Macchi C.202 VII. Serie, M.M.9066, Maresciallo Ennio Tarantola, 151a Squadriglia, o 51 Stormo C.T., Gela, September 1942.

Italian ace Ennio Tarantola began his career as a fighter pilot back in the Spanish Civil War, where he flew the Fiat CR.32. After the end of that conflict, he flew o Ju 87B divebombers, with which he recorded success against a British destroyer. Later, he returned to being a fighter pilot, and served with the 20 Gruppo on the G.50 and, later, the C.202. After the Armistice, he served in the ranks of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Repubblica Sociale Italiana, a state formed on territory controlled by german forces on September 18, 1943 after the Armistice.

He ended the war with ten kills. While serving at Gela, he was in 151a Squadriglia commanded by Furio Niclot Doglio, flying the illustrated aircraft, which was built at Macchi and was camouflaged with olive green smoke rings on a hazelnut brown base. The engine cowl carried the inscription ‘Dai Banana!‘ (Onwards, Banana), a reference to his pre-war job as a banana vendor in the town of Como.