From TOCH!:
Antonio M
[email protected]
Rome-Tokyo-Rome raid
Thu May 6, 2025 18:15
82.51.145.39
Here are some information about the Italian flight to Japan.
A special version of the SM.75 transport aircraft was
purposely adapted for this long range flight. It had a
deicing device on the propeller blades, particularly set
carburetors, auto-pilot and devices for astronomical
navigation.
The first prototype was lost for an accident on May 11,
1942. A second aircraft was adapted, and the raid was fixed
to begin on June 29, 1942.
It was clearly a propaganda flight, though the official
purpose was to carry new secret communication codes for the
Italian embassy in Tokio. The commander of the aircraft
was Ten. Col. Antonio Moscatelli, the other crewmembers
were cap. Mario Curto (co-pilot), Cap. Publio Magini
(navigator), S.Ten. Ernesto Mazzotti (radioman), Mar.
Ernesto Leone (engine technician).
The take off took place from the airport of Guidonia (Rome)
at 5:50 GMT of June 29. The first stop was at the Zaporoskie
airfield, Ukraina (a territory controlled by the Axis).
Next day, at 18:00 GMT, the aircraft took off for a long
flight over Soviet-controlled territory (Stalino, Caspian
Sea, Aral lake, mounts Tarbagatai, desert of Gobi). Finally,
at 15:30 G.M.T (about 22:00 local time) of June 1 st, in
spite of bad weather and imprecise flight maps, the
aircraft arrived at Pao Tow Chen, Mongolia, an area
controlled by the Japanese, after 21 hours and half of
flight over enemy territory.
The aircraft was repainted with Japanese markings, and took
off again at 10:35 a.m. of June 3 to Tokio, where it arrived
at 20:00 GMT.
The return flight started on July 16 at dawn. The aircraft
stopped again at Pao Tow Chen, where the Japanese markings
were removed. On July 18, at 21:45 GMT the aircraft took
off again, followed the same route of the outward flight
and landed at Odessa at 2:10 GMT of July 20, after a more
than 29 hours-long flight in bad weather!
The last part of the flight started at 11:00 GMT of the
same day and ended at Guidonia at 17:50 GMT.
There are many pictures about this flight including some
showing the aircraft with Japanese markings.
Source: Storia Militare, n. 45, Giugno 1997, ed. Albertelli
Antonio