March 1973. Over the skies of Portuguese Guinea, a Fiat G.91 'Gina,' a compact and nimble jet engineered for the rigors of combat, darts through hostile airspace. The Portuguese colony is in flames and is falling prey to the Proxy Wars of the Cold War, rebel guerrillas spreading disorder and violence across the vast territory, outnumbering the European military.
Designed in response to a NATO competition for a versatile light attack aircraft, 'Gina' combined Italian engineering finesse with rugged military functionality. It was ideally suited for counter-insurgency operations, carrying rockets, napalm, and bombs.
Below, armed with newly acquired Soviet Strela 2 MANPADS, enemy rebels lie in wait, ready to challenge the air superiority long dominated by the Portuguese. Then, within seconds, a hostile missile streaks across the horizon.
The pilot bravely decides to continue his run, delivering napalm and bombs to protect the allied ground unit that has called for immediate close air support.
Explosions suddenly engulf the enemy ground forces, stopping them short of decimating the entrenched Portuguese infantry. As the smoke from the strike clears, the pilot spots an incoming missile. It’s a Strela 2, the rare vulnerability in the storied history of the Ginas...
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