List of World War II aces from Italy
This is a list of aces in World War II from Italy . A flying ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. For other countries see List of World War II aces by country .
Name
Wartime victories
Rank
Awards
Notes
Adami, Ranieri
7
Maggiore
retired as a Colonnello
Annoni, Emanuele ("Ele")
9
Capitano
retired as a Generale di Squadra Aerea
Arcangeletti, Paolo
5
Aurili, Giuseppe
5
Baldi, Loris
5
Sergente Maggiore
died October 7, 2015
Bandini, Luigi
5
KIA April 29, 1944
Barcaro, Giovanni
9
Baron, Luigi ("Gino")
12
Sergente Maggiore
Bartolacchini, Osvaldo
6
Bartolozzi, Osvaldo
6
Baschirotto, Gianlino ("Giri")
11
Maresciallo Pilota
Retired in 1970 as a Colonnello
Bassi, Livio
6
Tenente
GMMV
KIA April 2, 1941 (DOW)[ 1]
Baylon, Giuseppe
5[ 2]
Tenente Colonnello
Bellagambi, Mario
13
Capitano
Retired in 1967 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea
Benati, Amedeo
10
Bernardi, Duilio
5
Biagini, Bruno
7
Biagini, Lucio
5
KIA April 25, 1944
Bianchi, Manfredo
5
Bianchi, Pietro
5
KIA August 2, 1943
Biron, Giuseppe ("Bepi")
10
Maggiore
Retired in 1971 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea
Bladelli, Alessandro
5 + 7 shared, 1 shared damaged
2x SMMV, 2x BMMV
Bonet, Giovanni
8
Capitano
4x SMMV, GIC2c
KIA April 29, 1944
Bonannini, Pietro
8 + 2 prob.
Aiutante di Battaglia
Turret gunner on Cant Z.506B and Fiat RS.14 floatplanes (top turret). Credited with 4x Spitfires , 3x Blenheims and 1x Hurricane [ 3]
Bonfatti, Pietro
6 + 7 shared, 2 + 3 shared probably, 4 shared damaged
2x SMMV, 1BMMV
KIA November 22, 1941
Bonzano, Mario
17[ 2]
Maggiore
SMMV
retired as a Colonello
Bordoni-Bisleri, Franco ("Robur")
19
Tenente
3x SMMV (during WWII), GIC2
KIFA[ 4] September 15, 1975
Botto, Ernesto
8 + 20 shared, 7 shared probably . 1 + 4 shared damaged.
GMMV
Buogo, Egidio
5
Buvoli, Aldo
6
Camaioni, Antonio
8
Canella, Carlo
7, 27 + 5 shared on ground
SMMV
Canfora, Antonio
7
Caselli, Gilberto
5
Cavalli, Evasio
5
KIA July 21, 1943
Celentano, Agostino
6[ 2]
Cenni, Giuseppe
9
Maggiore
GMMV, 6x SMMV, GIC2
KIA September 4, 1943
Ceoletta, Giovanni
10[ 2]
Sergente Maggiore
Retired in 1981 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea
Chiarini, Guglielmo
5
Capitano
GMMV, 2x SMMV
KIA February 4, 1941
Covre, Tullio
5
Sergente Maggiore
2x SMMV, GIC, SMCV
Cucchi, Carlo
5
Cuscuna, Francesco
5, 1 shared probable, 2 shared damaged.
2x SMMV
Daffara, Vittorino
13 + 1 shared, 4 damaged.
Damiani, Rinaldo
6 + 3 shared, 4 shared damaged, 1 damaged on the ground.
Dell'Innocenti, Giovanni
12[ 2]
KIA July 3, 1943
Bert, Cesare Di
6
Sergente Piloti
3x SMMV
Briona, Giorgio Di
11
Capitano
SMMV, GIC2
Doglio, Furio
7
Capitano
GMMV (3x during WWII), LBM (1936), SMA, SMMV, 2x BMMV, GIC2
KIA July 27, 1942, on Gozo , by Canadian top aceGeorge Beurling
Drago, Ugo
17 + 3 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground.
Capitano
4x SMMV, CMV
11 victories with RSI [ 5] : 93
Ettore, Domenico
5
Facchini Dotta, Domenico
5
Fanali, Duilio
15[ 2]
Tenente Colonnello
5x SMMV, 2x BMMV, CMW
Retired 1971 as a Generale di Squadra Aerea
Ferazzani, Giuseppe
5
Ferla, Germano La
13[ 2]
GMV, SMMV
Ferrulli, Leonardo
21 (+ 1 in Spain )
Sottotenente
GMV, SMMV
KIA July 5, 1943[ 5]
Fibbia, Guido
6 (+ 3 in Spain )
Maresciallo Pilota
2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC, GIC2
Filippi, Fausto
8
KIA January 23, 1945
Filippi, Luigi
7 + 1 shared.
SMMV, BMMV
KIA February 20, 1943
Fissore, Giuliano
3 shared
Forlani, Dino
7
Fornaci, Fausto
9
Maresciallo Pilota
KIA February 6, 1945
Foschini, Ettore
7
François, Armando
7 + 3 shared
SMMV, BMMV, SMA, BMA, WMC
Frigerio, Iacopo
5 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 4 + 4 shared damaged
SMMV, BMMV, GIC2
Gaucci, Roberto
7
Giannella, Luigi
12
Capitano
Retired in the 1960s as a Colonnello
Giardina, Antonio
5
2x SMMV, 1BMMV
Giudice, Eber
5
SMMV, BMMV
Gorrini, Luigi
19
Sergente Maggiore
GMMV (in 1958), BMMV, GIC1, GIC2
(4 victories with RSI air force)[ 5] : 93
Graffer, Giorgio
5
Capitano
GMMV, BMMV
KIA November 28, 1940
Guarnaccia, Filippo
7[ 2]
Guerci, Mario
5
Guidi, Amedeo
6 + 3 shared, 1 + 2 shared probable, 2 + 2 shared damaged.
SMMV, 2x WMC
Guiducci, Spiridone
5
Incerto, Enrico
8, 2 probably, 3 damaged (Spain)
GMV, SMMV
Iellici, Luigi
5
Laiolo, Domenico
6
Sergente Maggiore
Lauri, Furio
11 (approx.)[ 6]
GMV, 2x SMMV, CMV
Leotta, Eugenio
5
Locatelli, Bruno
5
Longhi, Felice
6 + 4 shared, 4 shared damaged.
3x SMMV, CMV, GIC2
Longhini, Antonio
8
Tenente
KIA November 16, 1944
Lucchini, Franco
21 + 6 shared (+ 5 in Spain + 52 shared)
Capitano
GMMV(Posthumous), 5x SMMV, BMMV, GIC(2c)
KIA July 5, 1943, on Sicily[ 5] : 83–93
Magnaghi, Carlo
11
Maresciallo Pilota
Magrini, Vasco
11
KIFA[ 4] July 1961
Malagola, Willy
11
Malvezzi, Fernando
10
Capitano
Mandolini, Orlando
7 + 1 shared, 1 + 1 shared damaged, 1 armoured car on the ground.
SMMV, WMC, GIC2
Mantelli, Adriano
10 + 6 shared (including in Spain )
2x SMMV, WMC
Marconcini, Giuseppe
6
Mariotti, Luigi
5 + 10 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground.
Maggiore
4x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
KIA on December 27, 1944, in Bell P-39Q by German Flak [ 7]
Martinoli, Teresio
22 + 14 shared
Sergente Maggiore
GMV, SMMV, GIC2
KIFA[ 4] in Bell P-39 (1 victory with Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force )[ 5] : 93
Mastroagostino, Angelo
11[ 2]
Maurer, Sergio
5
KIA May 6, 1943
Mazzitelli, Orfeo
8 + 14 shared
Tenente
Mecatti, Mario
6
Melis, Mario
5
Miani, Carlo
7
Capitano
Ritired in 1962 as a Tenente Colonnello . Died April 16, 1994.
Minguzzi, Vittorio
13
Miotto, Elio
5 + 8 shared, 2 shared probably.
3x SMMV
KIFA[ 4] March 21, 1945, during a training flight in a Bell P-39
Montagnani, Gianfranco
5
Montegnacco, Brunetto Di
15, 1 on the ground.
SMMV
KIA April 13, 1938. All victories during the Spanish War
Monterumici, Amleto
6
Monti, Luigi
8 + 19 shared, 3 shared probably, 3 + 1 shared damaged
SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Moretto, Enrico
5
Morosi, Luigi
5
Mottet, Giuseppe
6 + at least 4 shared, 2 damaged.
BMMV
KIFA[ 4] March 30, 1950
Nioi, Clizio
7 + 1 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged
Capitano
3x SMMV
Nobili, Guido
9 + 2 shared, 1 probably.
Colonello
3x SMMV, WMC
Died July 10, 1943, during the 1st day of Operation Husky .
Noveli, Raffaello
5
Oblach, Giuseppe ("Garolla")
7, 2 probably, 1 + 1 shared damaged
Tenente
GMV, 2x SMMV
KIA December 1, 1942
Ocarso, Dante
5
KIA November 28, 1942
Omiccioli, Enzo ("Cioli")
5 + 2 shared
Maresciallo di terza classe
GMV
KIA February 3, 1941. Brother of Walter Omiccioli.[ 8]
Omiccioli, Walter ("Valterino"/"Ciulìn"/"Tigre 18"[ 9] )
9
Sergente Piloti
Brother of Enzo Omiccioli. Died January 30, 2009[ 9] [ 10]
Palazzeschi, Antonio
5
Pecchiari, Francesco
5
KIA July 6, 1942, by Canadian top aceGeorge Beurling
Perdoni, Luciano
5 + 3 shared, 2 shared probable, 1 shared damaged.
SMMV, 2x BMMV, 3x WMC
Pergameni, Antonio
7 + 5 shared, 1 probably, 1 + 7 shared damaged.
4x SMMV
KIA June 26, 1942
Petrosellini, Costantino ("Pedro")
5
Sottotenente
3x SMMV, 2x WMC
Left the Aeronautica Militare in 1956 as a Tenente Colonnello , and started flying for Alitalia . Died January 21, 2015
Pinna, Mario
5 + 6 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged, 3 armoured cars shared
2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Pluda, Mario
5
KIA November 8, 1941
Pocek, Giorgio
5
Poggio Suasa, Carlo di
11
Maggiore
Presel, Guido
12 + 10 shared, 2 probably, 2 on the ground (all in Spain ).
GMV, 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV
KIA June 5, 1937
Querci, Alvaro
6 + 5 shared, 1 + 1 shared probably, 3 shared damaged.
SMMV, BMMV
Reiner, Giulio
10 + 57 shared, 7 + 23 shared probably, 2 + 9 shared damaged, 3 + 3 shared on the ground.
Capitano
SMMV;BMMV;GIC2
Retired in 1949 as a Maggiore . Died September 6, 2002
Remondino, Aldo
5
Ricci, Corrado
5 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 4 on the ground
2x SMMV, WMC
Died 1995
Robetto, Giuseppe
10 + 20 shared + 4 probably + 2 on the ground
Capitano
GIC1, GIC2, 3x SMMV, BMMV
Died in Argentina in 1984
Rodoz, Diego
6
Romagnoli, Carlo
11
GMV
KIA September 7, 1941
Roveda, Riccardo
5
Tenente Colonnello
Ruspoli, Carlo
11
Born in 1906, Ruspoli is recorded as probably the oldest Italian fighter pilot to become an ace in World War II , achieving his 11 victories first in North Africa and then on the Russian front .
Ruzzin, Giuseppe
5 + 6 shared, 8 + 4 shared damaged
2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Died February 6, 2009
Sajeva, Giovanni
5
Salvatore, Massimo
10 + 6 shared, 3 probably)
SMMV, BMMV
Sanson, Attilio
12
Sant'Andrea, Vincenzo
7
Savini, Angelo
7 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable
SMMV, 2x BMMV
Scarpetta, Per
6
Maggiore
3x SMMV, 2x BMMV, WMC
KIA August 14, 1942
Schiappacasse, Lombardo
7
Seganti, Carlo
5
Tenente
GMMV (Posthumous)
KIA July 12, 1942, North of Malta , by Canadian aceGeorge Beurling , while searching for a Missing In Action fellow pilot.
Seidl, Ricardo
6
GMV
KIA September 27, 1941
Serafini, Ferruccio
9
Sergente Piloti
Serini, Pietro
11[ 2]
Maggiore
Simionato, Olindo
5
Soffritti, Aroldo
8, 5 probably, 1 damaged, 11 shared on the ground, 5 shared damaged on the ground
Maresciallo Pilota
2x SMMV
Died February 18, 1977
Solaro, Claudio
12 + 14 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 8 shared damaged, 20 on the ground
Capitano
2x SMMV, 3x BMMV, 3x WMC, GIC2
Retired as a Generale di Squadra Aerea
Solaroli, Giorgio
11
Spigaglia, Alberto
6 + 4 shared
2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Squarcia, Vittorio
5
Stabile, Natalino
10 + 2 shared
Sterzi, Annibale
5
Talamini, Renato
5 + 4 shared, 3 + 5 shared damaged.
Tenente
SMMV, BMMV
KIA April 10, 1944[ 11]
Tarantola, Ennio ("Banana")
11 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 1 on the sea + 1 in Spain with Aviazione Legionaria
Maresciallo Pilota
2x SMMV(during WWII, + 2 in Spain), 2x BMMV
Died July 30, 2001
Tessari, Arrigo
5
3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Torchio, Luigi
5
SMMV, WMC
KIA January 30, 1944
Torresi, Giulio
10 + 10 shared, 5 + 2 shared probable, 11 shared damaged
Capitano
4x SMMV, GIC2
KIA July 1, 1944
Tugnoli, Giorgio
6 + 4 shared, 1 probable
3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC
Valenzano, Raffaele
8
Valtancoli, Tito
8
Vanzan, Virgilio
7
Veronese, Alberto
6
2x SMMV
KIA November 4, 1944
Veronesi, Mario
11 + 6 shared, 2 + 2 shared probably, 1 damaged.
SMMV, BMMV, GIC2
Visconti di Lampugnano, Adriano
10
Maggiore
7 victories with RSI Shot in the back by Russian guard after surrender April 29, 1945[ 5] : 93
Visintini, Mario
16 (+ 2 in Spain ), 5 probable, 32 on the ground (solo + shared)
Capitano
GMMV, SMMV, BMMV
Highest scoring biplane pilot of the war and most successful pilot of the East African campaign KIFA[ 4] February 11, 1941[ 5] : 93
Zemella, Celso
5 + 1 shared
3x SMMV, BMMV, GIC2
Zotti, Andrea
9 + 3 shared, 1 damaged
KIA March 16, 1940
Zotti, Nicola
5
Zuccarini, Gian
5[ 2]
See also
Notes
Abbreviations
Awards
References
Citations
^ died of wounds received in action
^ a b c d e f g h i j k Controversy regarding exact number of victories. Some victories are probably confirmed, but the exact number is unknown. Sources might have included some pilots among the aces based on a misinterpretation of official documents.
^ Warhistoryonline.com The forgotten aces; air gunner aces of WWII , visited March 20, 2018
^ a b c d e f killed in flight accident
^ a b c d e f g Shores, Christopher, "Air Aces", Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-104-5 .
^ Shores 1983, p. 93.
^ derived during World War II from the German Fl uga bwehrk anone , for "aircraft defence cannon"
^ (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie - Enzo Omiccioli , Visited March 21, 2018
^ a b (in Italian) La Tribuna di Treviso Aeronautica in lutto é morto Omiccioli, un mito del 51 Stromo (Omiccioli died, Air Force mourns a myth of the 51st Wing ) (1 February 2009) , Visited March 21, 2018
^ (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie - Walter Omiccioli , Visited March 21, 2018
^ Biplane fighter aces – Italy - Tenente Renato Talamini , visited March 20, 2018
Bibliography
Beurling, George and Leslie Roberts. Malta Spitfire: The Story of a Fighter Pilot . New York/Toronto: Ferrar & Rinehart, Inc. 1943. NO ISBN.
Gustavsson, Håkan and Ludovico Slongo. Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2 . Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford /New York, Osprey Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84603-427-5 .
Gustavsson Håkan.URL "Italy Capitano Mario Visintini Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare." Biplane fighter aces on Håkan's aviation page. Retrieved: November 12, 2009.
Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. Italian Aces of World War Two . Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 978-1-84176-078-0 .
Saintes, Philippe; Garello, Giancarlo (May–June 2007). "Les as de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale: Giuseppe "Bepi" Biron, le doyen de la Regia Aeronautica". Avions (in French). No. 157. pp. 15–23. ISSN 1253-5354 .
Shores, Christopher, Air Aces , Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-104-5 .
Skulski, Przemysław: Fiat CR.42 Falco . Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2007. ISBN 83-89450-34-8 .
Massimello, Giovanni (1998). Furio Niclot Doglio: Un pilota indimenticabile (in Italian and English). Milan: Giorgio Apostolo.
Spick, Mike: The complete fighter ace - All the World's Fighter Aces, 1914–2000 . London, Greenhill Books, 1999. ISBN 1-85367-255-6 .
Sutherland, Jon & Diane Canwell: Air War East Africa 1940-41 The RAF versus the Italian Air Force . Barnsley (South Yorkshire) Pen and Sword Aviation, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84415-816-4 .
(in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie del combattenti Decorati al Valor Militare della Provincia di Pesaro Urbino [1] (Memorial site for the soldiers of the Province of Pesaro and Urbino decorated for Military Valor )