A contemporary of the renowned Macchi C.202, the production of this type was to be limited to only 252, but it was a flexible design that proved to be able to undertake a number of roles.

The Reggiane Re.2001 was a development of the Re.2000 Falco I which had been rejected by the Regia Aeronautica primarily because of its unprotected fuel tanks in the wing, which were merely sealed voids between the spars, and secondly its engine.

The Re.2001 CB (Cacciabombardiere, Fighter-bomber) version produced from 1942 could carry a 100 or 250 kg (220 or 550 lb) bomb under the fuselage for the attack role.

The Re.2001 reached operational status late in 1941 with 2° Gruppo (part of 6° Stormo) that had returned from North Africa without aircraft in September 1941.

The Spitfires shot down a bomber and badly damaged the other but the Reggiane pilots quickly reacted and shot down the two Spitfires, one by Sergente Paolo Morcino, that had to make a crash-landing (just like his commander) close to Ispica, as his undercarriage had been damaged by a 20 mm cannon shell.

Dogfights took place over the southern part of the island and according to the Italians, the Allies lost four aircraft, three falling into the sea east of Valletta and the fourth, south of Kalafrana.

Later records show that Cazzolli, a Spanish Civil War veteran, was the lone victim, crashing north of Fort San Leonardo, near Marsaskala, and was captured.

At lower and medium altitudes, the Re.2001 was able to hold its own[6] and, in the hands of an expert pilot, as ace Laddie Lucas recalled in his Malta: The Thorn in Rommel's side, the Reggiane could be a difficult and dangerous opponent for the Spitfire V. On 13 July 1942, 249 Squadron was engaged high above Malta with a mixed force of German and Italian fighters.

2, the Australian, Alan Yates, despite being low on ammunition, had finally set upon a lone Re.2001 as it was about to disengage and head for Sicily.

Eventually he started to smoke and we hit his tail, but we were halfway across the Strait of Sicily and our position was getting dangerous as we were now low in fuel and would be in real difficulty if we were attacked.

[3] During the attack, a direct hit was scored on the aircraft carrier's flight deck but the bomb failed to explode and fell harmlessly into the sea.

[6] Beginning in spring 1942, Reggiane Re.2001 CN night fighters were issued to 59° Gruppo, and primarily used in the defence of Italian cities.

Fighter pilots praised the Re.2001's handling qualities (some considered it more maneuverable than the Macchi C.202); however, like many Italian combat aircraft, the type experienced poor serviceability and many of the units using the Re.2001 were not fully equipped.