If I post this here, I won't forget where I put it when work on the next book begins. Well, that's my theory anyway. Mussolini sent aid to Franco's Nationalists in Spain because Hitler did, and he was always trying to impress him. Which never seemed to work out. The source is a Spanish historian who seems to favor the Republican side so I'll need to do some research before this goes into print. SW
Italy sent around 1000 aircraft to Spain, including CR-32, Ro-37, G.50, SM-51, SM-79, CANT Z-501, CANT Z-506, Ba-65, BR-20 and CA-310
150 Tankettes of the CV-3/33 pattern - which were about worthless. Eritrean natives would take them out by dropping big boulders on them.
240,000 rifles - Vetterli and Carcano. Also a "large quantity" of ammunition.
Two submarines and four destroyers.
Turns out the subs got in some licks. Emilio Mola sank cargo ships, Spanish Cabo Palos, Dutch Hanna and Greek Lena
General Sanjuro torpedoed Republican cruiser, Miguel de Cervantes - sank troop transport, Ciudad de Barcelona, and British ship, Endymion.
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Destroyers weren't part of Italian aid, but Franco persuaded Mussolini to send four of them against a Soviet supply convoy. The 4 Italian destroyers had no successful patrols.
The CV-3/33 tankettes weren't much aid, but Mussolini had a good supply of them so off to Spain they went.
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The Breda BA-65 ground attack plane didn't fare well in WW2, but against Spanish Republicans, it did all right.
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