# Pietro Bonannini Seaplane gunner



## Parmigiano (Dec 8, 2006)

Did somebody have some more material about this guy?

He is credited with 9 victories as a rear gunner, other sources reports 'only' 8 Info below are taken by a post from 'Arrigoni_61' in the IL-2 forum


Oct 25, 1941 - 1 Hurricane
PB is rear gunner of Cant Z 506B, 1 x Scotti 12.7
lone 506B patrolling, 3 hurri attack from rear. First one is hit by PB burn and dive into sea, the other two disengage

Dec 13, 1941 - 1 Spitfire
PB is rear gunner of Cant Z 506B, 1 x Scotti 12.7
lone 506B attacked by two Spit. One Spit downed, the other disengage

Dec 20, 1941 - 1 Spitfire
PB is rear gunner of Cant Z 506B, 1 x Scotti 12.7
lone 506B attacked by 3 Spit - PB downs the first of the line, the other 2 damages the 506 on a wing and turn for 2nd pass. PB's Scotti is jammed, he take the Breda 7.7 from ventral position and fire at the 2 fighters. Fighters apparently damaged, anyway they break the attack and turn away.

1942, date and details unknown - 1 Blenheim

9 May 1942 - 2 Spitfire
PB is rear gunner of Fiat RS14, 1 x Safat 12.7
isolated RS14 attacked by 2 spit probably from carrier Wasp
One Spit damaged, banks sharply and collide with the other. Both dive into sea

Summer 1942, date and details unknown - 1 Blenheim

6 Nov 1942 - 1 Beaufighter damaged
PB is rear gunner of Fiat RS14, 1 x Safat 12.7
Seaplane attacked by 2 beau, one damaged, RS14 takes about 30 hits, PB wounded


5 Jan 1943 - 2 Blenheim
PB is rear gunner of Cant Z 506B, 1 x Scotti 12.7
2 Blenheim attack the solitary Cant. At first pass one is hit, banks and ive to sea. The other press a second attack, but is also hit and slowly lose height until crashes into sea. PB is wouded in the leg


Bonannini survived the war and died in 1961 in a civilian flight accident with a friend.


----------



## pbfoot (Dec 8, 2006)

Pretty impressive


----------



## Smokey (Dec 8, 2006)

The most impressive thing is that he was outnumbered in all the fights which are detailed. He must have been an amazing marksdude


----------



## Parmigiano (Dec 8, 2006)

well, being outnumbered was normal for patrol seaplanes in Med, tipically they patrolled alone and fighters were always in vics or pairs.

This by the way is a circumstance that validate the claims: in such a battles either the seaplane was able to tackle the fighters or (in the most cases) was shot down. There is no room for mistakes like overclaims in a furball, either the whole report of the duel is fake or the fighters were neutralized in some way


----------

