Sorci Verdi

Engineered as a homage to the first Italian Medium armoured tank, titled “Orienteering M13/40” in accordance with local tank weight standards, whereby then the expected weight was estimated at 13 tonnes. The “M13/40” tank was primarily used by the Royal Army’s armoured division during the Second World War, and first went into production as the successor to the “M11/39”, before being officially introduced in 1940. Alongside, it was also the first Italian armoured tank equipped with a 47mm calibre Gun Turret, which during that time, posed a huge threat to other enemy tanks. The “M13/40” was first deployed into action at the end of 1940 by the 132nd Armoured Division 'Ariete', during the North African regime, who later went down in history for its major Allied victory during the 2nd Battle of El Alamein. The tank’s fearless battles were also frequently mentioned in Italian and German war bulletins. However by 4 th November 1942, during the second battle of El Alamein, the last radio communication of the ‘Ariete’ division had unfold as “Enemy tanks raided south. ‘Ariete’ surrounded. Found about five kilometres northwest of Bir el Abd. ‘Ariete’ tanks fight."

In January 1938, after a successful Istres-Damascus-Paris flight race in 1937, the commanding Italian Airforce Squadron, better known as the “Sorci Verdi” famously flew three “S.M.79CS” bomber planes modified for transatlantic flying, across a 5000km Intercontinental route between Rome, Dakar, and Rio De Janeiro, at an average speed record of 420 km/h, within a total of 24 hours. The three aircrafts were distinctively painted with a red, green and white livery, and stamped with the titles “I-BISE” , “I-BRUN” and “I-MONI”, in respect to their commanding pilots “Biseo”, “Mussolini” and “Moscatelli”.

The creation of TCM’s “Tazzoli” range stems for a tribute to the submarine “Enrico Tazzoli” built in the 1930s at the La Spezia shipyard. Inaugurated in October 1935, it entered service in April 1936 under the command of “Carlo Fecia di Cossato”, and was soon established as a symbol of the Italian Navy during the Second World War. Until today, the Tazzoli submarine continues to hold the highest record of enemy vessels sunk, including exceptional rescue and recovery missions, and containing the second highest tonnage capacity. From 1943 onwards, the Tazzoli submarine’s usage was converted for transports between the Far East. However, by May of that same year, it sank without a trace, due to probable speculations surrounding damages caused by a mine collision.