Posters Artwork Documents

Italian Empire Airline

Pre-war poster of Ala Littoria S.A. to advertise the Linea dell’Impero (Empire Airline) from Rome to Mogadishu via Asmara and Addis Ababa. After the conquest of Ethiopia, the Italian Empire, grouping Eritrea, Abissinia and Somalia Italiana, was established on 9 May 1936. The Linea dell’Impero, extension of airlines from Italy to its colonies in East Africa, were the most long line of Ala Littoria, the Italian State airline established in 1934 for want of Duce Benito Mussolini by means of the merger of other airlines: 6.379 kilometers covered in three and half days with several stops and change of aircraft, from seaplane to land plane, at Benghazi. The aircraft depicted in the post is the three engine fixed landing gear Savoia-Marchetti S.73 employed from Benghazi to Addis Ababa and Mogadishu. From 1938 the S.73 was replaced by S.75, still three engine, but a retractable landing gear and cabin for 24 passengers. Thanks to the new plane was cancelled the change of aircraft, the number of stops was reduced and the trip was covered in two and half days. This to the outbreak of the war. The life of Italian Empire ceased in Autumn 1941 with the capitulation of last still fighting Italian troops. Victor Sierra