100 Years Anniversary Aeronautica Militare Italiana

But Italy had already been entering the world of flight for a few years and the flights and records of many flight pioneers are famous, and even before the birth of the Aeronautica Militare, hot air balloons had been used for reconnaissance. Even during the Italo-Turkish war for dominance over Libya, on 1st November 1911, pilot Giulio Gavotti from the cockpit of his “Etrich Taube” dropped three bombs on a Turkish camp in Ain Zara and one on the Tripoli oasis, the first bombing action carried out by an airplane. For this and other actions, Giulio Gavotti will be awarded with Silver Medal for Military Valor.

Aeronautica Militare Italiana/Italian Air Force (AMI) celebrates its first 100 years in 2023 and celebrates it with a celebration that has touched the entire Italian peninsula throughout the year. In fact, throughout 2023 the events dedicated to the important anniversary followed one another, welcoming a large and interested audience of all ages. An important event to present the evolution of the air force through sometimes very difficult years and with continuous technological advancement.

‘“Virtute Siderum Tenus – With valor towards the stars”, the motto of the AMI, and in fact with valor Italy has always been represented by one of its best military expressions both in our skies and in those of the various missions that have protagonist view, but also above “to the stars” in Italy’s commitment to space missions. And also to underline this journey, for the 100 years of AMI a very significant logo was created to honor the men and women who contributed to writing its glorious history in these hundred years.

Essential and almost minimal elements, they expressively contain the concept of the centenary represented by the number 100 and by the reference to the two fundamental dates for these celebrations: 1923 and 2023. The two zeros, in perfect futurist style, represent the shock waves caused by an aircraft exceeding the speed of sound. To complete the symbolism, the semicircle at the bottom right ideally represents the sense of continuity of the history of the Air Force.

The graphic expedient represented by the presence of two airplanes, one attributable to the time of the establishment of the Armed Forces and the other contemporary, represents the completion of an ideal historical journey which, as indicated by the direction of flight, sees the Air Force, yesterday as today, always aiming for new and higher horizons at the service of Italy and the community. Next to the logo is the motto of the centenary: “One hundred years of the Air Force – Flying towards the future” which needs no explanation for the clarity of the intentions.

And also a new mascot: Roger, created specifically to accompany Italians to the AMI celebrations. Logo, motto and mascot accompanied the AMI during the months of 2023 in the various events organized throughout Italy with exhibitions and concerts, symposiums and conferences leading up to March 28th, the date of the birth of the air force, with the military ceremony presided over by the top Italian authorities and the “Air Force Experience”, the aeronautical village with vehicles and aircraft on static display, information stands and many related events available to the public.

On the same day, Open Days were held at air bases and air force stations scattered throughout Italy to bring the main ceremony in Rome and the celebrations closer to all the Italian people. Continuing during the year we also saw the holding of important conferences on space and military aviation, on technologies and study, but also many symposiums, meetings, courses, concerts and dozens of activities for both adults and young people.

Following the main ceremony on 28th March 2023, two other important events celebrated the centenary of the Italian Air Force: the inauguration of the Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare/Historical Museum of Italian Air Force (MUSAM) in Vigna di Valle (RM) and the “Manifestazione Aerea del centenario” (Centenary Airshow) at “Mario De Bernardi” Pratica di Mare Air Force Base. MUSAM had its reopening and inauguration on May 3th, 2023 while the Air Show took place from June 16th to 18th, 2023.

The MUSAM, opened for the first time in 1977 and reopened in 2023, after a substantial renovation that lasted 18 months, is based at the oldest seaplane base and military airport in Italy: the Vigna di Valle “Luigi Bourlot” Airport. Among the top 5 aeronautical museums in the world by extension of the covered exhibition area of almost 14,000 m2, it exhibits over 80 aircraft, helicopters, seaplanes and airship relics. Since its reopening it has hosted over 60,000 people between June and December 2023, among its 5 hangars and outdoor exhibition park (approximately 2000 m2).

The event was chaired by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Luca Goretti, together with Chief Inspector General Basilio Di Martino, President of the “Centennial Committee of the Air Force” program office and numerous authorities civil, religious and military. Throughout 2023, throughout Italy it was possible to admire the evolutions of the main representative of the Air Force in the world, the Frecce Tricolori. The Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale Italiana (PAN) flew over and performed in many events on Italian territory. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the season the Frecce Tricolori had to make a long stop caused by the loss, in a private plane accident, of one of its most esteemed members: Pony 5 Captain Alessio Ghersi.

The PAN and all its members with great courage and strength of spirit have recovered the loss and in honor of their comrade who passed away they have resumed their activities, the Pony 5 aircraft carries with it the name of the substitute pilot and that of the Captain Ghersi who is always flying with them for his team at every performance. Participating in many airshows over the Italian skies, naturally they could not miss the Centenary Airshow, the Frecce gave three days of performances to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the AMI.

The PAN was the guest of honor at the Airshow together with many military and civil authorities and in front of the Commander of all Italian Armed Forces, the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, and the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, to do the honors there were the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General S.A. Luca Goretti, and the Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.

An airshow full of performances of mainly Italian vehicles, only with some foreign guests such as “The Flying Bulls” and some historic aircraft belonging to pilots or associations from beyond the Alps. Among these the main guest, much awaited by the majority of the public who came and the Media present, but also by the air force personnel themselves with much nostalgia: the Lockheed TF-104G “Starfighter”.

The “Spillone”, so called in the aeronautical environment due to its particular shape, is one of the 7 Starfighters of the American company Starfighters Space of Rick “Boss” Svetkoff, the “Black Beauty” an F104 entirely painted in black with the commemorative insignia of the centenary and with Piercarlo “Capone” Ciacchi at the controls. “Capone” is the Director of Flight Operations at Starfighters Space, but also a former Air Force pilot and former pilot of the Frecce Tricolori.

Over 300.000 spectators from all over Italy and many also from abroad admired the evolutions of real aviation relics together with new high-tech vehicles such as the Lockheed Martin F35 during the three days of exhibitions. A highly anticipated event with a vast fleet of aircraft on static display, a village called “Campo 100” to relive the history of the Air Force with a route, which reproduced the Centenary logo from above on an area of 4 hectares which led visitors among original aircraft or their perfect reproductions, displays of period material and figures, who gave life to realistic representations.

In the static display there were over 40 aircraft including Ansaldo SVA, SIAI SF-260, AMX “Ghibli”, Panavia Tornado, AleniaT-346, Augusta AB-212, Lockheed C-130J “Hercules”, KC-767A, P-72 , Predator MQ-1, while at the Pizzarotti Hangar it was possible to admire the peculiar capabilities of the Air Force, which also include integrated missile air defense, emergency medical transport, meteorological service, ISTAR-EW capabilities and projection logistics.

A full immersion in the first 100 years of the Italian Air Force with a flight program that was unique in its kind: the replica of the Caproni Ca.3 and the iconic FIAT G.91R with the livery of the Frecce Tricolori and piloted by General Maurizio Lodovisi, specially restored for the occasion, naturally the Starfighter and the most modern assets among others: C-27J Spartan, the HH-101A and HH-139 helicopters used in SAR rescue demonstrations, as well as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin F-35A and B, pillars of the national air defense.

“The Air Force has served the country for a hundred years by combining human capabilities with cutting-edge technology. It is the Armed Forces that intervenes to evacuate Italian citizens from Sudan; the same one that takes care of transporting patients in danger of life or organs for urgent transplants at any time of day or night; who rushes to the aid of populations affected by public disasters” Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto

It’s impossible not to mention a beautiful Lockheed T33 and a patrol of 3 P51 “Mustangs” led by Dan Friedkin, president of AS Roma the football team of the Italian capital, together with Ed Shipley and Jim Beasley Jr. all three members of the Horsemen FlightTeam. In flight there were also a North American T-6 Texan, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Siai S208 and of course Tornado and AMX, a beautiful F86 Saber, Aermacchi MB326E and MB326K.

An intense program from morning until late afternoon, one performance after another with flight and mission demonstrations supported by a parade of all Air Force assets and greeted by the “100” formation flyby of 6 F35s, 8 EF2000 and 8 T-346. Closing the event was always awaited and loved performance of the most beautiful and largest military aerobatic formation in the world: Frecce Tricolori National Acrobatic Team. 100 years of evolution both at a technological and personnel level, an evolution of professionalism and with participation in multiple exercises and actions to maintain peace both on national territory and worldwide. Guarantee of a constant presence in the skies of peninsula to defend Italian population from any danger.

100 years which will be followed by another 100 and gradually always alongside the whole of Italy, 100 years which have brought the Italian tricolor from the Italian skies to the skies of the rest of the world and also into space, where once again a member of the AMI Colonel Walter Villadei went to the International Space Station (ISS) and will carry out 6 experiments for Axiom Space’s Ax-3 mission (with an entirely European crew): 3 on biology and biotechnology, 2 on human physiology and 1 on technology development.

From Earth to Sky and into Space, in the dreams of all children and in the dreams of many adults too, the Italian Air Force celebrated its 100th anniversary for an entire year together with all of us and is turning to the future with new ventures and responsibility with the professionalism of its men and women to defend the Italian skies and respect for peace in the world. From Pratica di Mare (Italy): Daniele Maiolo www.bestshtoaircraft.com