Regia Marina began deploying a catapult-enabled fighter plane. The choice fell on the Reggiane Re 2000, capable of the respectable speed of 530 km/h and sufficient range.
On September 8th, 1943, the day of the armistice,there were 6 Re 2000 "Catapultabile " in service , 2 on the battleship Rome and one each on the Vittorio Veneto and Italy (formerly Littorio).





These aircraft were different to the "Hurricats" used by the British, and were designed to be reusable.
After action they would land at the nearest friendly airfield,the Italians came up with an ingenious transport design.
The aircraft were loaded on to a special trailer, which tilted vertically, enabling them to be brought to the nearest harbor, where they would be then loaded onto a barge or the mother ship.




As far as I know they never saw combat. " But I have been proved wrong before"
Regards Duggy.