a mixture of 104 C.202s, 63 C.200s, 32 Z.1007 and 31 S.79s. Aegean theatre After Italy declared war on Greece in October 1940, the Freccia commenced offensive operations against Greek and Allied forces over the Balkans and the Aegean Sea on 28 October, typically operating from airfields at Berat, Devoli and Grottaglie. During the Greek campaign, adverse weather conditions was often responsible for hampering Axis air operations, however, a number of fiercely-fought aerial engagements were fought on several days, often accompanied by a large amount of overclaiming by personnel on both sides of the conflict. Early on 20 February 1941, a flight of Hawker Hurricane fighters were engaged in their first aerial combat over the Balkans when seven G.50s of 54 Gruppo were scrambled from Devoli to intercept a formation of RAF bombers with their Hurricane escorts. A few days earlier, a British cargo ship had delivered six Hurricanes and several Wellington bombers to Paramythia, Greece, boosting RAF power in the region. Freccias claimed to have downed both bomber and a fighter, while the British claimed responsibility for downing four G.50s. That afternoon, 15 G.50s engaged a large mixed formation of RAF Gloster Gladiators, claiming the downing of 10 aircraft for the loss of one G.50. The RAF claimed three G.50s with no loss. Postwar records showed one Bristol Blenheim and a single G.50 being lost on that day. On 28 February 1941, RAF units intercepted a formation of Italian bombers and their escorts, claiming 27 aircraft shot down and several others damaged in the ensuing battle. The Italians claimed to have downed six Gladiators and a single Supermarine Spitfire. The recorded losses were one Gladiator and eight Italian aircraft; many more were damaged. After this battle, the Regia Aeronautica was no longer an effective force within the theatre. On 4 March 1941, a single G.50 bis was responsible for the shooting down of Hurricane V7288, piloted by Australian RAF ace Flight Lieutenant Nigel Cullen (who was credited with 15 or 16 victories) off Valona coast (Albania), while he was flying as wing-man for ace Pat Pattle. During the course of the Greek campaign, a flight of 10 G.50 fighters were recorded as having been lost, including both combat losses and others that had been destroyed by a combination of accidents and as a consequence of Allied bombing missions against Italian airfields. Sicilian and Italian campaigns During the second half