Vittorio Sanseverino
Encyclopedia
Vittorio Sanseverino was an Italian
pilot. Besides his combat experience in World War II
, he is known for having test-flown a large part of the aircraft built by FIAT
for the postwar Italian Air Force
, including the Fiat G.91, the Fiat G.222, the North American F-86D Sabre and the F-104 Starfighter
.
he was admitted into the "Nunziatella" Royal Military Academy
and into the Sparviero (Sparrow) course of the Royal Italian Air Force Academy in Caserta
. He was trained to fly on Breda Ba.25
s and I.M.A.M. Ro.41s at Capua
airfield. He first flew solo on 7 February 1938.
Having committed an act of indiscipline in flight, he was moved to the Malpensa Bombardment School as a punishment measure. There he flew Fiat BR.20
s and Savoia-Marchetti S.M.81s. In 1940 he was assigned to 65 Squadriglia, 31 Gruppo of 18 Stormo based at Aviano
airfield.
on 8 April 1941 in Yugoslavian
skies, at the controls of a BR.20. He became the commander of a bomber squadron and also flew Fiat CR.42
s and CANT Z.1007
s. After the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces (8 September 1943) he sided with the Allies and was an instructor on both Martin 187 Baltimores and Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. On 24 August 1944 he witnessed the death of torpedo bomber
ace Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia
, who crashed on take-off from Campo Vesuvio airfield with a Baltimore bomber.
based at Guidonia. On 23 July 1952 he flew the first Italian de Havilland DH.100 Vampire, built under licence by Fiat and Macchi. In 1953 he left the Air Force with the rank of Colonnello (Colonel
), and was hired by Fiat
Aviazione where he worked as a test pilot for Vittorio Valletta
and Giuseppe Gabrielli
. He tested the first all-Italian jet aircraft, the Fiat G.80
, and later the Fiat G.82 and the licence-built North American F-86K. He also flew the Aeritalia G-91Y for the first time, as well as all the Italian-made F-104 Starfighter
s. On 18 July 1970 he participated in the maiden flight of the Aeritalia G.222 prototype with co-pilot Pietro Paolo Trevisan. He remained in service until 1977 when the early tests of the Panavia Tornado
began.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
pilot. Besides his combat experience in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he is known for having test-flown a large part of the aircraft built by FIAT
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
for the postwar Italian Air Force
Italian Air Force
The Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 to June 1946*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II...
, including the Fiat G.91, the Fiat G.222, the North American F-86D Sabre and the F-104 Starfighter
F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
.
Early training
After leaving the GymnasiumGymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
he was admitted into the "Nunziatella" Royal Military Academy
Nunziatella military academy
Besides to be a military training institution, the Nunziatella is a place of great cultural and civil heritage. Here the whole history of our country is summarized. I believe that the Republic of Italy has to treasure all its great military and civil traditions which originated in the country even...
and into the Sparviero (Sparrow) course of the Royal Italian Air Force Academy in Caserta
Caserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
. He was trained to fly on Breda Ba.25
Breda Ba.25
|-See also:-External links:**...
s and I.M.A.M. Ro.41s at Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
airfield. He first flew solo on 7 February 1938.
Having committed an act of indiscipline in flight, he was moved to the Malpensa Bombardment School as a punishment measure. There he flew Fiat BR.20
Fiat BR.20
The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber produced from mid-1930s until the end of World War II by the Turin firm. When it entered service in 1936 it was the first all-metal Italian bomber and it was regarded as one of the most modern medium bomber of the world...
s and Savoia-Marchetti S.M.81s. In 1940 he was assigned to 65 Squadriglia, 31 Gruppo of 18 Stormo based at Aviano
Aviano
Aviano is a town and comune of province of Pordenone at the foot of the Dolomites mountain range in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy.-History:...
airfield.
World War Two
During the Second World War he received his baptism of fireBaptism of Fire
Baptism of Fire is a 1943 documentary film starring Elisha Cook Jr. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature....
on 8 April 1941 in Yugoslavian
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
skies, at the controls of a BR.20. He became the commander of a bomber squadron and also flew Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
s and CANT Z.1007
CANT Z.1007
The Cant Z.1007 Alcione was a three-engined medium bomber, with wooden structure. Designed by ingegner Filippo Zappata, the "father" of the CANT...
s. After the Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces (8 September 1943) he sided with the Allies and was an instructor on both Martin 187 Baltimores and Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. On 24 August 1944 he witnessed the death of torpedo bomber
Torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
ace Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia
Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia
Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia was an Italian aviator, and one of the most famous Italian pilots of World War II....
, who crashed on take-off from Campo Vesuvio airfield with a Baltimore bomber.
Post-World War Two
At the end of the war he was assigned to the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (Experimental Wing) of the re-established Italian Air ForceItalian Air Force
The Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 to June 1946*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II...
based at Guidonia. On 23 July 1952 he flew the first Italian de Havilland DH.100 Vampire, built under licence by Fiat and Macchi. In 1953 he left the Air Force with the rank of Colonnello (Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
), and was hired by Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
Aviazione where he worked as a test pilot for Vittorio Valletta
Vittorio Valletta
Vittorio Valletta was an Italian industrialist and President of Fiat from 1946 to 1966....
and Giuseppe Gabrielli
Giuseppe Gabrielli
Giuseppe Gabrielli was an Italian aeronautics engineer. He is famous as designer of numerous Italian military aircraft, including the FIAT G.50 and G.55 World War II fighters....
. He tested the first all-Italian jet aircraft, the Fiat G.80
Fiat G.80
|-References:* * -See also:Vittorio Sanseverino, the test pilot who flew the aircraft in its maiden flight....
, and later the Fiat G.82 and the licence-built North American F-86K. He also flew the Aeritalia G-91Y for the first time, as well as all the Italian-made F-104 Starfighter
F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
s. On 18 July 1970 he participated in the maiden flight of the Aeritalia G.222 prototype with co-pilot Pietro Paolo Trevisan. He remained in service until 1977 when the early tests of the Panavia Tornado
Panavia Tornado
The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine, variable-sweep wing combat aircraft, which was jointly developed and manufactured by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy...
began.
Related links
- Aeritalia G-91Y
- Alenia G.222Alenia G.222The Aeritalia G.222 is a medium-sized STOL military transport aircraft. It was developed to meet a NATO specification, but Italy was initially the only NATO member to adopt the type. The United States purchased a small number of G.222s, designating them the C-27A Spartan...
- Fiat G.80Fiat G.80|-References:* * -See also:Vittorio Sanseverino, the test pilot who flew the aircraft in its maiden flight....
- Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
- North American F-86D Sabre