FlyPast 12.2018

December 2018 FLYPAST 73

competitions were won by Italy, two by the US, one by France and  ve by Great Britain

Spotlight on Italian

Schneider racers

slightly reduced dimensions, which

made it lighter and more streamlined.

However, the M.52 was not as

successful – all three aircraft entrusted

to Ferrarin, de Bernardi and

Guazzetti for the race on September

26, 1927 withdrew on the first,

seventh and final laps respectively

owing to technical problems. The

disappointing result was attributed

to the rushed decision to use new

engine components, which had not

been sufficiently tested. Fuel pipes

fractured in the aircraft flown by

Guazzetti, while Ferrarin and de

Bernardi were hampered by piston

problems. Defeat in a competition

that had been so keenly anticipated

by both the Italian public and

government alike, came as a bitter

blow. At least de Bernardi had the

consolation of securing the speed

record for seaplanes at 297.8mph

(479.280km/h) in his M.52 on

November 4. A few months later, on

March 30, 1928, again in Venice,

he raised the bar in the M.52R to

achieve 512.776km/h, becoming the

first pilot in the world to break the

500km/h barrier.

School for speed

In response to time and cost

pressures facing the competing

nations, the event’s organising

body, the Federation Aeronautique

33

“Defeat in a competition that

had been so keenly anticipated

by both the Italian public and

government alike, came as a

bit ter blow.”

Internationale, decided to opt for a

biennial contest.

In response to the defeat in Venice,

Italo Balbo, the Sottosegretario

dell’Aeronautica (undersecretary of

the air force), decided to create a

special unit, the Scuola Alta Velocità

(High Speed School) on February

1, 1928. It was charged with

developing and preparing aircraft

and pilots for the next competition,

which would be held at Calshot in

Hampshire in 1929.

After reviewing various locations,

the seaplane base at Desenzano

del Garda was selected to be the

home of the school, partly because

it was conveniently close to the

principal Italian aero manufacturers,

including Macchi and Fiat.

Command of the Scuola Alta

Velocità, (which eventually became

the Reparto Alta Velocità – High

Speed Experimental Department),

was assigned to Tenente Colonnello

Mario Bernasconi. Because the

base at Desenzano already had

infrastructure capable of supporting

seaplanes (in the Great War it had

accommodated FBA seaplanes)

it was quickly made operational.

What’s more, the dimensions of

Lake Garda made it possible to

establish a triangular circuit similar

to that of the competition, and

photo-electronic systems were

installed to measure speed.

Pilot training

In order to be accepted into the

Scuola Alta Velocità pilots had to

be under 30 years of age, in peak

physical and mental condition

and have at least three years’ flying

experience. They had to be highly

motivated to endure the military’s

Schneider racersSchneider racers

Above

The MC.72 used for the

100km world speed record

and Bleriot Trophy at

Ancona harbour.

Left

Pilot Guazzeti stands in

the cockpit of his Macchi

M.51 during the Venice

sea trials.

Far left

Mario de Bernardi fl ew

to victory in the Norfolk

contest. He was a World

War One veteran with

four aerial victories, and

a sport and race pilot. In

1931 he secured the world

aerobatic championship in

Cleveland, USA.

Bottom left

The Macchi M.39 with

pilot Arturo Ferrarin,

during training before the

1926 Schneider contest in

Norfolk, Virginia, USA.