Heroic Italian aviators!

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tigre
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#16

Post by tigre » 22 May 2018, 01:51

Hello to all :D; more
Capitano Orazio Bernardini.
In this regard I found the following: He was born in Milan in 1914. Legionary of Spain decorated with a Bronze Medal and a Military War Cross. On January 10, 1941 at 12:23 hours, southeast of Pantelleria, two S.79 of the 279th Squadriglia, commanded by Capitano Orazio Bernardini (with Tenente di Vascello Domenico Baffigo on board as an observer) and Tenente Angelo Caponetti, attacked a British naval convoy, including the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, which was heading to Malta as part of Operation Excess. The two S.79 launched their torpedoes at 2,500 m (2730 yards) away, missing the battleship HMS Valiant astern. Both aircraft were intercepted by four Fairey Fulmar aircraft from the 806 Air Squadron (NAS), Fleet Air Force (FAA), which pursued them for 20 miles and severely damaged the S.79 of Tenente Caponetti. For this action he received the Silver Medal for Military Valor and was cited in the bulletin Nº 218 of January 11, 1941 ..........................

At 13:45 hours on March 29, 1941, after the dramatic Battle of Cape Matapan, two aircraft S.79 of the 279th Squadriglia piloted by Capitano Orazio Bernardini and Tenente Rodolfo Guza launched their torpedoes against two British destroyers. One was lost, but the other reached its goal. However, the two Sparvieri did not escape unscathed, since both airplanes were hit by defensive fire of the warships ..................................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 3 julio 1941
Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units. Marco Mattioli

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Capitano Orazio Bernardini
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#17

Post by tigre » 29 May 2018, 00:54

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Capitano Massimiliano Erasi.

In this regard I found the following: He was born on July 12, 1908 in Bagni di Lusnizza (formerly Bad Lusnizz) near Tarvisio, territory of the Habsburgs until 1918, in a family of ethnic German. The name of his father was Massimiliano Errath and his mother Maria Kowatsch. He received his diploma in technical and industrial expertise in Klagenfurt Austria, then in 1928 he joined the ranks of the Regia Aeronautica as a NCO pilot, as the title he obtained in Austria is not considered valid for admission to the Royal Aeronautical Accademia where , however, was accepted in 1932 to be reconsidered and then inserted in the role of officer in permanent service. Then, he was assigned to the 9th Stormo da bombardamento. In the same year (it was 1934) he assumed the surname Erasi. In 1936 he participated in the operations of the Italian air units deployed in support of the nationalists in the Spanish civil conflict.

With the entry into the Italian war in 1940 he got the command of the 278 ^ Squadriglia, first of the aerosiluranti specialty, which operated from the Benghazi airport and in that unit he participated in the air operations in the Mediterranean, winning numerous decorations by military valor. Promoted to Maggiore in 1942, he took command of the 41º Gruppo Aerosiluranti; and after the Italian armistice in September 1943 he joined the Allied side in the ICAF (Italian co-belligerent air force) being shot down in action in 1945.

Erasi is, presumably, after Buscaglia, the most successful torpedo-bomber ace (aerosiluratore) in Italy. His achievements include (among others): the torpedoing of the English cruiser "Liverpool" of 10,000 tons that took place on October 14, 1940 at night south of Crete and put the unit out of action for 12 months (2nd victory) of the squadron); the torpedoing together with Buscaglia of the cruiser "Glasgow" in the bay of Suda on December 3, 1940 that, impacted by 2 torpedoes, remained in the shipyard for 9 months (3rd victory of the squadron) ....................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 3 julio 1941
Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units. Marco Mattioli
http://www.avia-it.com/act/cera_una_vol ... timore.pdf

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Capitano Massimiliano Erasi
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#18

Post by tigre » 05 Jun 2018, 00:23

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Tenente Pietro Greco.
In this regard I found the following: He was born in Sapri (Salerno region of Campania) in 1915. On March 28, 1941 the 34th Gruppo and the 281 ^ Squadriglia supported the Italian fleet during the naval battle of Gavdos when at 12:55 p.m. the S.79 of the Capitano Buscaglia led the S.79 of Tenente Pietro Greco and Tenente Cimicchi during an attack against British naval units. A mechanical problem forced Cimicchi aircraft to return but Buscaglia and Greco launched their torpedoes against the aircraft carrier HMS "Formidable", but the ship managed to successfully avoided them. The S.79 of Pietro Greco was damaged by splinters of the antiaircraft projectiles of the ship ..................................

Sources: Ali di Guerra No. 3 July 1941
Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units. Marco Mattioli

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Tenente Pietro Greco
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#19

Post by tigre » 12 Jun 2018, 01:12

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Tenente Ugo Rivoli.

In this regard I found the following: He was born in Pola in 1911. Legionary of Spain. On May 8, 1941 at 12:45 (Italian time) five S.79 of the 280th Squadriglia, escorted by 15 CR.42 of the 3rd Gruppo Caccia, went after the WS 8 convoy bound for Alexandria (whose name in code was Operation Tiger). The cargo ships of the convoy transported 295 tanks and 53 fighter Hurricanes. The S.79s were piloted by Capitano Dante Magagnoli, Capitano Amedeo Moioli, Tenente Ugo Rivoli, Tenente Marino Marini and Sottotenente Francesco Cappa. The climatic conditions were very poor, with a low cloud ceiling and limited visibility. However, the British ships were sighted at 13:40 hours, about 120 kilometers south of Sardinia.

The 280th Squadriglia reported that all the pilots managed to free the torpedoes, Moioli and Magagnoli claimed to have hit a cruiser. However, the five SM 79 resulted with serious damage, and although three returned to Elmas, the Sottotenente Marini's plane was hit and crashed near La Galite (they reached the coast in their boat and a French seaplane took the crew to Tunisia, from where they were later repatriated) and the Sottotenente Cappa (SM 79 MM23872), hit by cannon fire, launched a torpedo against a large ship from a short distance, and then disappeared into the water with the loss of the entire crew. Cappa was awarded a posthumous Gold Medal...............................

On July 23, 1941, after takeoff at 16:20, three S.79 Sparvieri of the 280th Squadriglia flown by Capitano Mojoli (280-5), Tenente Ugo Rivoli (280-1) and Tenente Alessandro Setti ( 280-6) attacked, but failed, HMS Manchester and HMS Avon Vale. The next day (July 24) the Sparvieri continued to harass Convoy GM 1 (Operation Substance). Finally, around 17:30 hours, a torpedo launched by one of the two S.79 of the 280th Squadriglia under the command of Capitano Mojoli (280-6) and Tenente Rivoli (280-1) damaged the Norwegian tanker of 9,351tons Hoegh Hood, although the ship still arrived in Gibraltar.

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 3 julio 1941
Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units. Marco Mattioli
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_mancini.htm

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Tenente Ugo Rivoli
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#20

Post by tigre » 20 Jun 2018, 01:40

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Tenente Giorgio Sacchetti.

In this regard I found the following: born on July 25, 1911 in Bologna. Legionary of Spain. He served as a military pilot in the first months of the war and successively as commander of a squadron of torpedo planes. During the conflict he had a promotion due to merits of war and received a silver and 2 bronze medal.

The 281 ^ Squadriglia finally entered into action on 23 and 24 March 1941 when Capitano Buscaglia and Tenente Giorgio Sacchetti unsuccessfully attacked British maritime traffic south of Crete ..............................

In the memorable action of April 2, 1941 at 12:45 hours a section of four planes, two of the 34th Group commanded by Maggiore Cannaviello and Tenente Barbani and two others of the 281st Squadriglia, under the command of Cimicchi and Sacchetti , attacked an English Convoy from Alexandria in the direction of Athens. Tenente Cimicchi sank the Homefield steam and three other ships were damaged ..................

Recognized as partisan, with the rank of lieutenant, from March 1, 1944 until the Liberation ......................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 3 julio 1941
Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units. Marco Mattioli
http://www.storiaememoriadibologna.it/s ... 56-persona

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Tenente Giorgio Sacchetti ..................................................................................
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#21

Post by tigre » 26 Jun 2018, 01:19

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Capitano pilota Mario Visintini.

In this regard I found the following: he was born in Parenzo d'Istria (now Porec - Croatia) on April 26, 1913. He applied to join the Aeronautical Academy (Air Force Academy) but did not pass the medical test. Instead, he undertook a civil course and received his civil pilot license in Taliedo, Milan, in June 1936, when he qualified in a Caproni Ca.100. This civil license allowed him to join the Regia Aeronautica as Allievo Ufficiale Pilota di Complemento (official pilot cadet). He received his military wings in September 1936 and after qualifying as a military pilot in Grottaglie on November 14, 1936 he was commissioned as Sottotenente.

He volunteered for the Spanish Civil War and on November 8, 1937, he was assigned to the 25th Squadriglia of the XVI Gruppo "La Cucaracha". This unit was equipped with the Fiat CR.32. On September 20, 1938, Sottotenente Visintini returned to Italy and, for his service in Spain, was decorated with the Silver Medal for military valor. Once back he was granted a permanent commission (Permanent Service) in the Regia Aeronautica due to his record of Spain. During the conquest of Albania (from 07 to 09 April 1939) he transported troops and material flying a Caproni Ca.133. On January 15, 1940, he was promoted to Tenente for merits of war.

At the beginning of 1940, the new 412th Squadriglia Autonoma Caccia was formed in Gorizia, under the command of Capitano Antonio Raffi, with the aim of sending it to Italian East Africa (AOI). Visintini was commissioned as vice-commander of the unit. The staff sailed from Naples on April 5 and arrived in Massawa on April 13. The base of the 412th Squadriglia was Gura, 30 kilometers south of Asmara, at that time one of the largest airports in the entire continent. On June 11, 1940, the first day of the war, a section of four CR.42 led by Visintini was deployed to Massawa, to protect the main port of Eritrea. At 19:15 on June 14, 1940, Visintini won his first victory in World War II when, over Massawa, he knocked down a Wellesley from Squadron 14.

On January 16, 1941 he was promoted to Capitano and commander of the 412th Squadriglia. In January, Commonwealth forces had crossed the borders of Eritrea. The main attack was through the Teseney-Barentu-Akordat-Keren highway. In this last city, the Italians put up a great resistance and on February 1st, the fierce Battle of Keren began and the 412th Squadriglia was constantly in the skies of the battle to face the RAF and SAAF planes and strafe enemy positions. . February 11, 1941 was the day of his last victory and his death. Visintini shot down a Hurricane near Cheren (Eritrea). The weather conditions are not the best and two pilots belonging to the same group are forced to land fortunately near Sabarguma. Concerned about his absence and unable to return, Visintini decides to take off and go to look for them, despite the weather that advised not to do so. And it is precisely during the search that Visentini impacts against Monte Bizen in Nefasit ................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 3 julio 1941
Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber Units. Marco Mattioli
http://www.lavoce.be/index.php/sartoria ... lla-storia
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_visintini.htm

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Capitano pilota Mario Visintini
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#22

Post by tigre » 03 Jul 2018, 00:56

Hello to all :D; more.....................................

Tenente Colonnello pilots Carlo Romagnoli.

In this regard I found the following: He was born in Naples on May 27, 1905. While attending engineering faculty he became Sototenente del Regio Esercito and passionate about the world of aviation, in 1928 he obtained his airplane pilot license, and in 1929 that of military pilot. It passed to the Regia Aeronautica, in 1933 being transferred to Cyrenaica. In anticipation of the war against Ethiopia, he was sent to Somalia. Promoted to Capitano in 1935 he was transferred to Eritrea. In February 1937 he volunteered for the Spanish war, assigned to the Legionary Aviation. He remained in Spain until November of the same year, in this short period he was promoted to Maggiore for merits of war.

After the entry into the war of Italy, on June 10, 1940, on July 1 of that year he was appointed commander of the 10th Gruppo of the 4th Stormo Caccia Terrestre that operated at the airport of Berka, in North Africa. Promoted to Tenente Colonnello in January 1941, he led the 10th Group in the brief operations against Yugoslavia carried out in April 1941. On June 10, the group was assigned to the Sicilian Air Force, initially deployed at the airport of Comiso, waiting to start air operations against the island of Malta.

On September 4, 1941, he led a formation of 17 C.200 Saetta at an altitude of 6,000 meters on a free-hunting mission over Malta. When they arrived at the vertical of La Valletta, they made a visual reconnaissance of the port, destined to confirm the nocturnal sinking of a merchant ship. Given the negative result of it, the planes took the return route. In this phase they suffered the attack of 21 fighters Hurricanes Mk II of the Squadrons No.126 and No.185, stalking to a height of more than 1,500 m. At the end of the furious aerial battle the Romagnoli plane was missing and the one piloted by the Sototenente Andrea Della Pasqua, belonging to the 91st Squadriglia. To the memory, Romagnoli was awarded the Gold Medal for military valor.........

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 4 agosto 1941
http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_romagnoli.htm
http://www.alieuomini.it/pagine/dettagl ... ti,33.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Tenente Colonnello pilota Carlo Romagnoli, he was also decorated with three Silver Medals, two Bronze Medals and a War Cross for Military Valor ..............................
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#23

Post by tigre » 23 Jul 2018, 13:32

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Maggiore pilota Francesco Beccaria.

In this regard I found the following: He was born in Morano Po in 1905. He graduated from the normal course of the Regia Accademia Aeronautica in 1928. He received a recommendation for the aerial demonstration carried out during the visit of the Reich Chancellor in 1938. Decorated with the Bronze Medal for long air navigation. According to the book: Malta 1940-42: The Axis' air battle for Mediterranean supremacy (written by Ryan K. Noppen) in the battle order of January 1942 he was in command of the 16th Gruppo CT in Castelvetrano subordinated to the 54th Stormo CT within the Comando Aeronautica della Sicilia (Palermo) ...........................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 4 agosto 1941

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Maggiore pilota Francesco Beccaria........
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#24

Post by Waleed Y. Majeed » 23 Jul 2018, 20:00

Could Bruno Mussolini be considered as one of the "heroic aviators" too?

waleed

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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#25

Post by tigre » 30 Jul 2018, 15:18

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Capitano pilota Raoul Zucconi.

In this regard I found the following: He was born in Camerino in 1909. He was admitted to the Regia Accademia Aeronautica from which he graduated with the rank of Sottotenente pilota in 1933. In 1935 he participated in the East African campaign as a bomber. Promoted to Capitano, he left as a volunteer for the Spanish civil war, leading a fighter squadron. For its courage, combative spirit and constant dedication to the Homeland and his branch was awarded with three medals to the military valor. From March 1941 he was transferred to a dive bombing unit (bombardamento a tuffo)..............

The 101st Gruppo was originally based in Tirana, Albania and used its Stuka Ju-87 during the Balkan campaign before being transferred to Sicily. Zucconi served by flying a Ju-87 R-2 belonging to the 208th Squadriglia, 101st Gruppo deployed in Sicily in June 1941, carrying out combat missions against Malta and the enemy shipping..................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 4 agosto 1941

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Capitano pilota Raoul Zucconi....................
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#26

Post by tigre » 30 Jul 2018, 15:27

Hello waleed :D;
Could Bruno Mussolini be considered as one of the "heroic aviators" too?
sure, he was decorated with several medals for courage and carried out a transatlantic flight in 1938 (Dakar - Rio de Janeiro), so you can put something about him. Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#27

Post by paulrward » 30 Jul 2018, 17:58

Hello All ;

Bruno Mussolini also flew a number of bomber missions for the Fascists in Spain, and fought a
pre arranged one on one aerial duel against Derek Dickinson, Mussolini in a Fiat G50 and
Dickinson in a Polikarpov I-16, which ended more or less in a draw.
Information not shared, is information lost
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Discussions that are silenced, are discussions that will occur elsewhere !

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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#28

Post by tigre » 06 Aug 2018, 13:23

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Capitano Carlo Alberto Rizzi.

In this regard I found the following: He was born in Rimini and graduated from the normal course of the Regia Accademia Aeronautica de Caserta. He participated in the Spanish Civil War as commander of a night bombing squad, where he was awarded the Bronze Medal for Military Valor. Promoted to the rank of Captain for merits of war, in November 1940 he was assigned to a bombardment squadron, where he has given magnificent proof of his worth.

Later and according to the work "1943 Il martirio di un'isola" written by Alessandro Bellomo is found as Maggiore in command of the 101st Gruppo Assalto, 5th Stormo, which had fighter-bomber aircraft Reggiane Re.2002 Ariete.

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 5 agosto 1941

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Capitano Carlo Alberto Rizzi................
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#29

Post by tigre » 13 Aug 2018, 23:17

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Capitano Amedeo Moioli.

In this regard I found the following: He was born in Vignate (Milan) in 1910. Coming from the normal course of the Regia Accademia Aeronautica and well known for his actions with the torpedo planes. At the beginning of May of 1941, a convoy of five fast freighters sailed to Alexandria (Operation Tiger) along with Force H of Gibraltar. To meet with this convoy, the Mediterranean fleet left Alexandria on May 6 to RV point south of Malta. The Tiger convoy escaped the discovery until May 8 due to bad weather and poor visibility, but then it became the focus of the air battles over the next four days.

The first incursion took place at approximately 13:45 hours, still 32 miles from the ships. This first incursion consisted of five torpedo bombers (SM 79) of the 280th Squadriglia, which had taken off from the Elmas aerodrome near Calgari, Sardinia. These were flown by Capitano Dante Magagnoli, Capitano Amedeo Moioli, Capitano Ugo Rivoli, Tenente Marino Marini and Sottotenente Francesco Cappa. The 280th Squadriglia reported that all the pilots managed to launch their torpedoes, Moioli and Magagnoli claiming to have hit a cruiser. However, the five SM 79 were badly damaged, and only three returned to Elmas (Marini and Cappa were shot down). In the action one of the sources stated that the crew of Moioli knocked down two Hurricanes (sure) and another probable........................

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 5 agosto 1941

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Capitano Amedeo Moioli.................
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Re: Heroic Italian aviators!

#30

Post by tigre » 20 Aug 2018, 14:10

Hello to all :D; more.....................................

Tenente pilota Roberto Cipriani.

In this regard I found the following: Born in Florence in 1910. Graduated in law in 1937, from a year before he served as a pilot with the position of Senior Assistant. In the year 1940 he was transferred to a base of seaplanes, where he asked to be transferred to the torpedo's specialty (aerosiluranti) where he was tested under fire demonstrating ability, courage and audacity.

On July 23, 1941 at 09:10 hours took off six SM.79 of the 283rd Squadriglia, led by Captain Giorgio Grossi. While bombers flying at high altitude distracted the Fulmar defenders, the aircraft of the 283rd attacked flying low. Although three Sparvieri were rejected, the others approached and launched their torpedoes. Tenente Cipriani missed the target but Tenente Pandolfi hit the destroyer HMS Fearless (later sunk by another destroyer) and Tenente Di Bella damaged the cruiser HMS Manchester (nine months out of service) ............

Sources: Ali di Guerra Nº 5 agosto 1941

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Tenente pilota Roberto Cipriani................
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