The Museum of the Italian Air Force

The Museum of the Italian Air Force is located on the shore of Lake Bracciano at the Vigna di Valle Air Force Base about 16 miles north of Rome. The exhibition is easy to reach either by driving from the eternal city on the Via Cassia or by taking the train and then the bus. Because the airfield is located in a picturesque environment, the excursion can still be pleasant for family members who are not into aviation.

The collection draws interest not because of the quantity of the aircraft on exhibit, but rather because of the uniqueness of its planes, some of which are the products of the once world-class Italian aircraft design and manufacturing industry. The collection is especially interesting for Hungarian visitors since several types are exhibited that the Royal Hungarian Defense Force Air Force used before and during WWII.

The four sections of the museum (Troster, Velo, Bedoni, Skema) display the history of Italian aviation from the early times until the present. For restoration the museum uses a separate building and they were working on a Fiat CR 42, among others, during our visit.

The first section introduces us to the era of flight from the early days to WWI. The early days are represented by Leonardo da Vinci's helicopter model, a Wright Type A, and one Bleriot XI-2 from the 1913 Libyan war. The era of WWI is represented by immaculately restored examples like the Hanriot HD I, the Ansaldo SVA 5 which participated in the bombing raid of Vienna, the Austro-Hungarian Lohner L flying boat Spad VII, and the rare Caproni Ca 33 three engine bomber. The same section displays the unique aircraft that competed for the Schneinder Cup: the Savoia-Marchetti S55 flying boat, the Fiat C29 and the Macchi M 39. The Italian team with pilot Italo Balbo flying the Macchi won the cup in 1926, reaching an average speed of 414 km/h. One of the treasures of this section is a fire-red MC 72 with a 2800 HP FIAT AS6 engine. In 1934, the MC 72, piloted by Francesko Agello, broke the world record for speed, flying at 709.209 km/h.

The following two sections exhibit the post-WWI and the WWII types. After entering the room, we saw a display of the personal belongings, uniforms and early posters of the famous names of Italian aviation. Nearby, the Ansaldo AC-2's shiny metal fuselage and beautiful lines are the marks of pure Italian design. Legends of the skies of WWII are lined up next to each other, such as the North American P-51D Mustang, Supermarine Spitfire IX, and the Fiesler Fi-156 Storch. The collection of Italian-made aircraft, which cannot be seen anywhere else, makes this exhibit really unique. When I visited the museum a refurbished, but not fully assembled, SM-79 Sparviero was on display. The fuselage and the wings were not mounted together yet and were placed next to each other. I had the chance, with the approval of the guard, to crawl under the plane and take some remarkable inner shots. The huge Caproni-Campini CC2 dominates the middle of the room. Though this was one of the first aircraft equipped with jet propulsion, it proved to be a dead end for gas turbine development thanks to its piston engine driven compressor. An early photo shows a Hungarian military committee taking a look at the CC2. Several Italian fighters are exhibited: a Macchi MC 200 Saetta, a MC 202 Folgore, and a MC 205 Veltro. The Fiat Cr-32 Chirri, the favorite aircraft of the Spanish civil war, was temporarily removed from the lineup. It is worth the trip to the museum to admire these four rare fighters alone. The MC 202 on display served with the 73rd squadron of the 4th regiment and the name of F. Baracca, the ace pilot of WWI, can be seen on its engine cover. The exhibit continues with the MC 202 equipped with a 1074 HP Alfa Romeo engine and with two 12.7 mm and two 7.7 mm guns, the MC 205, and the Fiat G55. All three of these aircraft replaced the fighters of the Italian Air Force that were obsolete by then. The Savoia-Marchetti SM 82 Marsupiale, the Cant Z 506, the Caproni Ca 100, the Fiat G 59, the Fiat G 212 aircraft, the Daimler-Benz DB 601, and the DB 605 engines close this section of the museum.

The fourth section introduces us to the post WWII era. The Grumman S2F with wings folded up, the unique Fiat G91PAN in Frecce Tricolori colors, the Fiat F-86K Sabre, the Lockheed T-33, the F-104 Starfighter, the Aermacchi MB326, the DH113 Vampire, the F-84F Thunderstreak, the F-84G Thunderjet and the PANAVIA Tornado are on display, among others.

Refreshments and souvenirs are available at the museum. Great selections of booklets and books that cover rare Italian aircraft and Italian aviation history can also be purchased. From the photo enthusiasts' point of view, with some exceptions, the aircraft on exhibit are located to maximize the potential for good shots.

Museum address: Vigna di Valle AFB, "L.Bourlot", 00062 Bracciano.
Open:
Summer: Tuesdays through Sundays 9.30 AM - 5.30 PM.
Winter: Tuesdays through Sundays 9.30 AM - 4.30 PM.
Phone: 06 99801155

2001.