Italy
Maresciallo Ennio Tarantola
Italy
Maresciallo Ennio Tarantola
Ennio Tarantola was born in Como on 19 January 1915.
During his boyhood he is supposed to have worked as a banana seller for the Colombo-Poggi firm at piazza Cavour, thus earning the nickname “Banana”.
He joined the Regia Aeronautica a Sergente Pilots in September 1936.
He volunteered to the Spanish Civil War and served with the XVI ’la Cucaracha’ Gruppo C.T. as a Sergente, flying the Fiat CR.32.
He reputedly flew a CR.32 with the inscription ’Pivello’ (meaning ‘young and inexperienced flyer’) on the fin.
On 20 January 1938 he claimed a Curtiss fighter (Polikarpov I-15 ’Chato’) over Spain.
For his service in Spain he was decorated with two Medaglie d’argento al valore militare.
When he returned to Italy he joined the 155a Squadriglia, which were equipped with CR.32s.
When the Second World War started he flew Ju87 Stukas (or 'Picchiatelli' as they were called in Italy) in the 209a and 239a Squadriglie Autonoma Bombardamento a Tuffo from March to October 1941 under the command of Capitano Giuseppe Cenni (also a veteran Spanish Civil War ace).
At 19.45 on 29 June 1941 Italian and German dive-bombers attacked the Australian destroyer HMAS Waterhen and severely damaged it by some near misses. Tarantola was one the pilots claiming a hit on the ship. At this time he served in the 239a Squadriglia.
The ship was firstly abandoned, then a salvage party went on board, but the ship sunk, while being towed by HMS Defender, at 01.50 on 30 June.
Next day on 30 June, he was shot down in his Ju87 and floated in his dinghy for 18 hours before being rescued.
After this sobering experience he asked to go back on fighters. This he was granted and on 4 November 1941 he joined the 151a Squadriglia of the 20o Gruppo C.T., which was under the command of Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio. The unit was at this time equipped with Fiat G.50s and based in Tripoli.
On 5 December, 14 MC.200s of the 153o and 157o Gruppi, accompanied by 14 G.50s of the 20o Gruppo, provided close escort for 40 Italian and German Stukas, including nine Picchiatelli of the 239a Squadriglia, that were sent to attack targets in the Taieb el Esem-Bir el Gobi area. Top cover was provided by high-flying Bf 109Fs of I. and II./JG 27. Fifteen miles south of El Adem the Axis formation encountered seven Tomahawks of 112 Squadron and 12 more from 250 Squadron, led by Squadron Leader Clive "Killer" Caldwell.
112 Squadron reported taking off at 11:20 led Flight Lieutenant Charles Ambrose (AK475) and including Flying Officer John Soden (AK377), Pilot Officer Neville Duke (AN337/GA-F), Sergeant Rudy Leu (AK354), Pilot Officer "Jack" Bartle (AN372/GA-Q), Pilot Officer Neville Bowker (AK509) and Pilot Officer Joseph Sabourin (AK457). They sighted a formation of 30-40 Ju 87s in vics of three, supported by 20-25 G.50s and MC.200s as close escort. Twelve Bf 109s were flying as high flank cover in two groups of six and there may have been about three MC.202s. On sighting the Tomahawks some of the Ju 87s immediately jettisoned their bombs, but the majority, more daring, started the bombing dive. 250 Squadron started after the Ju 87s and 112 Squadron engaged the fighters. The G.50s and MC.200s stayed up as the Ju 87s went down and in fact started to climb towards the Bf 109s. There was a general mêlée and all the aircraft were mixed up. The Ju 87s got involved with the retiring Italian fighters and, to add the distraction, there was a hail of fire from the ground. Pilot Officer Bowker destroyed three Ju 87s (two of which blew up in the air) and damaged a G.50 south of El Adem. He noted that when a Stuka was knocked out of the formation, the remainder closed up and continued stolidly towards their target. Flight Lieutenant Ambrose claimed a G.50 and a MC.200 as probables in the Tobruk-El Adem area. Flying Officer Soden attacked a Ju 87 and shot its tail off, which fell off by degrees as the stricken aircraft dived. A Bf 109F that he shot at lost its cowling and cockpit hood but was not seen to crash and it was claimed as a probable. Sergeant Leu attacked a MC.200 from out of the sun, which spun in. He also attacked a Bf 109F, which "seemed to falter in the air" and then dive, but he did not see it crash but it was credited as a probable. Pilot Officer Sabourin shot down a Bf 109E, which fell in an uncontrollable spin with smoke coming from it, and a G.50, which also fell burning. He claimed a Ju 87, which crashed near El Adem and also damaged a G.50, a Bf 109E and a Bf 109F. Pilot Officer Bartle shot down one Ju 87 and chased a G.50 over El Adem where it was shot down by its own flak. Bartle claimed it as his victory as the enemy aircraft had been destroyed because of his action!
112 Squadron's casualties were Pilot Officer Duke, who spun in from 10,000ft down to 2,000ft and belly landed at Tobruk having been hit in the leg by an explosive shell. His radio had failed and his cockpit had sanded up so that he hadn't seen his attacker until cannon shells started hitting his aircraft.
Known claimers among 250 Squadron were Squadron Leader Caldwell, who was credited with shooting down five Ju 87s, two of which were Italian-flown and damaging a MC.200. Sergeant "Bob" Whittle (AN313) claimed two Ju 87s, with one more initially claimed as probably shot down but this was later upgraded to a "confirmed" after that it had been found crash-landed. Sergeant William Cable claimed two Ju 87s and one damaged while Pilot Officer Francis Albert Creighton claimed one Ju 87 and one damaged Bf 109. Flight Lieutenant Rose claimed a probable Bf 109.
250 Squadron lost four aircraft when Pilot Officer Coles was shot down and wounded as was Sergeant McWilliam, both returning the next day. Sergeant James Ross Gilmour (RAF no. 1365007) and 19-year old Sergeant Edmondson Peter Greenhow (RAF no. 1059800) were both shot down and killed.
The pilots from JG 27 claimed five P-40s without known losses. These were claimed by Hautpmann Wolfgang Redlich of 1./JG 27, who claimed one at 12:05 south of Bir-el-Gobi, Unteroffizier Horst Reuter of 5./JG 27, who claimed one at 11:43 south-east of Bir-el-Gobi, Leutnant Franz Külp of 6./JG 27, who claimed one at 11:45 over Bir-el-Gobi, Oberleutnant Gustav Rödel of 4./JG 27, who claimed one at 11:55 north-west of Bir-el-Gobi and Unteroffizier Josef Grimm of 1./JG 27, who claimed one south of Bir-el-Gobi.
The Italian fighters claimed ten victories, one of them by Tarantola of the 151a Squadriglia, 20o Gruppo. No Italian fighters were actually lost in this combat. However, several G.50s were hit and one pilot slightly wounded, and one MC.200 of the 153o Gruppo was damaged. Having had the radiator of his fighter holed, the unnamed pilot had to make an emergency landing at Ain el Gazala.
At least two Italian Ju 87s seems to have been lost while a third Italian dive-bomber was severely damaged, being forced to land off the runway. Three other Italian Ju 87s were hit by anti-aircraft fire.
In the end of December 1941 20o Gruppo moved back to Italy to re-equip with Macchi MC.202s. When they were re-equipped they were transferred to the newly reformed 51o Stormo and moved to Sicily to take part in the attack on Malta.
During 1942, Tarantola usually flew the Macchi MC.202 coded ‘151-2’, marked with a prominent inscription on its nose, reading ’Dai Banana!’ (meaning ‘Come on, Banana!’).
During this period he often flew as a wingman to the Squadriglia commander Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio until Niclot was shot down and killed by the ace George Beurling of 249 Squadron on 27 July.
After Niclot’s death, Tenente D’Amico took command of the Squadriglia (D’Amico was later killed over Sardegna (Sardinia)).
Just after 18:45 on 1 July 1942 he claimed a Spitfire over Malta after a combat with 603 Squadron. The Italians claimed eight Spitfires and only got two damaged themselves. RAF claimed one enemy fighter destroyed and one probable plus one probable bomber while losing one Spitfire.
In an early morning raid on 4 July ten Spitfires of 249 Squadron intercepted three S.84bis of 4o Gruppo escorted by 22 MC.202s of 51o Gruppo with 17 more Macchis acting as indirect support. During the combat 249 Squadron claimed three bombers with no losses even if two of the Spitfires were badly shot-up. The Italians lost two bombers but claimed four Spitfires – one by one of the bombers and three by the fighters, including one by Tarantola.
On 7 July he claimed a shared Spitfire with Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio over Malta, seeing the pilot baling out as the Spitfire went down to crash east of Valetta.
He claimed another shared Spitfire with Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio on 10 July when Axis and Allied Fighters clashed south of Rabat. Involved in this combat was seven Spitfires from 249 Squadron, MC.202 from 20o and 155o Gruppi (19 and 6 MC.202s respectively) and Bf109s from JG53. The Spitfires were later reinforced with seven more Spitfires from 603 Squadron.
In this combat was Tarantola’s Macchi badly damaged but he was able to safely return to his base.
During the afternoon on 25 July a dozen MC.202s of 20o Gruppo and seven of 155o Gruppo joined Bf109s to cover five Ju88s to Luqa and Hal Far. On the latter airfield shrapnel and debris damaged two Hurricanes (BG719 and BG794), while over the target the Italians reported that six Spitfires were encountered. Two of these were claimed shot down, one by Tarantola, which he reported crashed near Delimara Point and one east of St Thomas’ Bay by Tenente Italo D’Amico. Capitano Niclot claimed a probable and four more were claimed damaged, but D’Amico’s MC.202 was hit five times in the starboard wing.
Eight Spitfires from 603 Squadron scrambled to intercept and Pilot Officer Glazebrook claimed a Macchi shot down. His opponent may have been D’Amico or possibly a Bf109 of 2/JG77, as Oberfeldwebel Kurt Görbing was reported missing from a combat sortie in ‘Black 6’. The German pilot was later located in the sea and was soon rescued by an ASR Dornier from Sicily. Two pilots of 1435 Flight managed to reach the bombers, two of which were claimed damaged by Flight Sergeant MacLennan and Flight Sergeant Pinney. One Spitfire was slightly damaged.
On 27 July Capitano Furio Niclot Doglio until Niclot was shot down and killed by the ace George Beurling of 249 Squadron (Spitfire Mk.V BR301/UF-S) (victory number 14). In the same combat was Tarantola wounded in one arm, but managed to regain his base safely.
At 07.20 on Sunday morning on 11 October 25 Macchis from 20o and 155o Gruppi and four Bf109s escorted seven Ju88s from I/KG54. The bombers released bombs on Hal Far and Benghaisa Point. 19 Spitfires were scrambled (8 from 1435 Squadron, 7 from 126 Squadron and 4 from 229 Squadron). In the ensuing combat the Italian pilots claimed four Spitfires shot down, one by Tarantola, who claimed that he shot down a Spitfire in flames. RAF lost no aircraft in this combat, although one Spitfire from 126 Squadron and one from 1435 Squadron was damaged. Regia Aerounatica lost one Macchi in this combat, which correspond with RAF claims
During the second (of four) raids on Malta shortly after 10.00 on 14 October he claimed a Spitfire over Malta. His aircraft, however, had suffered such serious damage that he was forced to parachute from it near the Sicilian coast. In this raid Axis pilots claimed five Spitfires while RAF actually lost three.
20o Gruppo was pulled back to Ciampino Sud in December, and following five months of rest and re-equipment the unit moved to Capoterra, Sardegna (Sardinia) in May 1943.
On 28 June 1943 he claimed a P-40 over Sardegna.
He claimed a P-38 over Sardegna on 30 July.
On 2 August 1943 he took part in a hectic combat over Sardegna, against American P-38s, taking off five times in the same day to face enemy attacks.
After bouncing a formation of P-40s from 325th FG, he then engaged P-38s from the 14th FG, claiming two of them shot down over Capo Pula.
During one of these actions he lost his friend, and fellow ace, Maresciallo Pietro Bianchi, who was later posthumously decorated with the Medaglia d’Oro al Valore Militare.
After the Italian surrender Tarantola joined the Italiana Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (ANR) where he served in the Squadriglia Complementare ‘Montefusco-Bonet’.
On 25 April 117 B-24s of the 304th Wing USAAF, escorted by 45 P-47s of the 325th FG, attacked the Aeritalia aircraft factory in Turin. Seven G.55s and two MC.205s of the “Montefusco-Bonet” Gruppo scrambled at 12:40 from Venaria Reale to intercept them. They were led by Capitano Giulio Torresi and included Sergente Maggiore Lucio Biagini, Biron, Celentano, Franco Sarasino and Maresciallo Tarantola. Comoni and Morettin probably also took part in this scramble. Biron was forced to abort the scramble after technical problems on is MC.205.
At 13:05, while attacking the bombers at 22,000 feet over Turin, the ANR fighters were jumped by the escorting P-47s. Three G.55s were shot down and Biagini (G.55 serie 0 "Yellow 13" MM91074) was killed after having spent at least eighty 20mm and one hundred-twenty 12.7mm rounds while Torresi (G.55 serie I "Yellow 1"? MM91100) parachuted from his burning aircraft at 13:20, lightly wounded in the head after having been attacked by enemy fighters. Tarantola (G.55 serie I "Yellow 8" MM91101) also parachuted badly wounded.
Franco Sarasino (G.55 “Yellow 5” MM91087) scrambled late due to engine troubles and arrived on the scene when his companions were attacked by Thunderbolts. He tried to help them (spending twenty 20mm and thirty 12.7mm rounds), but was soon chased by two P-47s that forced him to escape westwards; he was left by them in the Val di Susa area, so he could return to his base at Venaria Reale.
In his logbook Torresi claimed two Liberators, one Boeing and one Thunderbolt probably shot down. Intercepting the German bombers was also the 1a Squadriglia and Sergente Francesco Cuscuna claimed a P-47 at 12:15 at 4.500 meters over Monte Cimone. Maggiore Adriano Visconti and Maresciallo Carlo Cucchi of the 1a Squadriglai claimed a P-38 each over La Spezia while Sergente Tammaso Biagini of the “Montefusco-Bonet” Gruppo claimed a B-17 over Turin. German (JG 53 and JG 4) and Italian fighters totally claimed at least eight B-24s, one B-17s, six P-38s and one P-47. Totally it seems, however, that only two B-24s from the 304th Wing were lost during the day; one B-24 (42-52214) from 744th BS of the 456th BG (MACR 5640) and one B-24 (42-52195) from 453th BG (MACR 4632). The 325th FG didn’t sustain any losses.
The 325th FG claimed two G.55s and one probable. Torresi was probably shot down by Second Lieutenant Donald J. McDonald of the 318th FS, who claimed a G.55 at 13:05 over Turin. The other claims were made by First Lieutenant Benjamin H. Emmert Jr. of the 318th FS (P-47D-15RE 42-75751), who claimed a G.55 south of Turin at 13:05 and Second Lieutenant Joseph W. Harper of the 325th FG, who claimed a probable G.55 at 13:00.
The three Fiat wrecks were recovered respectively on 30 March 2000 (MM91074), 5 August 2000 (MM91100) and 22 February 2003 (MM91101).
Tarantola did not return to flying until well after VE-Day.
Tarantola ended the war with 1 biplane victory (claimed in Spain) and a total of 11.
During the war he was decorated with two additional Medaglie d’argento al valore militare, two Medaglie di bronzo and five Croce di guerra. He was also promoted twice ‘for war merits’.
He remained in the air force until he reached retirement age.
Tarantola lived in Cesenatico before passing away on 30 July 2001.
Claims:
| Kill no. | Date | Time | Number | Type | Result | Plane type | Serial no. | Locality | Unit |
| 1938 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20/01/38 | 1 | I-15 | Destroyed | Fiat CR.32 | Spain | XVIo Gruppo | ||
| 1941 | |||||||||
| 2 | 05/12/41 | 11:20- | 1 | P-40 (a) | Destroyed | Fiat G.50 | 15m S El Adem | 151a Squadriglia | |
| 1942 | |||||||||
| 3 | 01/07/42 | 1 | Spitfire (b) | Destroyed | MC.202 | Malta | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 4 | 04/07/42 | 1 | Spitfire (c) | Destroyed | MC.202 | Malta | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 07/07/42 | ½ | Spitfire | Shared destroyed | MC.202 | E Valetta | 151a Squadriglia | |||
| 10/07/42 | ½ | Spitfire (d) | Shared destroyed | MC.202 | S Rabat | 151a Squadriglia | |||
| 5 | 25/07/42 (e) | 1 | Spitfire | Destroyed | MC.202 | Delimara Point | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 6 | 11/10/42 | 1 | Spitfire (f) | Destroyed | MC.202 | Malta area | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 7 | 14/10/42 | 1 | Spitfire (g) | Destroyed | MC.202 | Malta | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 1943 | |||||||||
| 8 | 28/06/43 | 1 | P-40 | Destroyed | MC.202 | Sardegna | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 9 | 30/07/43 | 1 | P-38 | Destroyed | MC.202 | Sardegna | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 10 | 02/08/43 | 1 | P-38 (h) | Destroyed | MC.205 | Capo Pula | 151a Squadriglia | ||
| 11 | 02/08/43 | 1 | P-38 (h) | Destroyed | MC.205 | Capo Pula | 151a Squadriglia |
Biplane victories: 1 destroyed.
TOTAL: 11 and 4 shared destroyed, 1 destroyed on the sea.
(a) Claimed in combat with 112 and 250 Squadrons, which claimed at least 21 destroyed, 5 probables and 7 damaged while losing 5 P-40s.The bombers and fighters from Regia Aeronautica and JG 27 claimed 15 P-40s for the loss of at least 2 Ju 87 and 1 damaged. Several Italian fighters were damaged.
(b) Claimed in combat with 603 Squadron. Regia Aeronautica claimed eight Spitfires and only got two damaged themselves. RAF claimed one enemy fighter destroyed and one probable plus one probable bomber while losing one Spitfire.
(c) Claimed in combat with 249 Squadron. 249 Squadron claimed three bombers with no losses. The Italians lost two bombers but claimed four Spitfires – one by one of the bombers and three by the fighters, including one by Tarantola.
(d) Regia Aeronautica claimed 4 victories in this combat and lost 2 aircraft. RAF claimed 5 aircraft and lost none.
(e) Alternatively on 23 July 1942. In this combat Regia Aeronautica claimed two Spitfires and got one damaged while RAF claimed one (could have been a German Bf109) and got one slightly damaged.
(f) RAF lost no aircraft in this combat, although one Spitfire from 126 Squadron and one from 1435 Squadron was damaged.
(g) Axis pilots claimed five Spitfires while RAF actually lost three in this combat.
(h) Claimed in combat with P-38s from 14th FG.
Sources:
25 Aprile 1944 – Ferdinando Pedriali, 2004 Storia Militare no. 129 (XII) June 2004 kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro.
53o Stormo - Marco Mattioli, 2010 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84603-977-5
97o Gruppo Autonomo Bombardamento a Tuffo 1940-1941 - A. Borgiotti and F. Gori, 1980 Edizioni dell'Ateneo & Bizzarri, Roma kindly provided by Antonio Maraziti
Army Air Forces
Centauri su Torino - Giancarlo Garello, 1998 Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milan, ISBN 88-87261-04-0 kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Courage Alone - Chris Dunning, 1998 Hikoki Publications, Aldershot, ISBN 1-902109-02-3
Dal Reggiane 2002 al 2005 - Sergio Govi, 1984 Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milan kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Fighters over the Desert - Christopher Shores and Hans Ring, 1969 Neville Spearman Limited, London
Furio Niclot Doglio - Un pilota indimenticabile - Giovanni Massimello, 1998
G 55 e MC 205 a difesa di Torino - Ferdinando Pedriali, 2003 Storia Militare no. 116 (XI) May 2003 kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Il Carmagnolese
Italian Aces of World War 2 - Giovanni Massimello and Giorgio Apostolo, 2000 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 1-84176-078-1
Loss of HMAS Waterhen – Reports and Board of Inquiry, Series MP1049/5, file 2026/4/97, National Archives of Australia, Melbourne kindly provided by Antonio Maraziti
Luftwaffe Claims Lists - Tony Wood
L'ultimo volo del mitico "Banana" – Roberto Ferrarese, 2003 Aerofan no. 87 Oct-Dec 2003, Giorgio Apostolo Editore, Milan, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942 - Christopher Shores and Brian Cull with Nicola Malizia, 1991 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-948817-16-X
Shark Squadron - The history of 112 Squadron 1917-1975 - Robin Brown, 1994 Crécy Books, ISBN 0-947554-33-5
Stars & Bars - Frank Olynyk, 1995 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-17-5
Additional information kindly provided by Gianni Biguzzi and Stefano Lazzaro.
