January 2018 FLYPAST 89Ladies in red
Larger than the Troster Hangar
at 8,858sq ft (2,700sq m), the
Velo Hangar is devoted to the
inter-war years, during which Italy
recorded some remarkable aviation
achievements especially in the areas
of polar flying, mass formations and
racing seaplanes.
The first part of this exhibition
space is dedicated to General
Umberto Nobile, an aviation pioneer
who became famous for his work
on the development of airships.
Between 1920 and 1930, Nobile
oversaw much of the Italian dirigible
programme involved with polar
expeditions, and on May 12, 1926
is believed to have become the
first pilot to reach the North Pole.
A full-size replica of the cabin of
the N1 Norge airship used in that
ground-breaking flight is on display.
The name Norge, meaning Norway,
is a tribute to the Norwegian
government whose funding helped
finance the flight in conjunction with
Roald Amundsen, the legendary
polar explorer.
Additionally, the museum housesthe Nobile Documentation Centre
which holds mementos from his
polar expeditions together with
the General’s personal library and
archive. Both the centre and its
associated archives can be visited on
appointment.
Visitors to the Flying Legends Air
Show (which takes place at Duxford
every summer), will be familiar with
the term ‘Balbo’ which conjures up
images of the mass formation flying
at the end of each day. The word
comes from Italo Balbo, Minister of
the Regia Aeronautica in 1928, who
pioneered long-distance formation
flying with his well-publicised trips
over the Mediterranean. The first
of these ground-breaking flights
occurred between May 26 and June
2 that year, when 61 twin-engine
Savoia-Marchetti S.55 and S.69
seaplanes carried out a round-trip
from Orbetello in Italy via Spain.
Balbo then went on to expand
the concept during the 1930s, with
further flights to Brazil and North
America, effectively marking the
start of modern air travel across
long-distance routes. Balbo is
commemorated in a section of
the hall devoted to his formation
concepts, where there is also a
stunning model showing how the
flights would have looked.The centrepiece of the Velo
Hangar has to be the visually striking
arrangement of Macchi seaplanes
designed in the late 1920s. All
painted in a high-gloss red, these
aircraft were part of a fleet housed
at the seaplane base of Desenzano
near Lake Garda that was dedicated
to high-speed flight and promoting
Italian aeronautical prowess in that
field.
This section of the Velo Hangar,
which includes the Macchi M.39,
M.67 and M.72 seaplanes, is
possibly the highlight of the whole
museum, with the centrepiece being
the record-breaking M.72. This
breathtaking design innovatively
featured its radiators in its floats.
It still holds the world record for a
propeller-driven seaplane, having
reached 440.7mph (709.2km/h) on
October 23, 1934.
Of interest too are the Fiat CR.32
and CR.42 biplane fighters which
proved effective in air combat during
the 1930s and early 1940s. The
CR.32 rose to fame in the Spanish
Civil War, while the CR.42 took part
in the Battle of Britain during 1940,
with the Italians supporting the
Luftwaffe in its ultimately fruitless
aim to break the RAF. The CR.42
on display is partially original and
constructed from 60% original
parts. Ironically, the only entirely
original airframe remaining is
displayed at Cosford’s RAF Museum
after the aircraft was damaged
in combat and force-landed at
Orfordness, Suffolk.The next generation
It was during World War Two that
various manufacturers in the now
fascist republic produced some
of the most interesting designs
in Italian aviation history. Many
of their creations, together with
some relevant Allied aircraft used
post-war by the Italian Air Force,
are found in the Badoni Hangar,Above
The Balbo exhibition. The models in the
background represent the formation of his
fi rst long-distance fl ight.
Right
Largest of all the exhibits in the Badoni
Hangar is the Fiat G-212 transport.
One of the prototypes on display is the
stylish Aerfer Ariete, which was powered by
a Rolls-Royce Derwent Mk.9 engine.
Noteworthy in the Velo Hangar is the rare
Caproni Camprini CC2, an early jet aircraft
which fi rst fl ew in 1940.