260a Squadriglia

260a Squadriglia
Active	Founded November 1917
Country	Kingdom of Italy
Branch	Corpo Aeronautico Militare
Type	Fighter squadron
Engagements	World War I
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Macchi M.5 ; Macchi M.7

Last updated March 05, 2019

260a Squadriglia was Italy's first naval fighter squadron. It served during the last year of World War I, from November 1917 to November 3, 1918. It operated Macchi seaplane fighters over the northern Adriatic Sea. During Italy's final offensive, it flew overland missions to support Italy's army in its victory over the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The squadron had three pilots become flying aces while serving with it.

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto to the northwest and the Po Valley. The countries with coasts on the Adriatic are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia. The Adriatic contains over 1,300 islands, mostly located along its eastern, Croatian coast. It is divided into three basins, the northern being the shallowest and the southern being the deepest, with a maximum depth of 1,233 metres (4,045 ft). The Otranto Sill, an underwater ridge, is located at the border between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The prevailing currents flow counterclockwise from the Strait of Otranto, along the eastern coast and back to the strait along the western (Italian) coast. Tidal movements in the Adriatic are slight, although larger amplitudes are known to occur occasionally. The Adriatic's salinity is lower than the Mediterranean's because the Adriatic collects a third of the fresh water flowing into the Mediterranean, acting as a dilution basin. The surface water temperatures generally range from 30 °C (86 °F) in summer to 12 °C (54 °F) in winter, significantly moderating the Adriatic Basin's climate.

A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more.

History

260 Squadriglia was Italy's first naval fighter squadron, being founded early in November 1917. It was stationed at Sant' Andrea Seaplane Station near Venezia in the northern Adriatic Sea.^[1]

The unit operated against similar Austro-Hungarian seaplane units based on the eastern shore of the Adriatic. During Italy's final victorious offensive at Vittorio Veneto, the naval squadron delivered overland strikes in support of the Italian Army. On 2 November 1918, a stunting squadron member named Pagliacci realized that the city below, Trieste, was devoid of retreating enemy forces. The pilot landed and was the first Italian serviceman to re-enter the city.^[1]

The Battle of Vittorio Veneto was fought from 24 October to 3 November 1918 near Vittorio Veneto on the Italian Front during World War I. The Italian victory marked the end of the war on the Italian Front, secured the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and contributed to the end of the First World War just one week later. The battle led to the capture of 5,000+ artillery pieces and over 350,000 Austro-Hungarian troops, including 120,000 Germans, 83,000 Czechs and Slovaks, 60,000 South Slavs, 40,000 Poles, several tens of thousands of Romanians and Ukrainians, and 7,000 Italians and Friulians.

Trieste is a city and a seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of Italian territory lying between the Adriatic Sea and Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city. It is also located near Croatia some further 30 kilometres (19 mi) south.

Commanding officers

Tenente di Vascello (Naval Lieutenant) Luigi Bologna: November 1917
Tenente di Vascello Federico Martinengo: December 1917
Tenente di Vascello Bortolozzo^[1]

A lieutenant is a junior most commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire services, police and other organizations of many nations.

Notable members

Federico Carlo Martinengo was an Italian flying ace, credited with five aerial victories, during World War I, and an Italian admiral during World War II.

Tenente di VascelloOrazio Pierozzi (1884-1919) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.

Sottotenente de Vascello Umberto Calvello was a World War I fighter ace credited with five victories.

Aircraft

The squadron field tested the Hanriot HD.1 seaplane version, and the SIA 7. However, the squadron operated the Macchi M.5, and was known to have the Macchi M.7 on strength.^[1] Squadron insignia was six black bands painted about the rear of the fuselage.^[1]

The Hanriot HD.1 was a French World War I single-seat fighter aircraft. Rejected for service with French squadrons in favour of the SPAD S.7. The type was supplied to the Belgian and the Italian air forces, with whom it proved highly successful. Of a total of about 1,200 examples built, 831 were produced by Italian companies under licence.

The SIA 7B was a biplane reconnaissance-bomber built by the Società Italiana Aviazione and served with the Italian Corpo Aeronautico Militare and American Expeditionary Force in 1917.

The Macchi M.5 was an Italian single-seat fighter flying boat designed and built by Nieuport-Macchi at Varese. It was extremely manoeuvrable and agile and matched the land-based aircraft it had to fight.

Endnotes

1 2 3 4 5 6 Franks et al, p. 128

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References

Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory. Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1-898697-56-6, ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5.

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[fronts128-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Franks et al, p. 128