''77a Squadriglia'' was one of the first Italian

fighter squadron A squadron in air force, army aviation, or naval aviation is a unit comprising a number of military aircraft and their aircrews, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, dependi ...

s. After its founding on 31 May 1916, it began flying combat in July 1916, and would operate until the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. It was one of the squadrons drawn into late 1917's

Battle of Caporetto The Battle of Caporetto (also known as the Twelfth Battle of the Isonzo, the Battle of Kobarid or the Battle of Karfreit) was a battle on the Italian front of World War I. The battle was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Central ...

, and forced to retreat after the Italian defeat. By the time the

Austro-Hungarians Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1 ...

sued for peace, ''77a Squadriglia'' could count some 50 aerial victories scored in about 250 victories.

History

''77a Squadriglia'' of the ''

Corpo Aeronautico Militare The Italian Corpo Aeronautico Militare (Military Aviation Corps) was formed as part of the Regio Esercito (Royal Army) on 7 January 1915, incorporating the Aviators Flights Battalion (airplanes), the Specialists Battalion (airships) and the Ballon ...

'' was founded at La Comina on 31 May 1916. It was issued

Nieuport 10 The Nieuport 10 (or Nieuport XB in contemporary sources) was a French First World War sesquiplane that filled a wide variety of roles, including reconnaissance, fighter and trainer. Design and development In January 1914, designer Gustave Delag ...

two-seaters and assigned to ''3o Gruppo''. The new squadron began flying combat operations in July 1916. After its move to Cascina Farello, on 14 November 1916 the squadron's airfield was bombed, killing two.Franks et al 1997, pp. 123-124. As the year turned, ''77a Squadriglia'' was re-equipped with

Nieuport 17 The Nieuport 17 C.1 (or Nieuport XVII C.1 in contemporary sources) was a French sesquiplane fighter designed and manufactured by the Nieuport company during World War I. An improvement over the Nieuport 11, it was a little larger than earlier N ...

single-seat fighters. In March 1917, it began receiving

Spad VII The SPAD S.VII was the first of a series of highly successful biplane fighter aircraft produced by ''Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés'' (SPAD) during the First World War. Like its successors, the S.VII was renowned as a sturdy and r ...

s, which it emblazoned with the squadron symbol of a heart in a white circle. The unit was drawn into the northern frontier fighting at

Caporetto Kobarid (; it, Caporetto, fur, Cjaurêt, german: Karfreit) is a settlement in Slovenia, the administrative centre of the Municipality of Kobarid. Kobarid is known for the 1917 Battle of Caporetto, where the Italian retreat was documented by Erne ...

. As a result of that Italian defeat, the squadron was forced to relocate rapidly three times. After coming to rest at

Marcon Marcon is a ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Venice, the region of Veneto, northern Italy. It contains the hamlets of Gaggio and San Liberale. It is bordered by Mogliano Veneto, Quarto d'Altino, and Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ...

, the squadron was attached as part of ''13o Gruppo''. As the squadron's records have vanished, details of its later wartime service are scarce; one known notable feat was Italy's first night fighter victory on 24 July 1918, scored by

Giovanni Ancillotto ''Lieutenant'' Giovanni 'Giannino' Ancillotto (15 November 1896 – 18 October 1924) was an Italian World War I flying ace credited with 11 confirmed aerial victories. Rather unusually, he served solely with aviation while he was in the military, ...

. However, when World War I did end, the squadron had flown more than 5,000 combat

sortie A sortie (from the French word meaning ''exit'' or from Latin root ''surgere'' meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warfare. ...

s, engaged its aerial enemies about 250 times, and been credited with 50 victories. Four of its pilots had become aces while within its ranks.

Commanding officers

Pier Ruggero Piccio Lieutenant General Count Pier Ruggero Piccio (27 September 1880 – 30 July 1965) was an Italian aviator and the founding Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force. With 24 victories during his career, he is one of the principal Italian air aces o ...

: ca 30 May 1916 - 26 January 1917 * Ettore Croce: 26 January 1917 *

Ferruccio Ranza Brigadier General Ferruccio Ranza (9 September 1892—25 April 1973) began his military career as a World War I flying ace credited with seventeen confirmed victories and eight unconfirmed ones. Postwar, he rose to command of several area comma ...

* Alberto Marazzani * Filippo Serafini: August 1918

Duty stations

* La Comina: from 25 May 1916 * Fossalunga: from June 1916 * Cascina Farello: from August 1916 *

Aiello del Friuli Aiello del Friuli ( fur, Daèl) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about northwest of Trieste and about southeast of Udine. Aiello del Friuli borders the following municipalities: Bagnaria Ars ...

: from March 1917 * La Comina: ca November 1917 *

Arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated game machine ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade game's hardware ** Arcade system board, a standardized printed circuit board * Amusement arcade, a place with arcade games * ...

: ca November 1917 *

: ca November–December 1917

Notable members

* Pier Ruggero Piccio *

* Carlo Lombardi *

Ernesto Cabruna ''Capitano'' Ernesto Cabruna (1889–1960) was a professional soldier who became a World War I flying ace credited with eight aerial victories. He served in Italy's military police, beginning in 1907. After service in Libya and Rhodes, he received ...

Cosimo Rizzotto Sergente Cosimo Rizzotto (1893-1963) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. Early life Cosimo Rizzotto was born on 26 June 1893, in Colognola ai Colli, Kingdom of Italy.Franks et al 1997, pp. 157-158. World War I Rizzott ...

Endnotes

References

* Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory. ''Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI''. Grub Street, 1997. , . {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Italian Air Force Military units and formations of Italy in World War I Military units and formations established in 1916 1916 establishments in Italy