Mario Stoppani
Encyclopedia
Sergente Mario Stoppani was a World War I
flying ace
credited with six aerial victories.
. By 1 December 1916, he had tallied five more, including a shared win with Luigi Olivi
. He was twice awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor
. He became a test pilot for Ansaldo Aviation in Genoa.
, then at Passignano sul Trasimeno
in 1925. He then resumed test piloting, for SISA Airline, for fifteen years. He then became the chief test pilot for CANT aircraft company. After World War II, he worked for Breda
and SIAI Marchetti. During his career, he had fifteen first flights and held 41 flying records. He still holds the distance record for a seaplane in a closed circuit; in 1937, he covered 3,231 miles without landing, piloting a CRDA CANT Z.506.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with six aerial victories.
World War I
Stoppani was an auto mechanic before World War I. He enlisted in aviation in 1913, but was prevented from flight training until 1915. He scored his first aerial victory on 9 July 1916, sharing it with Luigi OlivariLuigi Olivari
Tenente Luigi Olivari was a World War I flying ace who claimed 19 aerial victories. His Spad VII stalled into a fatal crash on 13 October 1917. Posthumously, he was awarded credit for eight aerial victories.-Reference:...
. By 1 December 1916, he had tallied five more, including a shared win with Luigi Olivi
Luigi Olivi
Tenente Luigi Olivi was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.Olivi lived in Ancona prewar. He learned to fly in 1914 or 1915. In October 1915, he was injured in an accident. His original flying duty was artillery observation for 2a Squadriglia. He then transitioned to...
. He was twice awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor
Silver Medal of Military Valor
The Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
. He became a test pilot for Ansaldo Aviation in Genoa.
Postwar
Stoppani made a career of aviation. He became an instructor with SAI, first at FoggiaFoggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
, then at Passignano sul Trasimeno
Passignano sul Trasimeno
Passignano sul Trasimeno is a comune in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 20 km northwest of Perugia....
in 1925. He then resumed test piloting, for SISA Airline, for fifteen years. He then became the chief test pilot for CANT aircraft company. After World War II, he worked for Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
and SIAI Marchetti. During his career, he had fifteen first flights and held 41 flying records. He still holds the distance record for a seaplane in a closed circuit; in 1937, he covered 3,231 miles without landing, piloting a CRDA CANT Z.506.