 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.Beginning in spring 1942, Reggiane Re.2001 CN night fighters were issued to 59° Gruppo, and primarily used in the defence of Italian cities.As the tide of war shifted, the Re.2001 units were constantly moved from base to base, and finally by 10 July 1943, when the invasion of Sicily began, all available Re.2001 fighters were diverted to defend Italy and nearby Mediterranean islands held by Italian forces.