endurance, thus missions rarely exceeded one hour. The G.50 bis, which was equipped with larger fuel tanks, was already in production, but it was not sent to 20° Gruppo in time to participate. Its performance was also lacking: during one incident on 5 November 1940, a formation of 22 G.50s intercepted several British Hawker Hurricanes, resulting in the RAF fighters escaping with ease. On 21 November 1940, when a Bristol Blenheim attacked the airfield at Maldegem, Belgium, a pair of G.50s were scrambled, but they lost the bomber in the clouds. On 23 November, several G.50s followed a flight of four Hurricanes, but were unable to close on them. On 31 January 1941, another fruitless interception occurred when a number of G.50s were evaded by a single Blenheim that escaped into the clouds. At the beginning of 1941, the CAI were redeployed back to Italy, leaving behind a pair of G.50 squadrons that stayed in Belgium alongside Luftflotte 2 until April 1941. Overall, the G.50s flew a total of 429 missions, 34 escorts and 26 scrambles for the CAI, but failed to engage any enemy aircraft during these actions. A single aeroplane was lost and seven more were damaged during the deployment. While operating with Luftflotte 2, 20° Gruppo lost four additional fighters and two pilots were killed. A pair of G.50s were recorded as having been damaged by friendly fire from German fighters and flak. In Belgium, 20° Gruppo had the opportunity to see the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 in action; several G.50 pilots are known to have been trained to fly the type as well. Around the same time, a pair of Bf 109E pilots were attached to the Gruppo in mid-January 1941. On 8 April 1941, the last sighting of enemy aircraft by the G.50 occurred, during which the targets, identified as fighters, eluded them yet again. The North African campaign On 27 December 1940, the first 27 G.50s, belonging to 150ª and 152ª Squadriglia, 2° Gruppo Autonomo C.T., arrived in Libya, where they operated out of Brindisi and Grottaglie airfields. On 9 January 1941, these fighters performed their first combat mission in the theatre when Capitano Pilota (Flight Lieutenant) Tullio De Prato, commander of 150ª Squadriglia, was attacked by a Hawker Hurricane Mk I on the front line, forcing him to crash-land in the desert. On 31 January 1941, a new G.50-equipped unit, 155° Gruppo Autonomo