29 May 1906 - 26 February 1941

Oscar Molinari was born on 29 May 1906 in Cortemilia.

On 15 October 1933, Tenente Molinari took command of the 97^a Squadriglia after Capitano Gastone Gorelli.

On 19 April 1934, Molinari was promoted to Capitano.

On 15 January 1936, Molinari left the command of the 97^a Squadriglia when the unit was dissolved and all personnel was transferred to the 150^a Squadriglia, 6^o Stormo, when this unit was formed at Campoformido.

Oscar Molinari took part as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War where he served as a Capitano in the VI Gruppo.

Maggiore Oscar Molinari served as commander of the 160^o Gruppo during the Greek campaign. The unit was at this time equipped with Fiat CR.42s

On 3 December 1940 six 23 Mira PZL P.24s engaged 18 CR.42s of 160^o Gruppo led by Maggiore Molinari, south-west of Moschopoles. Three of the Greek fighters were claimed shot down by Molinari, Sottotenente Giorgio Moretti and Sergente Luciano Tarantini, while a fourth and two probables were claimed shared by several pilots. Greek aircraft losses are not known in detail, but one pilot - Hiposminagos (1st Lieutenant) Constantine Tsitsas - was killed in the combat.
23 Mira pilots claimed one CR.42.

At 10.30 on 21 December 1940 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 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 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 Mario Gaetano Carancini and Tenente Mario Frascadore of the 160^o Gruppo being lost, while Molinari was wounded in the right foot and force-landed near Tepelene with a damaged engine.

Molinari was killed while practising aerobatics in his CR.42 on 26 February 1941. He had recently returned to 160^o Gruppo at Devoli after recovering from wounds.

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

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1940
1	03/12/40	1	PZL P.24 (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		SW Moschopoles	160o Gruppo
2	21/12/40	1	Gladiator (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Argyrokastron area	160o Gruppo
3	21/12/40	1	Gladiator (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		Argyrokastron area	160o Gruppo

Biplane victories: 3 destroyed.
TOTAL: 3 destroyed.
(a) Claimed in combat with 23 Mira.
(b) In this combat 80 Squadron claimed 8 and 3 probables while the 160^o Gruppo C.T. lost 2 aircraft and 1 one force-landed. Regia Aeronatica claimed 9 and 4 probables while 80 Squadron lost 2 aircraft and 2 damaged.

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
Wings Over Spain - Emiliani Ghergo, 1997 Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milano