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List Of Italian World War I Flying Aces ...
This list contains a complete list of all World War I flying aces who flew for the Kingdom of Italy. A military intelligence committee, the Bongiovanni Commission, verified the aerial victories of Italian aviators during World War I and released its listing of ''Corpo Aeronautico Militare'' flying aces on 1 February 1919. The Bongiovanni report served as the basic source for this list. Additions, and later adjustments in victory scores, are cited separately below. The Bongiovanni Commission list Footnotes References ;Notes ;Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:World War I flying aces list Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flying Ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually considered to be five or more. The concept of the "ace" emerged in 1915 during World War I, at the same time as aerial dogfighting. It was a propaganda term intended to provide the home front with a cult of the hero in what was otherwise a war of attrition. The individual actions of aces were widely reported and the image was disseminated of the ace as a chivalrous knight reminiscent of a bygone era. For a brief early period when air-to-air combat was just being invented, the exceptionally skilled pilot could shape the battle in the skies. For most of the war, however, the image of the ace had little to do with the reality of air warfare, in which fighters fought in formation and air superiority depended heavily on the relative availability ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carlo Lombardi (pilot)
'' Tenente'' Carlo Francesco Lombardi known as Francis was a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. Postwar, he was active in his family's rice refinery, as well as in record breaking flights. He formed the AVIA (''Azionaria Vercellese Industrie Aeronautiche'') aviation company in 1938.Franks 2000, p. 78. Biography Carlo Francesco Lombardi was born on 21 January 1897, in Genoa, the Kingdom of Italy. He was nicknamed "Francis", and seemed to prefer that name.Franks et al 1997, pp. 142-143. As Italy entered World War I, Lombardi was posted to the Italian Army's 22nd Infantry Regiment as a reserve officer. He transferred to aviation, reporting for schooling at Venaria Reale on 18 May 1916. He trained on Blériots, then qualified on Aviatiks on 31 August 1916. On 6 October 1916, he was rated as a military pilot. On 1 January 1917, Lombardi reported to Cascina Costa for training on Savoia-Pomilio SP.2s. He did well enough that on 14 February, he was selected as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Attilio Imolesi
Sergente Attilio Imolesi was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. Biography Attilio Imolesi was born in Cesena, Kingdom of Italy on 11 October 1890. His date of entry into military service is unknown, but he was accepted by the Malpensa flying school of the ''Corpo Aeronautico Militare'' on 31 December 1915. He qualified as a pilot on a Maurice Farman 12 on 1 May 1916, and took a more advanced license on a Maurice Farman 14 on 1 July 1916. His original assignment as a pilot was to the Rimini Defense Flight, which was near his home. However, he applied for training as a fighter pilot. He was accepted for training on the Nieuport 11 at Cascina Costa on 2 September. He qualified on the Nieuport as of 25 November. On 30 November 1916, he was posted to ''79a Squadriglia'' in the rank of '' caporale''.Franks et al 1997, p. 141. Imolesi made his first combat flight on 21 January 1917. He staked his first victory claim on 2 April 1917, only to have it unconfirme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bartolomeo Costantini
Bartolomeo "Meo" Costantini (14 February 1889 in Vittorio Veneto – 19 July 1941 in Milan) was an Italian aviator and racing car driver, known for being the sporting manager of the Bugatti car manufacturer. Military service He joined the Italo-Turkish War (1911), and later became well known in World War I, where ''capitano'' Costantini became a flying ace with six victories flying a Spad in the ''Squadriglia degli Assi'', part of the Corpo Aeronautico Militare. Costantini used a Spad VII to score his first aerial victory in conjunction with Prince Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, on 25 October 1917. The next day, Costantini shot down another Aviatik reconnaissance plane over Castelmonte. A month later, on 23 November, he shared his third victory over a two-seater with Cesare Magistrini. A week later, he had another shared win. He did not score again for nine months. In August 1918, he acquired a newer Spad XIII that he used to round off his career. On the 12th, he singlehandedly defeat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antonio Chiri
'' Sergente Maggiore'' Antonio Chiri was a World War I flying ace credited with six confirmed and seven unconfirmed aerial victories. Biography Antonio Chiri was born in Locana, the Kingdom of Italy on 26 August 1894.Franks et al 1997, p. 135. On 9 September 1914, Chiri was conscripted into the 17th Field Artillery Regiment of the Italian Army. On 18 April 1915, he was accepted for pilot's training at Pisa. He was suspended from training early in the course, but kept on hand as a sheet metal mechanic. In November 1915, he resumed pilot's training. On 1 April 1916, he was promoted to corporal. On 8 June 1916, he finally went on flying service with the ''77a Squadriglia''. After some months service there, he was transferred to ''78a Squadriglia'' on 11 October 1916. He was promoted again, to '' Sergente'', on 31 October. On 19 March 1917, Chiri shot down an Austro-Hungarian Hansa-Brandenburg C.1 over Gallio Bassano for his first aerial victory; the feat earned him a Silver Medal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aldo Bocchese
Sergente Maggiore Aldo Bocchese was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. Biography Aldo Bocchese was born in Milan, the Kingdom of Italy on 23 December 1894. When he reported for duty in World War I, his original military service was with his nation's 49th Infantry Regiment. Ranked as a '' sergente'', he transferred to aviation and began training as a pilot at Cascina Costa on 7 March 1917. On 29 August 1917, he was granted his initial license. He earned four more advanced ratings, including one on Nieuports, and began gunnery training at Furbara on 7 December 1917. Upon graduation, he was assigned to ''70a Squadriglia'', with whom he would fly 119 combat sorties.Franks et al 1997, pp. 134-135. On 17 April 1918, Bocchese, Leopoldo Eleuteri, Flaminio Avet, and Alessandro Resch were credited with downing a two-seater and two fighter planes over Valdobbiadene for Bocchese's first three victories. Avet and Eleuteri also aided Bocchese in his next two victor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antonio Riva (pilot)
Antonio Riva (; 8 April 1896 Shanghai – 17 August 1951 Beijing) was an Italian pilot and a World War I flying ace, credited with seven confirmed and seven unconfirmed aerial victories. In 1951, he was executed by firing squad under the newly established People's Republic of China for allegedly conspiring to assassinate Mao Zedong and other Communist leaders. Early life and infantry service Antonio Riva was born in Shanghai, China on 8 April 1896 from a family of wealthy merchants from Gorgonzola, Achille Riva and Teresa Barbaran Capra; the couple moved to China in 1880 to export silk in Italy. Being of Italian heritage, he returned to Italy as World War I engulfed Europe. He volunteered as a reserve officer on 31 December 1914, before Italy entered the war. On 11 July 1915, he was commissioned a '' Sottotenente'' in the Italian Army's 70th Infantry Regiment. On 12 November 1915, he was wounded, not returning to duty until 16 March 1916. He was transferred to the 201st Infant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Ekuatur Nunka''), is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Ecuador also includes the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, about west of the mainland. The country's capital and largest city is Quito. The territories of modern-day Ecuador were once home to a variety of Indigenous groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca Empire during the 15th century. The territory was colonized by Spain during the 16th century, achieving independence in 1820 as part of Gran Colombia, from which it emerged as its own sovereign state in 1830. The legacy of both empires is reflected in Ecuador's ethnically diverse population, with most of its mill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cosimo Rennella
Lieutenant Colonel Cosimo Rennella Barbatto (1890–1937) was an Ecuadorian World War I flying ace of Italian birth. He was credited with seven confirmed aerial victories flying for Italian aviation during the war; however, his pioneering civil aviation activities both before and immediately following the war were probably even more important than his martial career. Pre-World War I activities Rennella was born in Italy on 15 February 1890. In 1892 he accompanied his family when they emigrated to Guayaquil, Ecuador. While there, his name was changed to fit the pattern used in many Spanish-speaking countries to be Cosimo Rennella Barbatto by appending his mother's maiden name, though he was usually called "Cosme". In 1909, he volunteered to serve in the Patria I Battalion in military operations against Peru. In 1911, Rennella persuaded a local sportsman's club, the ''Club Guayas de Tiro Aviacion'' (Guayas Shooting and Aviation Club), to sponsor his pilot's training; his aim was to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Orazio Pierozzi
'' Tenente di Vascello'' Orazio Pierozzi (1884–1919) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. Biography Orazio Pierozzi was born in San Casciano Val di Pesa in the Kingdom of Italy on 8 December 1884. He began his military career on 8 November 1908, when he entered the Italian Naval Academy at Livorno. By the time he reported for aviation training on 15 June 1916, he was a seasoned sailor. On 14 October, he was rated as a pilot; three days later, he was assigned to Brindisi Naval Air Station, which he would rise to command.Franks et al 1997, pp. 152–153. On 15 May 1917, he staked his first aerial victory claim; however, it was denied, and aviation historians have since been unable to find a corresponding Austro-Hungarian loss. However, on 7 June, he shot down a Lohner K flying boat, killing both the crew; this was his first real aerial victory. In December 1917, Pierozzi was appointed to command a naval squadron, ''255a Squadriglia''. Pierozzi had ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mario Fucini
'' Tenente'' (later General) Mario Fucini was a World War I flying ace who claimed credit for 13 aerial victories during the war; seven of these were confirmed in 1919. He would remain in the Italian air force after World War I, rising through squadron commands to head up the Castiglione Fighter School. Biography Mario Fucini was born on 1 February 1891 in Empoli. As World War I began, he volunteered for military service in the engineers. He was appointed as a '' Sottotenente'' on 9 May 1915. After a transfer to the ''Corpo Aeronautico Militare'', he earned a pilot's license on 13 March 1916.Franks et al 1997, pp. 140-141. The following month, he qualified to fly Voisins. On 12 April 1916, he was assigned as a pilot to ''5a Squadriglia Voisin'' (later to become ''25a Squadriglia''). On 28 July 1916, he completed a bombing sortie despite constant attacks by a pair of enemy fighters; he was awarded a Silver Medal for Military Valor for this feat. On 16 February 1917, he brough ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guglielmo Fornagiari
'' Sergente Maggiore'' Guglielmo Fornagiari was an Italian World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. Biography Guglielmo Fornagiari was born in Lizzano in Belvedere, Kingdom of Italy, in 1892.Franks et al 1997, pp. 139-140. His life and military career are unknown before he was posted to a fighter squadron, ''78a Squadriglia'', on 3 September 1916. On 19 June 1917, he staked his first victory claim while flying a Nieuport 11. Eight days later, his takeoff was aborted by engine failure, and he crashlanded in a vineyard. He was unhurt, but two vineyard workers were killed and another pair injured. Despite this, he continued to fly and fight, and scored his first accredited aerial victory on 22 August 1917. He had been equipped with a Hanriot HD.1 by 8 October, when he staked his fourth claim. Fornagiari continued to score; on 26 December, he would share two victories, one with Masiero, for his fifth and sixth claims. He ended 1917 by receiving a second Silver Meda ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
