Eyewitness to Hitler's Escape by Peter David Orr

Author:Peter David Orr [Orr, Peter David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Beachhead Press
Published: 2018-01-18T23:00:00+00:00

In most cases the report of the tri-motor plane landing on April 30, 1945, didn’t go to press until May 1, 1945, so when the articles were written they were couched in phraseology easily misconstrued to indicate the flight in question had landed on the 30th, whereas those repeating the story were simply referring to the fact that the story first hit the presses on April 30. However, the Petacci flight actually took place seven days earlier: April 23, 1945.

If the Petacci family’s plane was not German made, it certainly could have been an Italian made tri-motor aircraft. In that case, quite a few candidates present themselves, like the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79. The “Sparviero” (sparrow hawk) was a three-engine medium bomber which could comfortably seat a crew of six and had space for two more when needed. Another possibility is the Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 which was a tri-engine bomber/transport aircraft that could accommodate 40. And, of all Italian produced fighters, bombers and transports, the SM.82 was the most commonly used by the Luftwaffe during World War II.

Yet, none of those is correct, because around noon on April 23 members of Claretta Petacci’s family took off in a plane which departed from Linate Airport, Milan. They were flown to Barcelona in a tri-engined plane that had been arranged by Mussolini with Dr. Rudolf Rahn’s assistance.

Of course, Mussolini had wanted his mistress to escape to Spain as well, but Clara would not leave his side. Even Mussolini’s own son admitted later in his life that there was no doubt that Clara genuinely loved his father. The plane, according to the most thorough source available, was an Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 with Croatian markings, with about 15 passengers carrying false passports and papers.[273]

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