The Radiomisure (RM) calibration version of the PD808, only four of these were built and this one was a very welcome addition to the line-up of the event.

Photo by David Spiteri Staines.

Photo by David Spiteri Staines.

The real 53-6634 crashed on 1956-07-16 with pilot safely ejected. This airframe was built up by merging the front fuselage from 53-6646 50-30 (wfu 1970-07-08) and possibly the tail from 53-6637 50-10 (wfu 1970-08-10). It was initially displayed in Vedelago as 51-30, then as 51-37. It was transferred to the Museum of Cerasolo close to Rimini, where it was restored and saw in 1994 painted as fake 5-36591 with "Getti Tonanti" livery. Same fake serial and livery is on the F-84F 53-6988 at Rivolto. Many thanks to Daniele Mattiuzzo of VMAS (Veneto Military Aviation Society) for the precious information.

Photo by David Spiteri Staines.

Formed part of a flight of four aircraft on a day visit from Amendola to RAF Luqa. This one, seen about to line up on runway 24 for departure, was written off when it had an engine failure on take-off ( a couple of minutes after this photo was taken) and overshot through the perimeter fence at the other end of the runway. Both crew escaped unhurt. The aircraft caught fire but was quickly put out by the fire fighters. Photo by David Spiteri Staines.

Slide via 102° Gruppo - this is the first "special color" of an Italian F-104 flying unit

This aircraft is part of batch of 25 C-119J that were in storage at Davis Monthan and that were bought by the Italian Air Force to complement the then existing fleet of C-119G. They were delivered in the early months of 1964. This serial was withdrawn from use in 1973 and stored in Caselle. It remained there for a lot of years before being dismantled and transferred in storage at Nervesa della Battaglia in 2007. At that time the unit was still named 46th Aerobrigata, then 46th Brigata Aerea from 1985.

Author unknown. Serial and unit codes fake because Italian F-84Fs were registered with serials in the range 51- / 53-. This aircraft was built up by merging the front part from MM 53-6659, coded 8-39 and withdrawn from use on 1970-04-13, and the rear part (or at least the tail) from an RF-84F Thunderflash, MM 52-7339 coded 3-03. This second aircraft was really assigned to 3rd Aerobrigata and the first one to 101° Gruppo / 8° Stormo (distinctive red flash). At the time of this photo the aircraft was preserved in front of Hotel Gallo, along the SP10 road, just out of Marcaria village.

Often regarded as one of the most aesthetic aeroplanes ever produced by Italy, the Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario (Archer) went into service with the Regia Aeronautica as a fighter and fighter-bomber during the later years of WWII. Only 48 examples had been delivered before the Armistice (the museum quotes 32 as of 1943), and these fighters took part in the defence of Naples, Rome and Sicily, with the survivors finally perishing in the Battle of Berlin in German insignia. This fuselage section is the only original survivor of this type.

The Caproni Ca.100 was the standard trainer aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica in the 1930s and some 700 examples of this tandem, two-seat, biplane were built. This plane was originally built with landing gear but later converted into a seaplane. After being SOC it became I-DISC but retired after after an incident in 1964. The plane was denated to the museum in 1970.

International Air Tattoo 1979. Operated by 30 Stormo - 86 Gruppo.

Delivered in 1956 to the Italian Air Force, it operated with the 3rd Aerobrigata, that was the former 3° Stormo. Sources quote that this was the last Thunderflash that made a flight in Italy before being withdrawn from use. It was initialli preserved at Ghedi AB; then for some years in Bresso (Milano), where it was nicely restored; finally at Cameri AB.

Photographer: Albert Storti.