Macchi C.205 in German Service
A small number of Macchi C.205s were used by the Luftwaffe, primarily by II./JG77 in northern Italy. German interest stemmed from the aircraft’s high performance, particularly its ability to intercept heavy bombers.
II./JG 77 operated Macchi C.205Vs for two months, from October until December 1943 after which they re-equipped with Messerschmitt Bf109s. The Germans found the C.205Vs radio unreliable, causing difficulties co-ordinating interceptions. Additionally, they found re-arming to take too long, making it difficult to turn-around aircraft quickly.
