Terlizzi, Maurizio Di Reggiane RE 2005 Sagittario

The Reggiane RE 2005 was defined by many as"the most beautiful Axis fighter", in many technical discussions that did not neglect the aesthetic aspect. In fact, the Sagittarius was a beautiful aircraft, with a clean and streamlined line, but which above all possessed exuberant flight characteristics, very powerful armament and excellent handling. The best fighter, therefore, limited by slowdowns in production and a certain structural weakness in the rear part of the fuselage. In spite of this and despite the fact that only about thirty
specimens were built, in 2005 it had time to fight the most difficult and dramatic part of the conflict in Italy, highlighting itself for its excellent qualities. There was no lack of triumphs and tragedies during the short but intense operational use, in a bloody struggle that easily wiped out men and means. To better evaluate how the Sagittarius was considered by the men who used it, we quote the authoritative opinion of Gen. Vittorio Minguzzi who stated: "all the 5 series fighters prove to be competitive against the best enemy aircraft, Spitfire IX and Mustang P- 51 included, each even excelling in a specific flight characteristic. The RE 2005 in particular excels for its maneuverability at higher altitudes.

Although only 30 RE 2005s were built, the aircraft was used in numerous missions against Allied aircraft such as the Spitfire Mk. IX and P-521 Mustang during the dramatic battles on the Italian peninsula. This volume describes the development of the RE 2005 and its use in the war.