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List of World War II aces from Italy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of aces in World War II from Italy. A flying ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. For other countries see List of World War II aces by country.

Name Wartime victories Rank Awards Notes
Adami, Ranieri 7 Maggiore retired as a Colonnello
Annoni, Emanuele ("Ele") 9 Capitano retired as a Generale di Squadra Aerea
Arcangeletti, Paolo 5
Aurili, Giuseppe 5
Baldi, Loris 5 Sergente Maggiore died October 7, 2015
Bandini, Luigi 5 KIA April 29, 1944
Barcaro, Giovanni 9
Baron, Luigi ("Gino") 12 Sergente Maggiore
Bartolacchini, Osvaldo 6
Bartolozzi, Osvaldo 6
Baschirotto, Gianlino ("Giri") 11 Maresciallo Pilota Retired in 1970 as a Colonnello
Bassi, Livio 6 Tenente GMMV KIA April 2, 1941 (DOW)[1]
Baylon, Giuseppe 5[2] Tenente Colonnello
Bellagambi, Mario 13 Capitano Retired in 1967 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea
Benati, Amedeo 10
Bernardi, Duilio 5
Biagini, Bruno 7
Biagini, Lucio 5 KIA April 25, 1944
Bianchi, Manfredo 5
Bianchi, Pietro 5 KIA August 2, 1943
Biron, Giuseppe ("Bepi") 10 Maggiore Retired in 1971 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea
Bladelli, Alessandro 5 + 7 shared, 1 shared damaged 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV
Bonet, Giovanni 8 Capitano 4x SMMV, GIC2c KIA April 29, 1944
Bonannini, Pietro 8 + 2 prob. Aiutante di Battaglia Turret gunner on Cant Z.506B and Fiat RS.14 floatplanes (top turret). Credited with 4x Spitfires, 3x Blenheims and 1x Hurricane[3]
Bonfatti, Pietro 6 + 7 shared, 2 + 3 shared probably, 4 shared damaged 2x SMMV, 1BMMV KIA November 22, 1941
Bonzano, Mario 17[2] Maggiore SMMV retired as a Colonello
Bordoni-Bisleri, Franco ("Robur") 19 Tenente 3x SMMV (during WWII), GIC2 KIFA[4] September 15, 1975
Botto, Ernesto 8 + 20 shared, 7 shared probably . 1 + 4 shared damaged. GMMV
Buogo, Egidio 5
Buvoli, Aldo 6
Camaioni, Antonio 8
Canella, Carlo 7, 27 + 5 shared on ground SMMV
Canfora, Antonio 7
Caselli, Gilberto 5
Cavalli, Evasio 5 KIA July 21, 1943
Celentano, Agostino 6[2]
Cenni, Giuseppe 9 Maggiore GMMV, 6x SMMV, GIC2 KIA September 4, 1943
Ceoletta, Giovanni 10[2] Sergente Maggiore Retired in 1981 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea
Chiarini, Guglielmo 5 Capitano GMMV, 2x SMMV KIA February 4, 1941
Covre, Tullio 5 Sergente Maggiore 2x SMMV, GIC, SMCV
Cucchi, Carlo 5
Cuscuna, Francesco 5, 1 shared probable, 2 shared damaged. 2x SMMV
Daffara, Vittorino 13 + 1 shared, 4 damaged.
Damiani, Rinaldo 6 + 3 shared, 4 shared damaged, 1 damaged on the ground.
Dell'Innocenti, Giovanni 12[2] KIA July 3, 1943
Bert, Cesare Di 6 Sergente Piloti 3x SMMV
Briona, Giorgio Di 11 Capitano SMMV, GIC2
Doglio, Furio 7 Capitano GMMV (3x during WWII), LBM (1936), SMA, SMMV, 2x BMMV, GIC2 KIA July 27, 1942, on Gozo,
by Canadian top aceGeorge Beurling
Drago, Ugo 17 + 3 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground. Capitano 4x SMMV, CMV 11 victories with RSI[5]: 93 
Ettore, Domenico 5
Facchini Dotta, Domenico 5
Fanali, Duilio 15[2] Tenente Colonnello 5x SMMV, 2x BMMV, CMW Retired 1971 as a Generale di Squadra Aerea
Ferazzani, Giuseppe 5
Ferla, Germano La 13[2] GMV, SMMV
Ferrulli, Leonardo 21 (+ 1 in Spain) Sottotenente GMV, SMMV KIA July 5, 1943[5]
Fibbia, Guido 6 (+ 3 in Spain) Maresciallo Pilota 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC, GIC2
Filippi, Fausto 8 KIA January 23, 1945
Filippi, Luigi 7 + 1 shared. SMMV, BMMV KIA February 20, 1943
Fissore, Giuliano 3 shared
Forlani, Dino 7
Fornaci, Fausto 9 Maresciallo Pilota KIA February 6, 1945
Foschini, Ettore 7
François, Armando 7 + 3 shared SMMV, BMMV, SMA, BMA, WMC
Frigerio, Iacopo 5 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 4 + 4 shared damaged SMMV, BMMV, GIC2
Gaucci, Roberto 7
Giannella, Luigi 12 Capitano Retired in the 1960s as a Colonnello
Giardina, Antonio 5 2x SMMV, 1BMMV
Giudice, Eber 5 SMMV, BMMV
Gorrini, Luigi 19 Sergente Maggiore GMMV (in 1958), BMMV, GIC1, GIC2 (4 victories with RSI air force)[5]: 93 
Graffer, Giorgio 5 Capitano GMMV, BMMV KIA November 28, 1940
Guarnaccia, Filippo 7[2]
Guerci, Mario 5
Guidi, Amedeo 6 + 3 shared, 1 + 2 shared probable, 2 + 2 shared damaged. SMMV, 2x WMC
Guiducci, Spiridone 5
Incerto, Enrico 8, 2 probably, 3 damaged (Spain) GMV, SMMV
Iellici, Luigi 5
Laiolo, Domenico 6 Sergente Maggiore
Lauri, Furio 11 (approx.)[6] GMV, 2x SMMV, CMV
Leotta, Eugenio 5
Locatelli, Bruno 5
Longhi, Felice 6 + 4 shared, 4 shared damaged. 3x SMMV, CMV, GIC2
Longhini, Antonio 8 Tenente KIA November 16, 1944
Lucchini, Franco 21 + 6 shared (+ 5 in Spain + 52 shared) Capitano GMMV(Posthumous), 5x SMMV, BMMV, GIC(2c) KIA July 5, 1943, on Sicily[5]: 83–93 
Magnaghi, Carlo 11 Maresciallo Pilota
Magrini, Vasco 11 KIFA[4] July 1961
Malagola, Willy 11
Malvezzi, Fernando 10 Capitano
Mandolini, Orlando 7 + 1 shared, 1 + 1 shared damaged, 1 armoured car on the ground. SMMV, WMC, GIC2
Mantelli, Adriano 10 + 6 shared (including in Spain) 2x SMMV, WMC
Marconcini, Giuseppe 6
Mariotti, Luigi 5 + 10 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground. Maggiore 4x SMMV, BMMV, WMC KIA on December 27, 1944, in Bell P-39Q
by German Flak[7]
Martinoli, Teresio 22 + 14 shared Sergente Maggiore GMV, SMMV, GIC2 KIFA[4] in Bell P-39
(1 victory with Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force)[5]: 93 
Mastroagostino, Angelo 11[2]
Maurer, Sergio 5 KIA May 6, 1943
Mazzitelli, Orfeo 8 + 14 shared Tenente
Mecatti, Mario 6
Melis, Mario 5
Miani, Carlo 7 Capitano Ritired in 1962 as a Tenente Colonnello. Died April 16, 1994.
Minguzzi, Vittorio 13
Miotto, Elio 5 + 8 shared, 2 shared probably. 3x SMMV KIFA[4] March 21, 1945, during a training flight
in a Bell P-39
Montagnani, Gianfranco 5
Montegnacco, Brunetto Di 15, 1 on the ground. SMMV KIA April 13, 1938. All victories during
the Spanish War
Monterumici, Amleto 6
Monti, Luigi 8 + 19 shared, 3 shared probably, 3 + 1 shared damaged SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Moretto, Enrico 5
Morosi, Luigi 5
Mottet, Giuseppe 6 + at least 4 shared, 2 damaged. BMMV KIFA[4] March 30, 1950
Nioi, Clizio 7 + 1 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged Capitano 3x SMMV
Nobili, Guido 9 + 2 shared, 1 probably. Colonello 3x SMMV, WMC Died July 10, 1943, during the 1st day of Operation Husky.
Noveli, Raffaello 5
Oblach, Giuseppe ("Garolla") 7, 2 probably, 1 + 1 shared damaged Tenente GMV, 2x SMMV KIA December 1, 1942
Ocarso, Dante 5 KIA November 28, 1942
Omiccioli, Enzo ("Cioli") 5 + 2 shared Maresciallo di terza classe GMV KIA February 3, 1941. Brother of Walter Omiccioli.[8]
Omiccioli, Walter ("Valterino"/"Ciulìn"/"Tigre 18"[9]) 9 Sergente Piloti Brother of Enzo Omiccioli. Died January 30, 2009[9][10]
Palazzeschi, Antonio 5
Pecchiari, Francesco 5 KIA July 6, 1942, by Canadian top aceGeorge Beurling
Perdoni, Luciano 5 + 3 shared, 2 shared probable, 1 shared damaged. SMMV, 2x BMMV, 3x WMC
Pergameni, Antonio 7 + 5 shared, 1 probably, 1 + 7 shared damaged. 4x SMMV KIA June 26, 1942
Petrosellini, Costantino ("Pedro") 5 Sottotenente 3x SMMV, 2x WMC Left the Aeronautica Militare in 1956 as a Tenente Colonnello, and started flying for Alitalia. Died January 21, 2015
Pinna, Mario 5 + 6 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged, 3 armoured cars shared 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Pluda, Mario 5 KIA November 8, 1941
Pocek, Giorgio 5
Poggio Suasa, Carlo di 11 Maggiore
Presel, Guido 12 + 10 shared, 2 probably, 2 on the ground (all in Spain). GMV, 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV KIA June 5, 1937
Querci, Alvaro 6 + 5 shared, 1 + 1 shared probably, 3 shared damaged. SMMV, BMMV
Reiner, Giulio 10 + 57 shared, 7 + 23 shared probably, 2 + 9 shared damaged, 3 + 3 shared on the ground. Capitano SMMV;BMMV;GIC2 Retired in 1949 as a Maggiore.
Died September 6, 2002
Remondino, Aldo 5
Ricci, Corrado 5 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 4 on the ground 2x SMMV, WMC Died 1995
Robetto, Giuseppe 10 + 20 shared + 4 probably + 2 on the ground Capitano GIC1, GIC2, 3x SMMV, BMMV Died in Argentina in 1984
Rodoz, Diego 6
Romagnoli, Carlo 11 GMV KIA September 7, 1941
Roveda, Riccardo 5 Tenente Colonnello
Ruspoli, Carlo 11 Born in 1906, Ruspoli is recorded as probably the oldest Italian fighter pilot to become an ace in World War II, achieving his 11 victories first in North Africa and then on the Russian front.
Ruzzin, Giuseppe 5 + 6 shared, 8 + 4 shared damaged 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC Died February 6, 2009
Sajeva, Giovanni 5
Salvatore, Massimo 10 + 6 shared, 3 probably) SMMV, BMMV
Sanson, Attilio 12
Sant'Andrea, Vincenzo 7
Savini, Angelo 7 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable SMMV, 2x BMMV
Scarpetta, Per 6 Maggiore 3x SMMV, 2x BMMV, WMC KIA August 14, 1942
Schiappacasse, Lombardo 7
Seganti, Carlo 5 Tenente GMMV (Posthumous) KIA July 12, 1942, North of Malta, by Canadian aceGeorge Beurling,
while searching for a Missing In Action fellow pilot.
Seidl, Ricardo 6 GMV KIA September 27, 1941
Serafini, Ferruccio 9 Sergente Piloti
Serini, Pietro 11[2] Maggiore
Simionato, Olindo 5
Soffritti, Aroldo 8, 5 probably, 1 damaged, 11 shared on the ground, 5 shared damaged on the ground Maresciallo Pilota 2x SMMV Died February 18, 1977
Solaro, Claudio 12 + 14 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 8 shared damaged, 20 on the ground Capitano 2x SMMV, 3x BMMV, 3x WMC, GIC2 Retired as a Generale di Squadra Aerea
Solaroli, Giorgio 11
Spigaglia, Alberto 6 + 4 shared 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Squarcia, Vittorio 5
Stabile, Natalino 10 + 2 shared
Sterzi, Annibale 5
Talamini, Renato 5 + 4 shared, 3 + 5 shared damaged. Tenente SMMV, BMMV KIA April 10, 1944[11]
Tarantola, Ennio ("Banana") 11 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 1 on the sea + 1 in Spain with Aviazione Legionaria Maresciallo Pilota 2x SMMV(during WWII, + 2 in Spain), 2x BMMV Died July 30, 2001
Tessari, Arrigo 5 3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Torchio, Luigi 5 SMMV, WMC KIA January 30, 1944
Torresi, Giulio 10 + 10 shared, 5 + 2 shared probable, 11 shared damaged Capitano 4x SMMV, GIC2 KIA July 1, 1944
Tugnoli, Giorgio 6 + 4 shared, 1 probable 3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Valenzano, Raffaele 8
Valtancoli, Tito 8
Vanzan, Virgilio 7
Veronese, Alberto 6 2x SMMV KIA November 4, 1944
Veronesi, Mario 11 + 6 shared, 2 + 2 shared probably, 1 damaged. SMMV, BMMV, GIC2
Visconti di Lampugnano, Adriano 10 Maggiore 7 victories with RSI
Shot in the back by Russian guard after surrender April 29, 1945[5]: 93 
Visintini, Mario 16 (+ 2 in Spain), 5 probable, 32 on the ground (solo + shared) Capitano GMMV, SMMV, BMMV Highest scoring biplane pilot of the war
and most successful pilot of the East African campaign
KIFA[4] February 11, 1941[5]: 93 
Zemella, Celso 5 + 1 shared 3x SMMV, BMMV, GIC2
Zotti, Andrea 9 + 3 shared, 1 damaged KIA March 16, 1940
Zotti, Nicola 5
Zuccarini, Gian 5[2]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
Abbreviations
Awards
Award Title
BMA Kingdom of Italy Medaglia di bronzo commemorativa d'impresse aeronautiche (Bronze Medal of Aviation)
BMMV Kingdom of Italy Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (Bronze Medal of Military Valor)
CMV Kingdom of Italy Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare (War Cross for Military Valor)
GIC1 Nazi Germany Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse (German Iron Cross 1st Class)
GIC2 Nazi Germany Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse (German Iron Cross 2nd Class)
GMMV Kingdom of Italy Medaglia d'oro al Valore Militare (Gold Medal of Military Valour)
LBM France Médaille Louis Blériot (FAI's Louis Blériot medal)
SMA Kingdom of Italy Medaglia d'argento commemorativa d'impresse aeronautiche (Silver Medal of Aviation)
SMCV Kingdom of Italy Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare (Silver Medal of Civil Valor)
SMMV Kingdom of Italy Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare (Silver Medal of Military Valor)
WMC Kingdom of Italy Croce al Merito di Guerra (War Merit Cross (Italy))

References

[edit]
Citations
  1. ^ died of wounds received in action
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Controversy regarding exact number of victories. Some victories are probably confirmed, but the exact number is unknown. Sources might have included some pilots among the aces based on a misinterpretation of official documents.
  3. ^ Warhistoryonline.com The forgotten aces; air gunner aces of WWII, visited March 20, 2018
  4. ^ a b c d e f killed in flight accident
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Shores, Christopher, "Air Aces", Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-104-5.
  6. ^ Shores 1983, p. 93.
  7. ^ derived during World War II from the German Flugabwehrkanone, for "aircraft defence cannon"
  8. ^ (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie - Enzo Omiccioli, Visited March 21, 2018
  9. ^ a b (in Italian) La Tribuna di Treviso Aeronautica in lutto é morto Omiccioli, un mito del 51 Stromo (Omiccioli died, Air Force mourns a myth of the 51st Wing) (1 February 2009), Visited March 21, 2018
  10. ^ (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie - Walter Omiccioli, Visited March 21, 2018
  11. ^ Biplane fighter aces – Italy - Tenente Renato Talamini, visited March 20, 2018
Bibliography
  • Beurling, George and Leslie Roberts. Malta Spitfire: The Story of a Fighter Pilot. New York/Toronto: Ferrar & Rinehart, Inc. 1943. NO ISBN.
  • Gustavsson, Håkan and Ludovico Slongo. Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2. Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford /New York, Osprey Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84603-427-5.
  • Gustavsson Håkan.URL "Italy Capitano Mario Visintini Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare." Biplane fighter aces on Håkan's aviation page. Retrieved: November 12, 2009.
  • Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. Italian Aces of World War Two. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 978-1-84176-078-0.
  • Saintes, Philippe; Garello, Giancarlo (May–June 2007). "Les as de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale: Giuseppe "Bepi" Biron, le doyen de la Regia Aeronautica". Avions (in French). No. 157. pp. 15–23. ISSN 1253-5354.
  • Shores, Christopher, Air Aces, Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-104-5.
  • Skulski, Przemysław: Fiat CR.42 Falco. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2007. ISBN 83-89450-34-8.
  • Massimello, Giovanni (1998). Furio Niclot Doglio: Un pilota indimenticabile (in Italian and English). Milan: Giorgio Apostolo.
  • Spick, Mike: The complete fighter ace - All the World's Fighter Aces, 1914–2000. London, Greenhill Books, 1999. ISBN 1-85367-255-6.
  • Sutherland, Jon & Diane Canwell: Air War East Africa 1940-41 The RAF versus the Italian Air Force. Barnsley (South Yorkshire) Pen and Sword Aviation, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84415-816-4.
  • (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie del combattenti Decorati al Valor Militare della Provincia di Pesaro Urbino [1] (Memorial site for the soldiers of the Province of Pesaro and Urbino decorated for Military Valor)
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