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  • Italian Aviation in WWI

    In most historical accounts of the early days of military aviation, our reverence for the activities of the American Expeditionary Force and its French and British companions-in-arms on the western front has led us to overlook the immense Italian contribution to the formation of airpower doctrine.

  • Americans Join the Air War in Northern Italy

    While many of the Foggia graduates were transferred to the Western Front to fly with the American Expeditionary Force, about 75 remained in Italy under the command of Capt. Fiorello LaGuardia, who simultaneously held office as a Congressman from New York, and later served as Mayor of New York City.

  • The Foggiani

    The bombing effort continued to grow in spite of the disaster to the Italian ground forces at Caporetto. In late 1917, due to the lack of suitable training facilities in the United States, a contingent of some 500 Americans were sent to Foggia, Italy, to learn military flying. After completing their

  • Strategic Bombing

    1917 also saw the Italian bomber come into its own as an important and effective weapon. As production of new aircraft increased, additional squadrons were equipped, trained and deployed against the Austro-Hungarians. The first night raids were conducted in early January and soon became a regular

  • About the Caproni Airplane

    The three-engine configuration not only gave the Caproni designs adequate power for heavyweight takeoffs, but provided a margin of economy and even safety since the aircraft could easily maintain flight with just two of the engines operating. An early maintenance, assembly and flight manual for the

  • First World War: The Early Years

    By May 23, 1915, the day Italy entered World War I, Caproni had designed and built a multi-engine bomber with range and bomb capacities to make it a potent offensive weapon. On Aug. 20, 1915, two of these Caproni three-engine bombers attacked the Aisovizza aerodrome with explosive and incendiary

  • Refueling Wagon

    This is an early type 283-gallon capacity refueling wagon for servicing airplanes with gasoline. While this trailer carried enough gas for refueling nine World War I Sopwith Camel airplanes, it would require 181 such tankloads of jet fuel to refuel a single B-52H bomber of the 1970s.Click here to

  • Macready's Presentation Saber

    When Capt. Macready resigned from the U.S. Army Air Service, the flying section's test pilots in the Engineering Division at McCook Field presented him with this ceremonial saber on April 17, 1926. Adorned with the Air Service crest on the scabbard and rubies for the eagle's eyes in the handle, this

  • Occupation of Germany

    World War I was known as "The War to End All Wars." Most Americans believed the slogan and from across the land came the call "Bring the Boys Home." U.S. troops were returned to the States as rapidly as possible, but a small number remained in Europe for occupation duty in Germany on the west bank

  • WWI Aircraft Radios

    The primary use of aircraft radios developed in the latter part of World War I was for directing the fire of artillery batteries. An observation airplane would circle in the air where its observer could see the enemy target and watch the artillery shells explode in the area. He would then telegraph