 The ANR worked closely with German Air Force ("Luftwaffe") in Northern Italy, even if the Germans unsuccessfully tried to disband the ANR forcing its pilots to enlist in the "Luftwaffe".In 1944, after the withdrawal of all German fighter units in the attempt to stop the increased Allied offensive on the German mainland, ANR fighter groups were left alone and heavily outnumbered to face the massive Allied air offensive over Northern Italy.In the operation time of 1944 and 1945, the ANR managed to shoot down 262 Allied aircraft with the loss of 158 in action.