Italian airplane for the Hungarian paratroopers
The first echelon of Hungarian paratroopers at Pàpà airfield on 1939 with, in background, the airplane used for their transport and drop, the Italian built Caproni Ca.101. Twenty Ca.101 was purchased as bombers by the Hungary early Thirties. With the arrival of most modern aircraft, as the Junkers Ju 86K and the Caproni Ca.135, the Ca.101 was downgraded from bomber to transport aircraft and in this role employed during the WW2. The decision of the Hungarian Ministry of Defense to create an airborne infantry force the, "Ejtoernyos" (paratroopers), date to 1938 when an airborne troops center was established on Szent Endre, an island in the Danube river near Budapest. Parachutes and other airborne equipment were purchased from all over Europe and United States as the Italian Salvator parachute. The Ca.101 was replaced in the role paratroopers dropping by the most modern three engines Savoia-Marchetti SM-75 already of the civil airlines Malert and later militarized. The Hungarian paratroopers made their first operational combat jump over the Northern Yugoslavian district of Delidek on 12 April 1941 and, after the drop, marched over 30 kilometer to their objectives at night, then took the bridges after brief fighting with Yugoslav forces. Victor Sierra
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/hungarian-forces/49078/italian-airplane-for-the-hungarian-paratroopers