Italian Forces

The tragic fate of an engineer

Caproni

This almost unknown biplane is the only prototype, built by Caproni at Taliedo, near Milan, later Thirties, of the Caproni-Chiodi CH.1. This latter, an all metal with fabric and light alloy cover fighter powered by a radial engine 900 HP Gnome-Rhône 14K Mistral Major, produced under licence by Isotta-Fraschini, was designed by Antonio Chiodi, a test pilot and engineer destined for a tragic fate over Malta. Enlisted in the Italian Air Force on 1931, after degree in engineering took on 1930, Chiodi was committed in the Italo Balbo’s air cruise Italy-United States-Italy on 1933 and afterwards was transferred to Montecelio’s Flight Test Center (Guidonia after 1937) as test pilot where began the design of his fighter plane. On 1934 was assigned to 1st Zona Aerea Territoriale (Air Territorial Region) of Milan and was embedded for the Caproni’s aircraft flight tests. From 1935 until 1937, Chiodi, as Caproni Chief Test Pilot, tested near 500 airplanes, included 13 prototypes, during 1,596 flights. During his permanence with Caproni, Chiodi built on 1935 his aircraft which was purchased by the Regia Aeronautica (price 525,000 Lire) and transferred to Montecelio on July 1935 for the military tests. The life of the CH.1 was very brief: during a taxiing came with undercarriage into a hole suffering heavy damages without repair. And Chiodi? At outbreak of the Spanish Civil War Chiodi was embedded as fighter pilot in the 23td Gruppo, the famous “Asso di Bastoni” unit (Ace of Clubs), performing 53 war missions flying with the Fiat CR.32. Afterwards Chiodi returned to Caproni but, just after the Italy’s entry in the WW2, was enlisted as volunteer in the Regia Aeronautica and posted again to 23nd Gruppo, at this time a 3st Stormo’unit, based at Turin-Mirafiori and equipped with Fiat CR.42. During the summer 1940 the 23rd Gruppo was transferred in Sicily, at Comiso airfield, for escort of the bombers raiding Malta. And here Antonio Chiodi meet his fate. On 31 July 1940, during the escort to S.79s bomber, the Chiodi’s CR.42 was attacked and, after a brief clash, down by a British fighter Sea Gladiator. Antonio Chiodi disappeared on the sea with his airplane and his corpse was never salvaged. Victor Sierra