Francesco Baracca un Eroe Italiano

Published on Apr 15, 2018
Francesco Baracca (Lugo, 9 May 1888 - Nervesa della Battaglia, 19 June 1918) was the main ace of Italian aviation and a gold medal for military valor in the First World War, during which he was awarded thirty-four victories in the air. .... omissis ...... On May 1, 1917, he moved to the 91st Squadron, nicknamed "The squadron of the axes" because it was made up of great aviation boards chosen by Baracca himself, [3] such as Pier Ruggero Piccio , Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, Gaetano Aliperta, Bartolomeo Costantini, Guido Keller, Giovanni Sabelli, Enrico Perreri and Ferruccio Ranza. The unit was equipped with the new Nieuport 17 built in Italy by Macchi. On his plane in honor of his Arma belonged Baracca painted the rampant black horse destined to become one of the most beloved Italians (years later the mother of Baracca handed that symbol to Enzo Ferrari and told him: "Ferrari, put on his cars My little son's prancing horse will bring you luck "). Also in the same month of May Baracca will pass on the SPAD S.VII. At this squadron, of which he became the commander, he achieved twenty-six victories. In September 1917, with nineteen victories to his credit, he was the Italian ace with the highest number of knockdowns. On the 6th of that month he was promoted to a major. Five other successes followed in October, with two double knockdowns in two single days. The second - of these double victories - was achieved on October 26, against two German Aviatik. When the Austro-Hungarians, reinforced by Germanic forces, including three hunting squadrons (Jagdstaffeln, more simply Jastas), launched their offensive which led to the defeat of Caporetto, the 91rd Squadron was reequipped with SPAD S.XIII. Piloting this new plane, Baracca brought the total of his victories to thirty, but soon after he was put to rest. He returned to action in May 1918, after a silver medal in gold was commuted on the 5th. On 15 June, with the demolition of two other aircraft, he achieved his last victories, finally breaking down an Albatros D.III fighter with a SPAD S.XIII near San Biagio di Callalta. It was his official victory number thirty four [3] [8] reported in sixty-three aerial fights, although there are those who raise this number to thirty-six [9] and those who lower it to thirty-three. [10] On 19 June, after completing a mission, the thirty year old Baracca returned to the Quinto di Treviso camp; the SPAD S.XIII with which he had made the first flights of the day had the covering in canvas of the wings and the damaged fuselage, therefore he took off with his reserve aircraft, a SPAD S.VII, for the fourth mission of the day. [ 11] Two other planes from the 91st Squadron took off with him, the young Osnago and the more expert Costantini. At the time of departure, however, it will be discovered that Costantini had already left, leaving the only escort of the inexperienced Osnago to Baracca. While the pilots were engaged in a machine-gun fire action on Colle Val dell'Acqua, on the Montello, the Italian ace was shot down. Baracca was hit by an unseen Austro-Hungarian biplane, or seen too late when the ace had already been hit by the first of the two shots fired by the observer. The pilot Max Kauer and the observer Arnold Barwig provided documentation that would have been enough to make them win the victory to anyone else, but continually rejected by the Italian authorities for propaganda reasons, in times when the outcome of the war was still uncertain .. Will be found a few days later, on June 23 by Captain Osnago, companion of the last flight, which on the signal of the officer Ambrogio Gobbi reached the slopes of Montello (locality "Busa delle Rane") with Lieutenant Ranza and journalist Garinei of the Milan Century. Here, next to the remains of the aircraft, was the body of Baracca: burned in several places, had a bullet wound on the right temple. The wings and the nacelle of the SPAD S.VII were charred, the engine and the machine gun fixed in the ground and the tank pierced by two bullets. The funeral took place on 26 June in Quinto di Treviso, in the presence of civil and military authorities, and the eulogy was pronounced by Gabriele D'Annunzio, admirer of the Lugo pilot. The body of Baracca will then be buried in a sepulchral chapel in the cemetery of Lugo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Baracca

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