Rome: 1935: a modern, for this time, Italian Regia Aeronautica’s Savoia Marchetti S.81 bomber overflying the Coliseum. For the Italy is a period of peace, but it’s a peace of brief time: the war against the Ethiopia begin on Autumn 1935 and afterwards is the Spanish Civil War. The S.81 of this photo is an aircraft of 11th Squadriglia of one of two Gruppi, 26th Gruppo, the other is the 29th Gruppo, of Regia Aeronautica’s 11th Stormo equipped with the new Savoia-Marchetti bomber, version powered by Piaggio P.IX radial engines, on 1935 and based at Rome, Ciampino Airport. Victor Sierra



Peace’s time

The Savoia Marchetti S.81 Benito Mussolini’s personal aircraft taxiing on Ferrara Airport on the occasion of a Duce’s visit to this Emilian town at this time base of a Regia Aeronautica’s bomber unit, the 11th Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre. The white summer full dress of the officer, with blue band and sabre, on the right of the honor guards, suggest a photo taken on Summer time, year 1937 or 1938. During his flights Mussolini, which just after WW1 demonstrated a strong interest for the aeronautic (his first flight date to 1919, on a SVA two seat), were at the control together a “true” military pilot of the Italian Air Force. Nicknamed “Tartaruga” (tortoise), this S.81 was always the Duce’s personal aircraft. Originally all white, as in this photo taken by a pilot officer of 11th Stormo (gifted many years ago from this officer to your friendly Victor Sierra and by same VS gifted to Historical Office of Italian Air Force), the “Tartaruga” was camouflaged during the war. On Autumn 1943, after the fall of the Fascism, the Armistice and the occupation of Italy by the German troops, the “Tartaruga”, like many other Italian planes, was commandeered by Luftwaffe and switched in Germany. With the born of Italian Fascist Republic, October 1943, in the part of Italy controlled by Germans, the Repubblica Sociale Italiana, or RSI (nicknamed Repubblica di Salò/Salò’s Republic), the “Tartaruga” was salvaged by a crew of RSI’s air force and returned in Italy. The final fate of “Tartaruga” is unknown. A personal annotation: one of the crew members which salvaged the “Tartaruga” was a former pilot of Regia Aeronautics’ S.79 torpedo aircraft moved to RSI’ air force: the warrant officer Fulvio Zasa, passed away 20 years ago. I knew Zasa very well: was the pilot of the my first flight and was the instructor of my father, future professional pilot. Victor Sierra

The Duce’s coming

The Fiat CR.32s fighter aircraft of just born 6th Stormo: on the fuselage the “Red Devil”, the insignia of the Stormo established on 5 January 1936 at Campoformido Airfield, near Udine, North-East Italy. The planes has the colors used in those years, all silver finish and tricolor with Savoia’s coat of arms on the rudder. At this time the CR.32 were the most modern Italian fighter and, in substance, the standard fighter plane of Italian Air Force. When the 6th Stormo (still existing with Tornado-IDS at Ghedi Air Base) was established the Italy is busy in the Abyssinian war. After few months the Italy will to go in Spanish Civil War. The peace is a peace well relative. Victor Sierra