sometimes managed to shoot down the faster and better-armed Hurricanes and P-40s. In the hands of expert pilots, the G.50 was even capable of scoring multiple kills during a single sortie. For instance, on the evening of 9 July 1941, Sergente Maggiore Aldo Buvoli of 378ª Squadriglia, 155° Gruppo Autonomo, took off from Castel Benito airfield to patrol Tripoli harbour and intercepted a flight of seven Blenheim light bombers, which had been engaged in a low-level attack on the ships. Two Fiat CR.42 biplanes from 151° Gruppo were already pursuing the Blenheims when Buvoli attacked, shooting at each bomber in sequence. One Blenheim ditched in the sea while another was shot down a few miles north of Tripoli. Two more failed to return to Luqa airfield in Malta and were posted as missing. For these successes, Buvoli was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor and subsequently credited with four kills. No. 110 Squadron reported the loss of a similar number of Blenheim IVs on its first mission since arriving in Malta from the British mainland during early July. During the Battle of Sidi Barrani, the first major British offensive of the Western Desert Campaign, a number of G.50s operating out of Martuba Airbase, Derna District, attacked the British-held airfield at Sidi Barrani. On 18 November 1941, during Operation Crusader, the Desert Air Force was responsible for destroying 13 aircraft on the Ain el Gazala airfields, 10 of these being G.50s. On 19 November 20° Gruppo, based at Sid el Rezegh, suffered heavy losses when British armoured forces suddenly attacked the airfield. Of the 19 G.50s, only three escaped, with 80 pilots and ground crew taken prisoner. Altogether, 26 G.50s were lost and 20 Gruppo was left with only 36 G.50s, of which 27 were serviceable. Mario Bonzano, now a Tenente Colonnello and commander of 20° Gruppo, was among the captured, and his deputy, Furio Niclot Doglio, was almost shot down, since he was unaware of the British operation. Several G.50s were captured almost intact, and at least one was taken by No. 260 Squadron and later passed to No. 272 Squadron. After 1941, the G.50 played only a minor role in the Regia Aeronautica. During June 1942, British intelligence estimated that 12 Gruppo had a total of 26 G.50s (10 of these being of a serviceable condition), while the backbone of 5a Squadra Aerea was estimated to have comprised