things have appeared.

[mrfahrenheit]

It's crazy. I've used the internet for everything from music to fiction to effects pedals all these years, and have kept myself stuck away in libraries as far as my WWII obsessions go, and I've learned more in a short while online than I ever did among the stacks.

As for Hartmann's gun camera, I only wondered as at the other place (that you mentioned), they had the kill listed as a particular film number. I'm sure those are lost. But I had to ask.

Thanks again.

I hope that there are things I can help you all out with.

cjb