Furio_Niclot_Doglio
johnbr

Furio_Niclot_Doglio

Records
Doglio set nine official aviation world records (as recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale or FAI, the aviation world record adjudicating body).
Date Aircraft FAI Class Record Event Record
28 December 1932 Fiat AS.1 C.bis 1st category (seaplane) Altitude 7,362 m (24,150 ft)
6 November 1933 CNA ETA C.bis 2nd category (seaplane) Altitude 8,411 m (27,600 ft)
24 December 1933 CNA ETA C 2nd category (landplane) Altitude 10,008 m (32,830 ft)
1 April 1937 Breda Ba.88 C (landplane) Speed, given distance of 100 km (62 mi) 517.84 km/h (321.77 mph)
10 April 1937 Breda Ba.88 C (landplane) Speed over 1,000 km (620 mi) 475.55 km/h (295.49 mph)
5 December 1937 Breda Ba.88 C (landplane) Speed, given distance of 100 km (62 mi) 554.36 km/h (344.46 mph)
9 December 1937 Breda Ba.88 C (landplane) Speed, closed circuit of 1,000 km (620 mi) w/ 500 kg (1,100 lb) payload 524.19 km/h (325.72 mph)
9 December 1937 Breda Ba.88 C (landplane) Speed, closed circuit of 1,000 km (620 mi) w/ 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) payload 524.19 km/h (325.72 mph)
9 December 1937 Breda Ba.88 C (landplane) Speed, closed circuit of 1,000 km (620 mi) 524.19 km/h (325.72 mph)
Second world war
When Italy entered World War Two on 10 June 1940, Niclot enlisted in Regia Aeronautica. His first posting was the 355a Squadriglia of 21° Gruppo. On 17 June, Niclot flew his first mission: a patrolling cruise in the sky of Rome with FIAT G. 50.
Corpo Aereo Italiano
In autumn 1940, he was in Belgium with the Corpo Aereo Italiano, Italian air expedition against England. Niclot carried out his first mission on the 27 October, by escorting a FIAT BR. 20 for bombing Ramsgate. During the whole campaign, Niclot - like the other Italian G.50 pilots - did not encounter enemy fighters, nor shot a single bullet.
North Africa
His first "kill" was a Hurricane, in North Africa, on the 30 of June 1941, while he was flying a FIAT G. 50. On 30 June 1941, Captain Furio Niclot Doglio, while escorting Ju 87 Stukas that were bombing an English convoy off Ras Azzas, attacked three Hurricanes that were bouncing the dive-bombers and shot down one, damaging the others. For this action, Niclot received a Medaglia di Bronzo al Valor Militare (Bronze Medal to the Military Valour). Malta
The others air victories were all claimed on Malta, in July 1942, while flying Macchi C. 202, as Captain of 151a Squadriglia. His first Spitfire was shot down on the 2 of July. That day, while escorting three SM.84, leading ten MC.202s of 151a Squadriglia, he dogfought with Spitfires from 249 and 185 Squadron. During a head-on attack, he hit the Spitfire BR377 of Flight Sergeant C.S.G. De Nancrede from Squadron 249, that had to crash-land on Ta 'Qali airfield, near Mdina. ]
On the 6th, he encountered again the Spitfires of 249 Squadron, while escorting three Cant.Z.1007 bis, and he claimed another Supermarine fighter, confirmed by his wingman Tarantola to crash north of Valletta, but the 249 that day had no losses, even if the Squadron had two aircraft shot-up, one of them was flown by Sgt Beurling, that three weeks later would kill Doglio in combat over Gozo. [4 ] The following day, Niclot and seven other Macchi pilots were escorting for the first time the Ju 88A-4 of Kampfgeschwader 77. In the sky of Luqa they clashed with seven Spitfire. Niclot and hiw wingman shot down the Spitfire of Flt. Sgt. D. Ferraby from Squadron 249 (AB500). Niclot last air victory last, was a double "kill": two Spitfires downed on the 13 of July.
On 27, he was leading three others Macchi, on the coast of Gozo. Six Spitfires of 126 Sq. attacked them head-on, while 8 Spitfires of the 249 Sq. attacked from left ("10 hour direction"). Niclot was preparing to counter-attack the Spitfires or 126 Sq. when his wingman, sergente Ennio Tarantola, tried to warn his commander, waggling his wings, as Italian radios worked badly, of the Spitfires diving on them from the left, but Niclot understood that Tarantola was warning him of the Spitfires he had already spotted. Fl.Sgt. George "Screwball" Beurling, from 249 Sq., at first hit the plane of Sergente Faliero Gelli, that crash landed on Gozo, and soon after shot down the C.202 (MM 9042) of Niclot Doglio, that was waggling his wings to warn his pilots of Spitfires closing "head-on". "The poor devil simply blew to pieces in the air", recalled the following year Beurling writing the book Malta Spitfire, together with journalist Leslie Roberts.

Niclot left a wife and two kids. In less that a month, July 1942, Niclot had done 21 missions of war, over Malta, was involved in 18 air combats, claimed six planes shot down plus four more probable and two shared with his wingman, Ennio Tarantola.
Niclot-Doglio claimed WA Chuck Ramsay (249) July 11 over the Med. See Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942 (Shores/Cull) p 406 ff.
Buerling may have done extra shift to look (? some indication in 1943 Malta Spitfire promo book).
Buerling got Furio on 27 July. Eastern Canadians stuck together in those days.
 

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