I am an Italian researcher interested in finding some documantation of the following event being myself an eye witness of the fact.
I am unable to identify the date (certainly late 1944- beginning 1945): one morning a single US aircraft (a twin engine or more engines?) suddenly apparead over the sky of CHIAVARI coming from the sea at an extremely low altitude (few hundred feet) starting to fly in circle at slow speed giving the impression that was searching something most propbably to take photographs.
The Germans reacted with any type of short weapons against the aircraft being a very easy target. In fact few pieces of aluminium fell down in the town streets confirming that the plane was hit. Nevertheless this plane was persisting in the very dangerous flight at low altitude and low speed. In his circular flight at a certain moment was over an heavy guns battery located on the hill nearby the town. This battery consisted of twin naval guns 153 mm. and opened fire against the aircraft without success. Most probably this was the task of the mission to identify the battery and other details. Is it possible to obtain some report and/or photographs of such event?