The Inspector wrote:
The Italians actually did participate, to a minor extent in the BoB using CR-42's.
The 'Chianti Raiders' flew CR-42 fighters, Fiat Br 20s and Cant Z1007 bombers from Belgium, for several raids but brief period overall. Italy declared war opportunistically on France and Britain in June 1940 and actually invaded southern France, IIRC. The British attacks were Mussolini getting in on what he hoped would be Hitler's victory.
Three other things - The British were nearly flying Italian Regianne Re 2000 fighters in the Battle of Britain. An order was actually placed in the late 1930s when the Air Ministry thought production of British fighters (as T-6s were ordered as Harvards for trainers from the USA) wouldn't keep up.
Secondly the Italians also fought in equally obsolescent fighters and bombers on the Eastern Front against the Russians. Cheap jokes about the Italian airmen's bravery and prowess are undeserved; they fought better than their political leaders deserved, in aircraft that were inadequate and outgunned and badly let down by radio and support structures like ground control. I doubt 'our' airmen would have battled on in bad causes as bravely and with such sacrifice as they did.
The surviving CR-42 in the RAF Museum was a Chianti Raider, downed on Chesil Beach.
Regards,