17 October 1905 – 16 March 1940

© Renato Zavattini

Andrea Zotti was born on 17 October 1905.

He served as a volunteer during the Spanish Civil War.

The XXIII Gruppo Caccia Aviazione Legionaria was formed on 22 April 1937, under the command of Maggiore Zotti. It was named ”Asso di Bastoni” (“Ace of Clubs”) after its badge. The three Squadriglie were the 18^a Squadriglia (Capitano Guido Nobili “Notabili”), the 19^a Squadriglia (Capitano Enrico Degli Incerti “Tocci”) and the 20^a Squadriglia (Capitano Antonio Larsimont Pergameni “Laimo”).
In July, the Gruppo was based at Torrido.

In the early morning on 7 July 1937, Kaptain Ivan Yeremenko was ordered to take his escuadrilla and fly towards Madrid to join with Lakeyev's escuadrilla in the air. Meanwhile the escuadrilla of Aleksandr Minayev was flying over the front line. The antiaircraft defence opened fire upon the Republican fighters over the Delicias railroad station. Fiat CR.32s appeared from the Princess Bridge side. Dogfights began over the Delicias railroad station, Andalusia Bridge, and Tobacco Manufacture. A group of Ju52/3ms and Do17s appeared from the western side and Minayev's escuadrilla flew to intercept the bombers but Fiats attacked the l-l5s and dispersed them.
Jose Redondo, the Spanish pilot of one of the I-15s, was wounded and L. Rybkin shielded him, but both were forced to fight nine Fiats. One Fiat collided with another and was set on fire. Rybkin and Redondo joined with M. Petrov and I. Karpov whom had flown to help. At that moment Mikhail Yakushin, Yeremenko, and Anatoly Serov attacked the leading group of Fiats from above. One Fiat was shot down and the pilot bailed out. Pilots of I-15s and 1-16s had seen four Bf-109s in the area, but they did not attack the Republican fighter.
The I-15 of the Austrian Walter Korrows was attacked by a Fiat and was shot down. Immediately Yakushin attacked this Fiat and destroyed it in the air.
Serov claimed two CR.32 during this day.
It seems that the Fiat CR.32s involved in this combat were from XXIII Gruppo led by Maggiore Zotti; they claimed three l-l5s and three 1-16s for the loss of two Fiats - Gino Passeri (killed) and Alfonso Mattel (parachuted safely).

In the late afternoon on 25 August twenty CR.32s from XXIII Gruppo escorted Ju52/3ms, which were bombing enemy troops around Belchite. The fighter pilots suddenly spotted eleven Martin bombers flying bellow them at 500 meters above Fuente del Ebro. They attacked them and ten were claimed shot down. Two of them were claimed as shared between Giuseppe Ruzzin and Maggiore Zotti.

On 28 September, XXIII Gruppo transferred to Almaluèz, near Belchite.

On 12 October, the Republican Air Force intervened heavily to support International battalions and tanks in an attempt to break through the enemy lines at Fuentes del Ebro.
During the day, the VI Gruppo lost a good part of numerical, considering that part of the 31^a Squadriglia had previously been detached to Cordoba. Therefore, immediately the same morning, the Comando dell’Aviazione Legionaria ordered the XXIII Gruppo to transfer to Sanjurio (Zaragoza).
At 10.30, 29 CR.32s led by Maggiore Zotti, took off from Almaluèz and arrived over Sanjurio around noon. However, before landing, Maggiore Zotti decided to lead his pilots to explore the area between Villafranca and Fuentes del Ebro. Here they spotted four Polikarpov RZ “Natachas” escorted by nine I-16s “Ratas” (above them) and 15 I-15 “Curtiss” (below them). The Italian fighters attacked the Republican aircraft and at the end of the dogfight, that lasted about fifteen minutes, the Italians claimed seven (eleven according to other sources) fighters destroyed for no losses, although several CR.32s were hit and damaged. Combat was very hard for the Italians because their fighters were weighted by pilots’ personal luggage. Pilots that scored, either individually or jointly, were Sergente Giuseppe Mottet (20^a Squadriglia) (1 I-16), Sottotenente Giampiero Del Prete, Capitano Antonio Larsimont Pergameni (CO of the 20^a Squadriglia), Sergente Francesco Penna, Sottotenente Aldo Felici, Capitano Enrico Degli Incerti (CO of the 19^a Squadriglia) (1 I-16), Sottotenente Pio Tomaselli (19^a Squadriglia), Franco Lucchini (19^a Squadriglia), Capitano Guido Nobili (CO of the 18^a Squadriglia), Sergente Maggiore Giovanni Carmello (18^a Squadriglia), Sergente Carlo Dentis, Sottotenente Giuseppe Enrico Zuffi, Sergente Federico Tassinari (19^a Squadriglia), Sergente Maggiore Alfonso Mattei and Sottotenente Bruno Trevisan. It seems that Lucchini’s, Tassinari’s and Mattei’s claims was a shared between these three pilots.

On 13 January 1938, the XXIII Gruppo transferred to Bello airfield.

On 21 February, all the serviceable Polikarpovs took off to try to oppose Nationalist bombers during the Battle of Alfambra. At 10:20, the Spanish Nationalist pilots Garcia Pardo and Allende took off on a routine reconnaissance flight over the Teruel front. There they discovered 20 ”Chatos” and a similar number of ”Ratas” in combat with a few Bf109Bs. When Pardo and Allende went to assistance of the Messerschmitts, the German pilots failed to recognise them as allies and opened fire on them. They beat a hasty retreat, calling into battle another formation of CR.32s before continuing with their reconnaissance.
This new formation comprised 24 CR.32s of the XXIII Gruppo, led by Maggiore Zotti. At 11:04 over Teruel when they spotted about 40 Republican fighters split in three formations with I-15 “Chatos” at 3,500 and 4,000 meters, and I-16 “Moscas” at 5000 meters. The Republican fighters were already in combat with 17 Bf109s. Zotti immediately chased them, and sent part of the Gruppo to attack the “Chatos”, which tried to evade as they were over Republican lines. At Puebla de Valverde, the “Moscas” intervened, but they were faced by the rest of the XXIII Gruppo, which at the end claimed two “Chatos” and a “Mosca” destroyed. One of the I-15s was claimed by Franco Lucchini. The Gruppo lost Capitano Carlos Haya Gonzales, a Spanish pilot of the 19^a Squadriglia, who collided with the “Chato” of Sergeant Manuel Orozco Ovira, which he was pursuing. Haya fell near Puerto de Escadiòn, and was posthumously awarded with a Medaglia d’Oro al Valor Militare. Haya had arrived just as the Gruppo was about to take off after having attending his mothers funeral. Despite Zotti’s opposition, he had insisted on taking his place in the formation.
The German pilots of J/88 claimed seven I-16s when 1 staffel claimed three near La Pueblé (Leutnants Fritz Awe, Hans-Karl Mayer and Erich Woitke) and 2 staffel claimed four near Sarrion and Teruel (Unteroffizier Herbert Ihlefeld, Leutnant Edgar Rempel, Unteroffizier Kurt Rochel and Oberleutnant Joachim Schlichting).
The Republican Air Force claimed that during three operations during the day, they had shot down five Bf109s, seven CR.32s and 1 twin-engined aircraft. Their own losses were quoted as two I-16s, which failed to return to base and two others which were damaged and whose pilots were injured. Sergeant Manuel Orozco Ovira, who managed to fly his aircraft back to base after its tail had been destroyed was recommended an award for outstanding bravery and skill.

In March, the Squadriglia COs of the XXIII Gruppo were Capitano Marco Larker (18^a Squadriglia), Capitano Ettore Foschini (19^a Squadriglia) and Capitano Carlo Calosso (20^a Squadriglia). The new Gruppo CO was Maggiore Ciro Ajello.

On 14 March, around 09:00, 24 CR.32s of the XXIII Gruppo were surprised by 20 I-15s and 28 I-16s while strafing Republican troops east of Alcañiz. Four CR.32s were shot down: Maggiore Ciro Ajello, Sottotenente Luigi Armanino, Sottotenente Mario Montefusco (“Minervi”) (24 Squadriglia, XVI Gruppo) and Sottotenete Alberto Brondi (“Buona”). Armanino returned home the following day, Montefusco and Brondi became POWs, and Ajello, who had been captured, escaped after having convinced his demoralized captors to release him!
Lucchini has previously been credited with two victories during the day but the XXIII Gruppo made no claims during the day.

The following day, at 17:00 on 15 March, fighters of the XXIII Gruppo again led by Maggiore Zotti, who had been called back to lead the unit, attacked twelve SBs escorted by 20 I-15s and 15 I-16s. The CR.32s claimed two I-15s and two I-16s. The bombers turned back without completing their mission, but one fell near Castelseras. During the combat, Franco Lucchini was hit and shot down. He parachuted and hid in a cave, watching Republican militiamen looking for him. Only under the cover of darkness, he could reach Nationalist lines.

On 4 April, the Gruppo transferred to Puig Moreno.

At 12:15 on 18 July, 25 CR.32s split in two formations at 4000 and 3600 m, led respectively by Maggiore Zotti and Maggiore Aldo Remondino (“Remotti” on his first combat mission and who was designated to succeed Zotti as Gruppo CO) spotted twelve “Chatos” and 25 “Ratas” between Alcublas and Segorbe. Zotti attacked, diving on the “Chatos”, while Remondino waited. Later, Remondino recalled that action, which can give an idea on a typical Spanish War dogfight (“la lucha de perros” in Spanish):

“… I was looking above and below to avoid surprises. I spotted, higher at right, a formation of “Ratas” which was diving on us. I immediately turned into to chase them, while at lower height the combat against “Chatos” was going on. I shot on the first “Rata” that went in front on me, but I was attacked at the rear by three “Ratas”, that went away as another CR.32 intervened. Then I shot at two other “Ratas” and I reached 3000 m, where I spotted a “Curtiss” below me. I attacked, shooting at it by close distance quite until the ground […]
I fought with another “Rata” that however dived to escape. After returning in combat area, I saw no more enemies. I landed to Teruel with two other CR.32s, having no enough fuel to reach Puig Moreno.”

On 20 July, XXIII Gruppo transferred to Teruel.

During his career, he was decorated with two Medaglie d’argento al Valor Militare and promoted “in the field”.

Zotti ended the Spanish Civil War with 9 biplane victories.

He died on 16 March 1940.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1937
	25/08/37		½	Martin (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Fuente del Ebro	XXIII Gruppo
	25/08/37		½	Martin (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Fuente del Ebro	XXIII Gruppo

Biplane victories: 9 and 2 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 9 and 2 shared destroyed.
(a) Most probably Tupolev SB bombers.

Sources:
Air War over Spain - Jesus Salas Larrazabal, 1974 Ian Allan Ltd, Shepperton, Surrey, ISBN 0-7110-0521-4
Ali d'Aquila - Flaminio Pagani, 1999 Genoa kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Ali in Spagna - Giuseppe Federico Ghergo and Angelo Emiliani, kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Ali nella tragedia - Giulio Lazzati, 1970 Mursia, Milan, ISBN 88-425-2132-9, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Assi Italiani Della Caccia 1936-1945 - 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999
Aviatori Italiani - Franco Pagliano, 1964 Longanesi Milano, kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Aviabrigada X - Alfredo Logoluso, 2001 no. 97, 98 and 99 of Storia Militare (October-December 2001), kindly provided by Ludovico Slongo
Guerra di Spagna e Aviazione Italiana - Ferdinando Pedriali, 1992 USSMA, Rome, kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Il 23^o Gruppo Caccia - Nicola Malizia, 1974 Bizzarri, Roma
Le giovani aquile – Antonio Trizzino, 1972 Longanesi Milano
Quelli del Cavallino Rampante - Antonio Duma, 1981 Editore Dell'Ateneo, Roma
The Legion Condor - Karl Ries and Hans Ring, 1992 Schiffer Publishing, ISBN 0-88740-339-5
Additional information kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro.