British purchasing committee in Italy around 1939

[Big Prop]

Hi, I was reading up on the Reggiane 2000 and was interested to learn that the British purchasing committee wanted to buy some along with Caproni 313s. Does anyone know of anything or anywhere that might provide more information. Thanks.

[Dili]

It also included merchant ships and guns, but i don't think it was a serious proposal.

[phylo_roadking]

Hi Big Prop - the story of the RAF being interested in the Capronis is quite well known, I think it was addressed here on a thread, and on a couple of other WWII forums. They first were interested in the 310....but it rapidly gained itself an absolutely horrendous reputation for serviceability and reliability - and that's being generous! - but by then the Ca.311 was on the cards, and they ordered it. Then the 313 appeared, and part of the 311 order was upgraded to 313s! Quite large numbers too, IIRC.

Basically - the RAF was very short of multi-engined bomber crew trainers; it began the war with too few Avro Ansons and Airspeed Oxfords...and Coastal Command's shortage of suitable aircraft meant that Bomber Command's Ansons were lent to Coastal for short range maritime patrolling and uboat hunting...! Which of course meant they weren't available for crew training... It had been intended as part of the original layered Air Plan that there would be a buy-in of more multi-engined trainers at the right point, but the Air Plan was rejigged after Munich to complete Fighter Command first. So they expressed an interest in the Capronis as above. IIRC the purchasing negotiations were quite far along when Hitler invaded the West on the 10th of May, and Mussolini asked Hitler if it was ok for the order to go ahead - and Hitler famously said yes!

But of course it all went pear-shaped when Mussolini invaded the south of France.

[Orwell1984]

According to Flying Review International (July 1966 issue) Britain was trying to buy three hundred Reggiane 2000s (and other equipment and planes) from Italy, and they were close to getting them too.

"December 1939 also saw the arrival of a British Mission in Italy led by Lord Hardwick, the purpose of which was to purchase arms and particularly aircraft. Wing Commander H N Thornton, representing the Air Ministry, visited several of the Caproni factories, including the "Reggiane" works at Reggio Emilia.

Negotiations were initiated for the purchase of Isotta Franschini marine engines, a thousand 20-mm cannon, 300 Ca313 light reconnaissance bombers, 100 Ca.311 trainers, and 300 Re.2000 fighters! On December 22nd, pilots Gray and Barnet accompanying the British Mission flight tested the Re.2000, and a month later, on January 26, 1940, the Director of Aircraft Contracts confirmed the British order for the "Reggiane" fighters. Surprisingly, on March 8, 1940, the German government signified its approval to the Italian government of the sale of Italian aircraft to Britain, but within a few weeks, on April 6th, this approval was withdrawn.

Nevertheless, on May 15th Count Caproni and Lord Hardwick finalised a scheme whereby the aircraft would be sold to Britain by Portugal, the Caproni group having a Portuguese subsidiary, the Soc Aeroportuguesa. However, on June 10, 1940, Italy entered the war on Germany's side, and thus the devious schemes prepared to evade the German embargo on the sale of Italian aircraft to Britain came to nought."

from this thread: http://forums.ubi.com/archive/index.php/t-269594.html

[Urmel]

They managed to get quite a few 20mm guns by other means though.