Il 1° novembre del 1948 entrambi i Gruppi, ormai “gemelli”, vengono trasferiti alle dipendenze del 46° Stormo Trasporti.
Nel primo semestre del 1949 il 98° Gruppo riceve i primi bimotori Beechcraft C 45 “Expeditor” e nel luglio 1949 viene trasferito sul campo di Pisa-San Giusto.
All'inizio del 1952 vengono consegnati al 46° Stormo quattordici G.12 ed un G. 212 di provenienza civile, ma a causa della scarsa efficienza di questi velivoli non si riesce a garantire un attività di volo sufficiente per due Gruppi di Volo, così viene presa la decisione di porre in posizione “Quadro” il 98° Gruppo (10 giugno 1952), tutto il personale viene trasferito alle dipendenze del 2° Gruppo.
Il 1° febbraio del 1954, nel pieno della Guerra Fredda, il 98° Gruppo viene ricostituito riappropriandosi così della metà del personale e dei C 119G trasferiti a suo tempo al 2° Gruppo di volo, inoltre gli vengono assegnate due nuove Squadriglie la 246ª e la 247ª oltre alle storiche 240ª e 241ª.
Nel 1978 il Reparto inizia la transizione sul nuovo G 222, dismettendo gli ormai vetusti “Vagoni Volanti”, il bimotore permette al Reparto di incrementare ulteriormente la propria presenza nelle missioni internazionali come in Etiopia, Somalia, Mozambico, Timor Est ed Eritrea, nel 1982 il Reparto introduce ai suoi compiti la specialità di antincendio mantenendola fino al 1992.
Dal 2007 la linea di volo del Gruppo viene progressivamente rinnovata con l’introduzione del nuovo C 27J “Spartan”.
Il 98° Gruppo, dopo l’ingresso del C 27J, ha partecipato alla missione ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) in Afghanistan con due velivoli e due equipaggi, nel periodo di servizio ha garantito alle forze armate impegnate nel teatro operativo le esigenze di trasporto, in particolare alle unità SOF (Special Operation Force).
L’ultima missione internazionale in ordine di tempo è stata l’Unified Protector in Libia del 2011. Le normali attività svolte regolarmente vedono i “Lupi” del 98° Gruppo impegnati a supporto della Brigata Folgore svolgendo il trasporto su scala nazionale e l’aviolancio notturno. Inoltre il reparto è inserito nell’attività di pronto impiego per il trasporto nazionale MEDEVAC (MEDical EVACuation) in “back up” al 31° Stormo di Ciampino.
Il reparto mantiene costantemente una capacità addestrativa per il SAR (Search and Rescue) nazionale. Per l’impegno svolto a favore della collettività non si può non menzionare l’importante ruolo svolto dal Reparto durante il terremoto in Abruzzo (2009) e il successivo supporto al G8 dell’Aquila. |
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English translation
98° Gruppo (98th Squadron)
The 98° Gruppo was formed on 1 April 1940 as a Gruppo da Bombardamento Terrestre (Bomber Squadron - Land) at Cameri Airport in the 13° Stormo BT (Bomber Wing - Land) and equipped with the 240ª and 241ª Squadriglia (Flight), the equipment was FIAT BR.20 aircraft.
A few months later (13 June 1940) the Unit carried out its first war action bombing the port of Toulon and on 27 September of the same year begins the long transfer to Belgium being inserted within the CAI (Corpo Aereo Italiano), having reached the Chievres camp with many difficulties, he began to carry out bombing operations on England.
On January 10, 1941, the 98° Gruppo returned to Italy after the painful and useless experience of the CAI and reached the new base of Lonate Pozzolo, at this juncture the role of BT also changed to that of antiship.
On 11 March 1941, fourteen BR.20s belonging to the 98° were transferred to Africa Settentrionale Italiana (ASI or Italian Northern Africa) where they reached the airport of Castel Benito. In the meantime the Gruppo becomes autonomous and begins its new activity of bombardment both day and night of the English logistic centers in that area.
In December 1941, the Unit, now decimated, returned to Italy on the new base of Bresso, starting from 1 January 1942 the 98° Gruppo returns an integral part of the 13° Stormo BT.
Between February and April 1942 the Unit was redeployed with its BR.20 in Ronchi dei Legionari for the campaign of Yugoslavia in contrast to the partisan formations. After the operations on Yugoslavia ended on November 4, 1942 the Unit, passing through Ronchi dei Legionari, returned to the Bresso camp.
At the end of 1942 (December 20), the Unit returned to Cameri Airport where the transition began on the new Savoia Marchetti SM.84 bomber.
Another shift (18 March 1943) in that of Viterbo from where the Unit carries out numerous anti-submarine missions on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
On 11 July 1943, with its SM.84, the 98° Gruppo was transferred to Gioa del Colle to counter the allied landing in Sicilia.
The armistice seizes the 98° Gruppo on the Puglia air base where the Unit is dissolved and the staff makes sure to sabotage the aircraft so that they do not fall into the hands of the Germans who were about to occupy the structure.
At the end of 1943 the SM.84 were recovered by the Unit’s personnel and then transferred to Lecce with the intention of transforming them into transport aircraft.
On June 20, 1944, starting from the 240ª and 241ª Squadriglie the 98° Gruppo was reconstituted with SM.79 and SM.84 aircraft respectively, and along with the 2° Gruppo joined the Stormo Trasporti (Transport Wing) in Lecce, from this date the two Gruppi will always remain together until the present day.
On December 24, 1944, the Stormo Trasporti moved to the Roma airport of Centocelle Sud with its two Gruppi (2° and 98°)
Both the 98° Gruppo and the 2° participate in the intense activity of the Corrieri Aerei Militari (Military Air Carrier) "plumping" the respective flight lines with other remaining wartime trimotors. In May 1946, the 240ª Squadriglia of the 98° Gruppo received a flamboyant four-engine SM.95 that was immediately used in postal flights, also performing a flight called "historical" transferring the King Umberto II of Savoia in exile in Portugal.
On November 1, 1948, both Gruppi, now "twins", were transferred to the service of the 46° Stormo Trasporti.
In the first half of 1949, the 98° Gruppo received the first twin-engined Beechcraft C 45 "Expeditor" and in July 1949 was transferred to the Pisa-San Giusto field.
At the beginning of 1952 fourteen G.12 and one G. 212 were delivered to the 46° Stormo, but due to the poor efficiency of these aircraft it is not possible to guarantee sufficient flight activity for two Gruppi di Volo (Flying Squadron), thus the decision was made to place in position "Quadro" the 98° Gruppo (June 10, 1952), all staff is transferred to the 2° Gruppo.
On February 1, 1954, in the midst of the Cold War, the 98° Gruppo was reconstituted. Half of the personnel and C 119G transferred to the 2° Gruppo di volo, In addition, he was assigned two new Squadriglie, the 246ª and 247ª, in addition to the historical 240ª and 241ª.
In 1978 the Unit begins the transition on the new G 222, discontinuing the now obsolete "Flying Boxcar", the twin engine allows the Unit to further increase its presence in international missions such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Mozambique, East Timor and Eritrea, in 1982, the Unit introduced the fire-fighting speciality to its tasks, maintaining it until 1992.
From 2007 the Gruppo’s flight line was gradually renewed with the introduction of the new C 27J "Spartan".
The 98° Gruppo, after the entry of the C 27J, participated in the mission ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) in Afghanistan with two aircraft and two crews, during the period of service has guaranteed the armed forces engaged in the operating theater the transport needs, in particular the Special Operation Force (SOF) units.
The last international mission was the Unified Protector in Libya in 2011. The normal activities carried out regularly see the "Lupi - Wolves" of the 98° Gruppo engaged in support of the Folgore Brigade carrying out the transport on a national scale and the night airfield. Moreover the unit is inserted in the activity of ready employment for the national transport MEDEVAC (MEDical EVACuation) in "back up" to the 31° Stormo of Ciampino.
The Unit constantly maintains a training capacity for the national SAR (Search and Rescue). The important role played by the Unit during the earthquake in Abruzzo (2009) and the subsequent support to the G8 summit in L'Aquila cannot be disregarded for its commitment to the community.
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