Giovanni De Briganti

Last updated • 3 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Giovanni De Briganti
Born(1892-10-12)12 October 1892
Died8 November 1937(1937-11-08) (aged 45)
Pisa, Italy
Occupation(s) World War I fighter pilot
Air racer
Aerobatic pilot
Test pilot

Giovanni De Briganti (12 October 1892 – 8 November 1937) was an Italian World War I fighter pilot, seaplane air racer of the 1920s, aerobatic pilot, and test pilot.

Contents

Biography

De Briganti was born on 12 October 1892 in Florence, Italy to Pietro Guglielmo De Briganti (1857–1937) and Anna Novellucci ( ? – ?). [1] In 1915 he finished his studies at the University of Pisa and joined the battalion of Carlo Montù's volunteers for World War I service. [2] He was sent as a student pilot to the Mirafiori airfield, where he obtained his pilot's license, and then to France for aerobatic flight qualification on Nieuport 11 Bebé aircraft. [3] Returning to Italy, he was promoted to second lieutenant in 1916 [2] and was assigned to the 75th Squadron in the Italian Royal Army′s Corpo Aeronautico Militare ("Military Aviation Corps").

In March 1917 De Briganti transferred to the 77th Squadron under the command of Pier Ruggero Piccio where, for having achieved aerial victories, he was decorated with a Silver Medal of Military Valor. Promoted to lieutenant, he served as a flight instructor from the summer of 1918 to the summer of 1919 at the Furbara airfield, [3] where he also trained American pilots. [2]

World War I ended in November 1918. Discharged from military service in 1919, De Briganti went to work at Macchi in Varese. [3] In 1920 he received a trophy at Monaco for setting an altitude record. [3] Flying a Macchi M.16, he won the Coppa Mapelli ("Mapelli Cup"), a competition for small touring aircraft, in both 1920 and 1921, retiring the trophy. [3] In 1921 he won the Lega ("League") Competition, the Lombardy Lakes Cruise, and the prestigious Schneider Cup seaplane race — held that year at Venice — flying a Macchi M.7bis at an average speed of 189.500 kilometres per hour (117.750 mph). In 1922 he won the Sesto San Giovanni aerobatics competition, [3] the Como Aviation Day, and the Deutsch Cup. [2]

From 1923 to 1924, De Briganti was director of the flying school for seaplanes at the Schiranna seaplane base, performing numerous delivery flights of aircraft to Spain. [3] In 1924 he won the Italian Cup, flying a Macchi M.24 flying boat. [3] After the development of the Macchi M.33 racing flying boat in 1925, he participated in that year′s Schneider Cup race — held in the United States at Baltimore, Maryland — finishing in third place in an M.33 at an average speed of 278.269 kilometres per hour (172.908 mph). [3]

In 1926 De Briganti was employed as a test pilot by the Costruzioni Meccaniche Aeronautiche SA (CMASA) company of Marina di Pisa. [4] At CMASA, he oversaw the preparation of transoceanic flights and carried out load tests of the Dornier Do J Wal ("Whale") twin-engine flying boat in 1930. [2] In 1931 he took part in the "Wing Day" in Rome, putting on brilliant aerobatic performances. [2]

On 26 February 1937, De Briganti piloted the prototype (MM.434) of the new Fiat G.50 Freccia ("Arrow") fighter on its first flight. [5] He was killed on 8 November 1937 at the Pisa-San Giusto airfield while flying the second G.50 prototype (MM.435), [6] which crashed after he made a high-speed pass at very low altitude. [5]

Personal life

De Briganti married Alda Ramelli (1905–1947). [1] The couple had two sons, Guglielmo (1929–1973) and Andrea (1934–2017). [1]

Honors and awards

Valor militare silver medal BAR.svg

Silver Medal of Military Valor

Cavaliere OCI BAR.svg

Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy

1GMx4.png

Commemorative Medal for the Italo-Austrian War 1915–1918 with four annual campaign stars

The citation for De Briganti′s Silver Medal of Military Valor reads:

As an airplane pilot, assigned to a fighter squadron, he always has shown himself to be very skilled, indefatigable, and daring. He distinguished himself on numerous and distant reconnaissance missions, successfully completing them, despite the intense fire of anti-aircraft batteries and the attacks of enemy fighter aircraft. On 19 August [1917], after a long and difficult struggle, an opponent's fighter aircraft fell near Voiscizza. Cielo di Adelberg, May 1917–Voiscizza, 19 August 1917.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macchi C.200 Saetta</span> 1930s Italian fighter aircraft

The Macchi C.200 Saetta, or MC.200, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. Various versions were flown by the Regia Aeronautica who used the type throughout the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macchi C.205 Veltro</span> Type of aircraft

The Macchi C.205Veltro was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore. With a top speed of some 640 km/h (400 mph) and equipped with a pair of 20 mm cannon as well as 12.7 mm Breda machine guns, the Macchi C.205 Veltro was highly respected by Allied and Axis pilots alike. Widely regarded as one of the best Italian aircraft of World War II, it proved to be extremely effective, destroying a large number of Allied bombers. The Macchi C. 205 proved capable of meeting fighters such as the North American P-51D Mustang on equal terms, which encouraged the Luftwaffe to use a number of these aircraft to equip one Gruppe.

The Royal Italian Air Force (RAI) was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was abolished and the Kingdom of Italy became the Italian Republic, whereupon the name of the air force changed to Aeronautica Militare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat CR.32</span> Italian biplane fighter

The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to it being a relatively popular fighter during the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat G.50 Freccia</span> Italian fighter

The Fiat G.50 Freccia ("Arrow") was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft that was developed and manufactured by the aviation company Fiat. Upon entering service, the type became Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane that had an enclosed cockpit and retractable undercarriage. On 26 February 1937, the G.50 conducted its maiden flight. During early 1938, the Freccias served in the Regia Aeronautica and with its expeditionary arm, the Aviazione Legionaria, in Spain, where they compared well in speed and manoeuvrability with their adversaries in the theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adriano Visconti</span> Italy flying aces

Major Adriano Visconti di Lampugnano was one of Italy's top flying aces of the Second World War, shooting down between 10 and 26 enemy aircraft. He was awarded with four Medaglia d'argento al Valor Militare and two Medaglia di Bronzo al Valor Militare "in action".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macchi M.39</span> Type of aircraft

The Macchi M.39 was a racing seaplane designed and built by the Italian aircraft company Aeronautica Macchi in 1925–26. An M.39 piloted by Major Mario de Bernardi (1893–1959) won the 1926 Schneider Trophy, and the type also set world speed records that year.

Breda-SAFAT was an Italian weapons manufacturer of the 1930s and 1940s that designed and produced a range of machine-guns and cannon primarily for use in aircraft. Based on the M1919 Browning machine gun, the Italian guns were chambered to fire indigenous ammunition with 7.7 mm (0.303 in) and 12.7 mm (0.500 in) calibres, predominantly ball, tracer for the 7.7mm, including high explosive incendiary tracer (HEI-T), or armour-piercing (AP) for the 12.7mm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mario de Bernardi</span> Italian World War I fighter pilot, seaplane air racer and test pilot

Mario de Bernardi (1893–1959) was an Italian World War I fighter pilot, seaplane air racer of the 1920s, and test pilot of early Italian experimental jets.

Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA was an Italian industrial manufacturer and aviation company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat Aviazione</span> Italian aircraft manufacturer

Fiat Aviazione was an Italian aircraft manufacturer, at one time part of the Fiat group, focused mainly on military aviation. After World War I, Fiat consolidated several Italian small aircraft manufacturers, like Pomilio and Ansaldo. Most famous were the Fiat biplane fighter aircraft of the 1930s, the Fiat CR.32 and the Fiat CR.42. Other notable designs were the fighters CR.20, G.50, G.55 and a bomber, the Fiat BR.20. In the 1950s, the company designed the G.91 light ground attack plane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corpo Aeronautico Militare</span> Military unit

The Italian Corpo Aeronautico Militare was formed as part of the Regio Esercito on 7 January 1915, incorporating the Aviators Flights Battalion (airplanes), the Specialists Battalion (airships) and the Ballonists Battalion. Prior to World War I, Italy had pioneered military aviation in the Italo-Turkish War during 1911–1912. Its army also contained one of the world's foremost theorists about the future of military aviation, Giulio Douhet; Douhet also had a practical side, as he was largely responsible for the development of Italy's Caproni bombers starting in 1913. Italy also had the advantage of a delayed entry into World War I, not starting the fight until 24 May 1915, but took no advantage of it so far as aviation was concerned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Furio Niclot Doglio</span> Italian test pilot

Furio Niclot Doglio, MOVM was an Italian test pilot and World War II fighter pilot in the Regia Aeronautica. Doglio set nine world aviation records in the 1930s during his time as a test pilot. During the war, he claimed seven kills, flying FIAT G. 50s and Macchi C. 202s, establishing himself as one of Italy's aces. Doglio was killed in combat on 27 July 1942 during the Siege of Malta by George Beurling, who became Canada's top ace of the war. He was awarded a Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare alla memoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonardo Ferrulli</span> Italian World War II flying ace

Leonardo Ferrulli was an ace of the Regia Aeronautica, and a recipient of the Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare. He was credited with 22 air victories, one during the Spanish Civil War and 21 during World War II. He shot down Hurricanes, P-40s, P-38 Lightnings, Spitfires and B-17s, flying Fiat C.R.42 biplanes and Macchi C.200/202 monoplanes. His unit was 91a Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo, from 4° Stormo, one of the top-scoring fighter units of Regia Aeronautica.

Franco Lucchini, MOVM, was an Italian World War II fighter pilot in the Aviazione Legionaria and in the Regia Aeronautica. During World War II he achieved 21 individual air victories, plus 52 shared, to add to the five kills in Spain, during the Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guido Fibbia</span> Italian Second World War fighter pilot

Guido Fibbia was an Italian Second World War fighter pilot in the Regia Aeronautica and in the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. He was credited with 9 enemy planes shot down flying with biplanes Fiat C.R.32, Fiat C.R.42 and monoplanes Macchi C.200, C.202, C.205, Fiat G.50, G.55 and the German Messerschmitt Bf 109. He was decorated with two Silver Medal of Military Valor, one Bronze Medal of Military Valor, one Croce di Guerra and one German Iron Cross 2nd Class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali</span> Italian railway manufacturing company

Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali or OFM was an Italian railway and rolling stock manufacturing company based at Naples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommaso Dal Molin</span>

Tommaso Dal Molin was an Italian fighter pilot and internationally prominent seaplane air racer and aerobatic pilot of the 1920s.

Alessandro Tonini was an important Italian aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer of the early 20th century who worked for Gabardini, Macchi, and IMAM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat AS.8</span> 1940s Italian piston aircraft engine

The Fiat AS.8 was a large Italian 16-cylinder, liquid-cooled V configured aircraft racing engine designed and built in the late-1930s by Fiat for an attempt to capture the air speed record. Another reason for the design was to provide the Regia Aeronautica with high performance fighter aircraft engines.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 ancestry.com Giovanni De Briganti (1892 - 1937)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Piccolo, Lancelotti, Lancelotti 2015, p. 59.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mancini 1936, p. 222.
  4. Guidi 1973, p. 13.
  5. 1 2 Vergnano 1997, p. 7.
  6. Ali e Uomini.

Bibliography