Mario Gaetano Carancini was born in Recanati on 14 December 1914.

He served in the 393^a Squadriglia of the 160^o Gruppo during the Greek campaign. The unit was at this time equipped with Fiat CR.42s

On 28 October 1940 he shot down a Greek Henschel Hs126 east of Darda.

On 14 November the airfield at Koritza was near to the frontline and was attacked daily. During the day Tenente Carancini claimed a PZL P.24 over the area.

On 18 November CR.42s of 160^o Gruppo engaged PZLs from 21, 22 and 23 Mire and claimed six shot down and one probable. Sergente Maggiore Arturo Bonato (two), Tenente Torquato Testerini, Tenente Carancini, Sergente Luca Minella and Sergente Teofila Biolcati submitted these claims. On this occasion at least three Greek fighters were lost, both Hiposminagos (First Lieutenant) Yianikostas of 22 Mira and Episminias (Sergeant) Gregory Valcanas of 23 Mira being killed, while Hiposminagos Corneleus Kotrones of 22 Mira was wounded in one leg, but managed to force-land his shot-up aircraft at an emergency airfield. In return the Greeks claimed two CR.42s shot down, one each by Hiposminagos Laskaris of 23 Mira and Anthyposminagos (Second Lieutenant) Katsaros of 2l Mira, but no Italian aircraft was actually lost.

At 10.30 on 21 December 80 Squadron took off from Yanina for the front in Greece. They were led by Squadron Leader William Hickey and flew in three sections. The first comprised four aircraft and was led by Hickey, the second of three was led by Flight Lieutenant 'Pat' Pattle and the third trio was led by Flying Officer Sidney Linnard.
Near Argyrokastron three enemy trimotor bombers were seen. They were identified as S.79s, and then three more aircraft with twin tails were seen, recognised in this case as Fiat BR.20s. All six were in fact Cant Z.1007bis aircraft from the 47^o Stormo B.T. from Grottaglie. The Italian bombers were attacked by the Gladiators and Pattle believed that he had hit one.
At this moment however 15 CR.42s of the 160^o Gruppo appeared on the scene. Maggiore Oscar Molinari, the Gruppo commander, was leading these Italian aircraft on an offensive reconnaissance over Yanina, Paramythia and Zitsa. Seeing the bombers under attack by an estimated 20 Gladiators, the Italian attacked, joined by other aircraft from the 150^o Gruppo so that 80 Squadron pilots assessed the number of their opponents at 54!
After 25 minutes the air battle broke up and eight of the British pilots returned to claim eight confirmed and three probables. Pilot Officer 'Bill' Vale claimed three, one of them in flames. Sergeant Charles Casbolt claimed one, which blew up and another, which spun down (later down-graded to a probable). Sergeant Donald Gregory claimed another two, again one in flames, but his own aircraft was badly shot up and he was wounded in the right eye. He however managed to return to Yanina. Pattle and Flight Sergeant S. A. Richens also claimed one CR.42 each, Pattle reporting that his victim fell in flames, whilst Flying Officers W. B. Price-Owen and F. W. Hosken both claimed probables. However Flying Officer A. D. Ripley in N5854 was seen to be shot down in flames and killed, while Squadron Leader Hickey was spotted bailing out of N5816; sadly his parachute caught fire, and he died from injuries soon after reaching the ground. Greek troops recovered the bodies of both pilots. Flying Officer Sidney Linnard's aircraft (N5834) was also badly hit and he was hit in the left calf by an explosive bullet and was taken to hospital after landing at Yanina.
In return the 160^o Gruppo pilots claimed six Gladiators, two each by Maggiore Molinari and Tenente Edoardo Crainz (in CR.42 '394-7'), and one apiece by Tenente Eber Giudici and Capitano Paolo Arcangeletti. Probables were claimed by Tenente Torquato Testerini, Sergente Maggiore Francesco Penna and Sergente Maggiore Domenico Tufano. The 150^o Gruppo pilots claimed two more Gladiators in collaboration, while 47^o Stormo gunners claimed one more and a probable. As in the case of the British fighters, actual Italian losses totalled only two aircraft, Tenente Carancini and Tenente Mario Frascadore of the 160^o Gruppo being lost, while Maggiore Molinari was wounded in the right foot and force-landed near Tepelene with a damaged engine.

At the time of his death, Carancini was credited with 3 biplane victories.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
1	28/10/40		1	Hs126	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		E Darda	393a Squadriglia
2	14/11/40		1	PZL P.24 (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Koritza area	393a Squadriglia
3	18/11/40		1	PZL P.24 (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Greece	393a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 3 destroyed.
TOTAL: 3 destroyed.
(a) Claimed in combat with PZL P.24s from 23 Mira. Italian fighters claimed eight P.24s over Koritza during the day while losing two aircraft and getting a third damaged. 23 Mira claimed eight CR.42s. A number of PZLs may have been damaged, and some possibly shot down but no Greek pilots were killed or wounded during this engagement.
(b) Claimed in combat with PZL P.24s of 21, 22 and 23 Mire. 160^o Gruppo claimed six and one probable while losing no aircraft. The Greek fighters lost at least three aircraft when Hiposminagos Yianikostas of 22 Mira and Episminias Gregory Valcanas of 23 Mira were killed, while Hiposminagos Corneleus Kotrones of 22 Mira was wounded in one leg, but managed to force-land his shot-up aircraft. The Greek pilots claimed two CR.42s shot down.

Sources:
Air war for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete - Christopher Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-07-0
Ministero della Difesa - Banca Dati sulle sepolture dei Caduti in Guerra