Italian Air Groups/Squads Question

[vikingBerserker]

I am currently reading Chris Shores' Matla series and I have a question about how to pronouce the Italian Air Groups:

47' Stormo (' = small circle)
40' Gruppo (' = small circle)
363' Squadriglia (' = small a)

Is the small circle like the American "th" (ie 47th)?

 

[Vincenzo]

small a, female, or o, male, are for th
example 47° is for 47th Stormo (this is male) (47° is read quarantasettesimo (obviously is read in italian not in english))
40° is for 40th Gruppo (this is male) (40° is read quarantesimo (idem))
363a is for 363rd Squadriglia (this is female) (is read trecentosessantatreesima)

 

[vikingBerserker]

Vincenzo, THANK YOU for the education!

It's been driving me nuts!!!!!!

 

[Vincenzo]

No problem

just for add
one stormo has 2 gruppi, one gruppo has 3 squadriglie if fighter or 2 squadriglie of bomber.
the paper strenght of a fighter squadriglia is 12, the same for a bomber squadriglia is 9. As general orders to june '40 the fighter squadriglia must operate with 9 planes and bomber squadriglia with 7 planes. (orders in italy were not so compulsory...)