Garz, Austria – January 1941

Tenente Giulio Moretti sat in the cockpit of his AU.296 Aquila, running through his pre-flight checks as the icy wind howled across the airfield. The twelve aircraft of 237ª Squadriglia had spent the past month training alongside the Luftwaffe, learning precision dive-bombing techniques. Their German instructors had been skeptical at first—Italy's track record with ground-attack planes was unimpressive. But the Aquila was different.

Based on the rugged Arado Ar 196 airframe, it had been heavily modified for dive-bombing. Its retractable landing gear, strengthened wings, and powerful Fiat A-74 R.C.38 radial engine made it tough and maneuverable. It carried a deadly payload—two MG FF 20mm cannons, three MG 17 7.92mm machine guns, and a central bomb trapeze capable of delivering surgical strikes with 500kg bombs. Even the Germans were beginning to respect it.

"Giulio, I hope you're ready," said his gunner and navigator, Sottotenente Luca Ferrara, climbing into the rear seat. "We're moving to Sicily next week. The real war begins soon."

Giulio smirked, throttling up. "Let's show them what the Aquila can do."

March 1941 – Over the Mediterranean

Giulio leveled out over the churning sea, scanning the horizon. Below, British convoy MW6 steamed toward Malta, escorted by Royal Navy warships. From the sunlit clouds, 237ª Squadriglia began its dive.

The Aquilas nosed down at a near-vertical angle, air screaming past as Giulio lined up his bombsight on a British destroyer. Flak erupted around him, black smoke bursts rattling the aircraft.

"Steady... bomba via!"

The 500kg bomb detached, slicing through the air before slamming into the ship's deck. A fiery explosion engulfed the forward turret. Giulio yanked back on the stick, the Aquila shuddering as it pulled out of the dive.

"Direct hit!" Luca whooped.

The rest of the squadron delivered similar devastation—merchant ships burned, ammunition detonated, and chaos reigned below.

But danger loomed. Dark specks approached from the north.

"Gloster Gladiators, six o'clock!" Luca yelled.

The old British biplanes were slower than the Aquila, but they were nimble dogfighters. Most Italian bombers would have been easy prey. But Giulio's Aquila was not most bombers.

The Gladiators dove in, their .303 Browning machine guns flashing. Giulio rolled hard to the right, dodging the first burst. Luca fired his twin MG 17s, sending a stream of bullets into the lead British fighter.

"Got him!" Luca shouted as the Gladiator spiraled into the sea.

Giulio lined up another target. The Aquila's 20mm cannons spat fire, tearing through fabric and aluminum. The biplane disintegrated in midair.

Seeing their comrades fall, the remaining British pilots disengaged. 237ª Squadriglia had proven itself—not just as a dive bomber unit, but as a deadly aerial force.

As they flew back to Sicily, Luca laughed over the radio. "I think even the Luftwaffe is impressed now!"

Giulio smirked. "Let's hope we get a tougher challenge next time."

April 1941 – The Balkans

From Sicily, the Aquilas had moved to Greece and Yugoslavia, where they excelled at blasting enemy fortifications, artillery positions, and convoys. Their precision dive-bombing was instrumental in breaking Greek and Yugoslav defenses.

By late 1941, Giulio and Luca found themselves in North Africa, but here, the Aquila struggled. Allied Spitfires and P-40 Warhawks dominated the skies, and despite its firepower, the Aquila was too slow to survive against modern fighters. Losses mounted.

After Rommel's defeat at El Alamein, what remained of 237ª Squadriglia was pulled from Africa and sent to the Eastern Front.

Stalingrad, 1943

The harsh Russian winter was unlike anything Giulio had ever known. Snow blanketed the landscape, and the AU.296s were caked in ice each morning. But the Aquila thrived in the Eastern Front's brutal ground-attack role.

"Convoy ahead!" Luca called out.

Giulio banked, spotting Soviet T-34 tanks moving across the frozen plains. He signaled the attack.

Twelve Aquilas dived like falcons, their bombs and 20mm cannons shattering the Soviet advance. MG 17s raked infantry positions. The attack was devastating, but as Giulio pulled up, he spotted new threats—Yak-9 fighters approaching fast.

"Here they come!" Luca shouted.

A deadly chase began. Giulio jinked left and right, trying to shake the Soviet fighters. Luca fired the rear MGs, scoring a hit, sending a Yak tumbling to the ground.

But they were outnumbered. Tracer rounds ripped into the fuselage. The Fiat A-74 engine sputtered.

"We're not going to make it!" Luca yelled.

Smoke filled the cockpit as Giulio fought the dying controls. He aimed for a frozen lake near German lines.

"Hold on!"

The Aquila crashed onto the ice, skidding before coming to a stop. Giulio groaned, unstrapping himself. He turned to Luca, who clutched his bleeding arm.

"You good?"

"I'll live," Luca said weakly.

From the distance, German half-tracks approached. They had survived.

As Giulio stepped from the wreckage, he turned to look at the battered AU.296. It had carried them through Malta, the Balkans, North Africa, and the Eastern Front. Now, it lay broken, its wings shattered.

Luca gave him a weak smile. "Think they'll give us a new one?"

Giulio sighed, placing a hand on the aircraft's fuselage one last time.

"Maybe. But none will ever be like this."

As German medics took them away, the Aquila laid to rest in the snow.

Arado Flugzeugwerke worked in co-operation with Aeronautica Umbra to build a capable ground attack/dive bomber. Called the AU.296 "Aquila".
By 1940, the Wermarcht was realising that the Regia Aeronautica was vastly less capable than originally thought, particularly in ground attack roles where aircraft such as the Savoia-Marchetti SM.85 and Breda Ba.88 proved to be especially dissapointing. This was seen as strategically troubling for Germany , as their main ally was unable to provide suitable support. To remedy this, state-owned Arado Flugzeugwerke was tasked with giving support and guidence to Italian manufacturers to create a modern and capable ground attack aircraft. Aeronautica Umbra was chosen to support Arado due to its low design workload, with a capacity to mass produce aircraft. To speed up the design process, the main airframe was based on the successful and rugged Arado AR.196. The main modifications were the removal of sea plane features such as the floats and wing folding mechanisms. New features included retractable undercarridge, wing strengthening and a central bomb trapize for dive bombing missions, also the main flaps could also serve as dive brakes. To further aid local manufacturability, the BMW-132W was replaced with the Fiat A-74 R.C.38. By October 1940, the first prototype made its maiden flight over Foligno. They type showed favourable handeling characteristics and could pull out of a dive well. The top speed of 292mph was reached in level flight. In January 1941, the first squadron of 12 aircraft with their crews were sent to Garaz in Austria to train with the Luftwaffe in ground attack and dive-bombimg opperations. Upon their return, the Au.296 Aquilas of 237 squadriglia were transferred to  Sicily to take part in the seige of Malta. Their sugical strikes on allied shipping, gun batterys and radar installations impressed the Lufwaffe. The Aqulia often outperformed its escorts of Fiat  CR.42s and Macchi C.200s in dogfights due to the AU.296's armament of x2 20mm MG FF cannon and x3 7.92mm MG.17s. The AU.296's notoriety grew even further in the Balkans campaign. The Eastern front was the Aquila's swan song where it achieved a supposed aerial kill ratio of 12:1, as well as being a formidible anti tank weapon. Success in North Africa was limited by the Allied air power and was obviously outclassed so the type was diverted to the Eastern front where it was much better suited. After the collapse of the Regia Aeronautica, AU.296's were seized by Germany and handed over to the Romanian airforce to continue fighting for the rest of the war.

Excellent camo job and back story!   

Cool.

Quote from: DogfighterZen on February 07, 2025, 04:43:38 PMExcellent camo job and back story!   

Thank you very much! It took over two hours to paint the spots and I had to take a break because my eyes started going funny   

That's looking very good, well done. Also had the idea of an Ar 196 with a landing gear (leftover from a float donor...), never expected that an Italian livery would suit it so well.   

I like that, well spotted.

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on February 09, 2025, 02:22:16 AMThat's looking very good, well done. Also had the idea of an Ar 196 with a landing gear (leftover from a float donor...), never expected that an Italian livery would suit it so well.   

Thanks Dizzy! I wasn't sure whether to do spatted landing gear or not, but I think it would definitely look good.

This is my first ever Italian aircraft, so it was nice and different for me. I initially thought about French, Japanese or British schemes, but they have all been done in the real world.

Only two hours for the spots?
Thats speed painting dude.

Fabulous.
 

A cracking model and an even more cracking backstory!.     

 

Quote from: RAFF-35 on February 09, 2025, 02:50:38 AMThanks Dizzy! I wasn't sure whether to do spatted landing gear or not, but I think it would definitely look good.

This is my first ever Italian aircraft, so it was nice and different for me. I initially thought about French, Japanese or British schemes, but they have all been done in the real world.

Italy was agreat choice - and I have/had the same thoughts like you: spatted wheels or a retractable landing gear? Jury is still out. 

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on February 10, 2025, 12:53:28 AM

Quote from: RAFF-35 on February 09, 2025, 02:50:38 AMThanks Dizzy! I wasn't sure whether to do spatted landing gear or not, but I think it would definitely look good.

This is my first ever Italian aircraft, so it was nice and different for me. I initially thought about French, Japanese or British schemes, but they have all been done in the real world.

Italy was agreat choice - and I have/had the same thoughts like you: spatted wheels or a retractable landing gear? Jury is still out. 

When I was still forming my idea and hadn't ruled out Japan yet, I was worried that spats would make it look more like a Val. Not sure whether that's a good or a bad thing but it's why I chose retractable. (Plus retractable is easier to model).

I'm betting that's 72nd scale since 48th builders are shunned    ...that's a wonderful build Raff mate  👌 😀
The paint work is superb for such a small build 😁😁
I've wanted to do something Italian..I do love the camo on alot Italian aircraft but I've got zero decals in 48th 

That is several shades of awesome!