This is a list of aces in World War II from Italy. A flying ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. For other countries see List of World War II aces by country.
| Name | Wartime victories | Rank | Awards | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adami, Ranieri | 7 | Maggiore | retired as a Colonnello | |
| Annoni, Emanuele ("Ele") | 9 | Capitano | retired as a Generale di Squadra Aerea | |
| Arcangeletti, Paolo | 5 | |||
| Aurili, Giuseppe | 5 | |||
| Baldi, Loris | 5 | Sergente Maggiore | died October 7, 2015 | |
| Bandini, Luigi | 5 | KIA April 29, 1944 | ||
| Barcaro, Giovanni | 9 | |||
| Baron, Luigi ("Gino") | 12 | Sergente Maggiore | ||
| Bartolacchini, Osvaldo | 6 | |||
| Bartolozzi, Osvaldo | 6 | |||
| Baschirotto, Gianlino ("Giri") | 11 | Maresciallo Pilota | Retired in 1970 as a Colonnello | |
| Bassi, Livio | 6 | Tenente | GMMV | KIA April 2, 1941 (DOW) |
| Baylon, Giuseppe | 5 | Tenente Colonnello | ||
| Bellagambi, Mario | 13 | Capitano | Retired in 1967 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea | |
| Benati, Amedeo | 10 | |||
| Bernardi, Duilio | 5 | |||
| Biagini, Bruno | 7 | |||
| Biagini, Lucio | 5 | KIA April 25, 1944 | ||
| Bianchi, Manfredo | 5 | |||
| Bianchi, Pietro | 5 | KIA August 2, 1943 | ||
| Biron, Giuseppe ("Bepi") | 10 | Maggiore | Retired in 1971 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea | |
| Bladelli, Alessandro | 5 + 7 shared, 1 shared damaged | 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV | ||
| Bonet, Giovanni | 8 | Capitano | 4x SMMV, GIC2c | KIA April 29, 1944 |
| Bonannini, Pietro | 8 + 2 prob. | Aiutante di Battaglia | Turret gunner on Cant Z.506B and Fiat RS.14 floatplanes (top turret). Credited with 4x Spitfires, 3x Blenheims and 1x Hurricane | |
| Bonfatti, Pietro | 6 + 7 shared, 2 + 3 shared probably, 4 shared damaged | 2x SMMV, 1BMMV | KIA November 22, 1941 | |
| Bonzano, Mario | 17 | Maggiore | SMMV | retired as a Colonello |
| Bordoni-Bisleri, Franco ("Robur") | 19 | Tenente | 3x SMMV (during WWII), GIC2 | KIFA September 15, 1975 |
| Botto, Ernesto | 8 + 20 shared, 7 shared probably . 1 + 4 shared damaged. | GMMV | ||
| Buogo, Egidio | 5 | |||
| Buvoli, Aldo | 6 | |||
| Camaioni, Antonio | 8 | |||
| Canella, Carlo | 7, 27 + 5 shared on ground | SMMV | ||
| Canfora, Antonio | 7 | |||
| Caselli, Gilberto | 5 | |||
| Cavalli, Evasio | 5 | KIA July 21, 1943 | ||
| Celentano, Agostino | 6 | |||
| Cenni, Giuseppe | 9 | Maggiore | GMMV, 6x SMMV, GIC2 | KIA September 4, 1943 |
| Ceoletta, Giovanni | 10 | Sergente Maggiore | Retired in 1981 as a Generale di Brigata Aerea | |
| Chiarini, Guglielmo | 5 | Capitano | GMMV, 2x SMMV | KIA February 4, 1941 |
| Covre, Tullio | 5 | Sergente Maggiore | 2x SMMV, GIC, SMCV | |
| Cucchi, Carlo | 5 | |||
| Cuscuna, Francesco | 5, 1 shared probable, 2 shared damaged. | 2x SMMV | ||
| Daffara, Vittorino | 13 + 1 shared, 4 damaged. | |||
| Damiani, Rinaldo | 6 + 3 shared, 4 shared damaged, 1 damaged on the ground. | |||
| Dell'Innocenti, Giovanni | 12 | KIA July 3, 1943 | ||
| Bert, Cesare Di | 6 | Sergente Piloti | 3x SMMV | |
| Briona, Giorgio Di | 11 | Capitano | SMMV, GIC2 | |
| Doglio, Furio | 7 | Capitano | GMMV (3x during WWII), LBM (1936), SMA, SMMV, 2x BMMV, GIC2 | KIA July 27, 1942, on Gozo, by Canadian top aceGeorge Beurling |
| Drago, Ugo | 17 + 3 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground. | Capitano | 4x SMMV, CMV | 11 victories with RSI |
| Ettore, Domenico | 5 | |||
| Facchini Dotta, Domenico | 5 | |||
| Fanali, Duilio | 15 | Tenente Colonnello | 5x SMMV, 2x BMMV, CMW | Retired 1971 as a Generale di Squadra Aerea |
| Ferazzani, Giuseppe | 5 | |||
| Ferla, Germano La | 13 | GMV, SMMV | ||
| Ferrulli, Leonardo | 21 (+ 1 in Spain) | Sottotenente | GMV, SMMV | KIA July 5, 1943 |
| Fibbia, Guido | 6 (+ 3 in Spain) | Maresciallo Pilota | 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC, GIC2 | |
| Filippi, Fausto | 8 | KIA January 23, 1945 | ||
| Filippi, Luigi | 7 + 1 shared. | SMMV, BMMV | KIA February 20, 1943 | |
| Fissore, Giuliano | 3 shared | |||
| Forlani, Dino | 7 | |||
| Fornaci, Fausto | 9 | Maresciallo Pilota | KIA February 6, 1945 | |
| Foschini, Ettore | 7 | |||
| François, Armando | 7 + 3 shared | SMMV, BMMV, SMA, BMA, WMC | ||
| Frigerio, Iacopo | 5 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 4 + 4 shared damaged | SMMV, BMMV, GIC2 | ||
| Gaucci, Roberto | 7 | |||
| Giannella, Luigi | 12 | Capitano | Retired in the 1960s as a Colonnello | |
| Giardina, Antonio | 5 | 2x SMMV, 1BMMV | ||
| Giudice, Eber | 5 | SMMV, BMMV | ||
| Gorrini, Luigi | 19 | Sergente Maggiore | GMMV (in 1958), BMMV, GIC1, GIC2 | (4 victories with RSI air force) |
| Graffer, Giorgio | 5 | Capitano | GMMV, BMMV | KIA November 28, 1940 |
| Guarnaccia, Filippo | 7 | |||
| Guerci, Mario | 5 | |||
| Guidi, Amedeo | 6 + 3 shared, 1 + 2 shared probable, 2 + 2 shared damaged. | SMMV, 2x WMC | ||
| Guiducci, Spiridone | 5 | |||
| Incerto, Enrico | 8, 2 probably, 3 damaged (Spain) | GMV, SMMV | ||
| Iellici, Luigi | 5 | |||
| Laiolo, Domenico | 6 | Sergente Maggiore | ||
| Lauri, Furio | 11 (approx.) | GMV, 2x SMMV, CMV | ||
| Leotta, Eugenio | 5 | |||
| Locatelli, Bruno | 5 | |||
| Longhi, Felice | 6 + 4 shared, 4 shared damaged. | 3x SMMV, CMV, GIC2 | ||
| Longhini, Antonio | 8 | Tenente | KIA November 16, 1944 | |
| Lucchini, Franco | 21 + 6 shared (+ 5 in Spain + 52 shared) | Capitano | GMMV(Posthumous), 5x SMMV, BMMV, GIC(2c) | KIA July 5, 1943, on Sicily |
| Magnaghi, Carlo | 11 | Maresciallo Pilota | ||
| Magrini, Vasco | 11 | KIFA July 1961 | ||
| Malagola, Willy | 11 | |||
| Malvezzi, Fernando | 10 | Capitano | ||
| Mandolini, Orlando | 7 + 1 shared, 1 + 1 shared damaged, 1 armoured car on the ground. | SMMV, WMC, GIC2 | ||
| Mantelli, Adriano | 10 + 6 shared (including in Spain) | 2x SMMV, WMC | ||
| Marconcini, Giuseppe | 6 | |||
| Mariotti, Luigi | 5 + 10 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground. | Maggiore | 4x SMMV, BMMV, WMC | KIA on December 27, 1944, in Bell P-39Q by German Flak |
| Martinoli, Teresio | 22 + 14 shared | Sergente Maggiore | GMV, SMMV, GIC2 | KIFA in Bell P-39 (1 victory with Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force) |
| Mastroagostino, Angelo | 11 | |||
| Maurer, Sergio | 5 | KIA May 6, 1943 | ||
| Mazzitelli, Orfeo | 8 + 14 shared | Tenente | ||
| Mecatti, Mario | 6 | |||
| Melis, Mario | 5 | |||
| Miani, Carlo | 7 | Capitano | Ritired in 1962 as a Tenente Colonnello. Died April 16, 1994. | |
| Minguzzi, Vittorio | 13 | |||
| Miotto, Elio | 5 + 8 shared, 2 shared probably. | 3x SMMV | KIFA March 21, 1945, during a training flight in a Bell P-39 | |
| Montagnani, Gianfranco | 5 | |||
| Montegnacco, Brunetto Di | 15, 1 on the ground. | SMMV | KIA April 13, 1938. All victories during the Spanish War | |
| Monterumici, Amleto | 6 | |||
| Monti, Luigi | 8 + 19 shared, 3 shared probably, 3 + 1 shared damaged | SMMV, BMMV, WMC | ||
| Moretto, Enrico | 5 | |||
| Morosi, Luigi | 5 | |||
| Mottet, Giuseppe | 6 + at least 4 shared, 2 damaged. | BMMV | KIFA March 30, 1950 | |
| Nioi, Clizio | 7 + 1 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged | Capitano | 3x SMMV | |
| Nobili, Guido | 9 + 2 shared, 1 probably. | Colonello | 3x SMMV, WMC | Died July 10, 1943, during the 1st day of Operation Husky. |
| Noveli, Raffaello | 5 | |||
| Oblach, Giuseppe ("Garolla") | 7, 2 probably, 1 + 1 shared damaged | Tenente | GMV, 2x SMMV | KIA December 1, 1942 |
| Ocarso, Dante | 5 | KIA November 28, 1942 | ||
| Omiccioli, Enzo ("Cioli") | 5 + 2 shared | Maresciallo di terza classe | GMV | KIA February 3, 1941. Brother of Walter Omiccioli. |
| Omiccioli, Walter ("Valterino"/"Ciulìn"/"Tigre 18") | 9 | Sergente Piloti | Brother of Enzo Omiccioli. Died January 30, 2009 | |
| Palazzeschi, Antonio | 5 | |||
| Pecchiari, Francesco | 5 | KIA July 6, 1942, by Canadian top aceGeorge Beurling | ||
| Perdoni, Luciano | 5 + 3 shared, 2 shared probable, 1 shared damaged. | SMMV, 2x BMMV, 3x WMC | ||
| Pergameni, Antonio | 7 + 5 shared, 1 probably, 1 + 7 shared damaged. | 4x SMMV | KIA June 26, 1942 | |
| Petrosellini, Costantino ("Pedro") | 5 | Sottotenente | 3x SMMV, 2x WMC | Left the Aeronautica Militare in 1956 as a Tenente Colonnello, and started flying for Alitalia. Died January 21, 2015 |
| Pinna, Mario | 5 + 6 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged, 3 armoured cars shared | 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC | ||
| Pluda, Mario | 5 | KIA November 8, 1941 | ||
| Pocek, Giorgio | 5 | |||
| Poggio Suasa, Carlo di | 11 | Maggiore | ||
| Presel, Guido | 12 + 10 shared, 2 probably, 2 on the ground (all in Spain). | GMV, 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV | KIA June 5, 1937 | |
| Querci, Alvaro | 6 + 5 shared, 1 + 1 shared probably, 3 shared damaged. | SMMV, BMMV | ||
| Reiner, Giulio | 10 + 57 shared, 7 + 23 shared probably, 2 + 9 shared damaged, 3 + 3 shared on the ground. | Capitano | SMMV;BMMV;GIC2 | Retired in 1949 as a Maggiore. Died September 6, 2002 |
| Remondino, Aldo | 5 | |||
| Ricci, Corrado | 5 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 4 on the ground | 2x SMMV, WMC | Died 1995 | |
| Robetto, Giuseppe | 10 + 20 shared + 4 probably + 2 on the ground | Capitano | GIC1, GIC2, 3x SMMV, BMMV | Died in Argentina in 1984 |
| Rodoz, Diego | 6 | |||
| Romagnoli, Carlo | 11 | GMV | KIA September 7, 1941 | |
| Roveda, Riccardo | 5 | Tenente Colonnello | ||
| Ruspoli, Carlo | 11 | Born in 1906, Ruspoli is recorded as probably the oldest Italian fighter pilot to become an ace in World War II, achieving his 11 victories first in North Africa and then on the Russian front. | ||
| Ruzzin, Giuseppe | 5 + 6 shared, 8 + 4 shared damaged | 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC | Died February 6, 2009 | |
| Sajeva, Giovanni | 5 | |||
| Salvatore, Massimo | 10 + 6 shared, 3 probably) | SMMV, BMMV | ||
| Sanson, Attilio | 12 | |||
| Sant'Andrea, Vincenzo | 7 | |||
| Savini, Angelo | 7 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable | SMMV, 2x BMMV | ||
| Scarpetta, Per | 6 | Maggiore | 3x SMMV, 2x BMMV, WMC | KIA August 14, 1942 |
| Schiappacasse, Lombardo | 7 | |||
| Seganti, Carlo | 5 | Tenente | GMMV (Posthumous) | KIA July 12, 1942, North of Malta, by Canadian aceGeorge Beurling, while searching for a Missing In Action fellow pilot. |
| Seidl, Ricardo | 6 | GMV | KIA September 27, 1941 | |
| Serafini, Ferruccio | 9 | Sergente Piloti | ||
| Serini, Pietro | 11 | Maggiore | ||
| Simionato, Olindo | 5 | |||
| Soffritti, Aroldo | 8, 5 probably, 1 damaged, 11 shared on the ground, 5 shared damaged on the ground | Maresciallo Pilota | 2x SMMV | Died February 18, 1977 |
| Solaro, Claudio | 12 + 14 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 8 shared damaged, 20 on the ground | Capitano | 2x SMMV, 3x BMMV, 3x WMC, GIC2 | Retired as a Generale di Squadra Aerea |
| Solaroli, Giorgio | 11 | |||
| Spigaglia, Alberto | 6 + 4 shared | 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC | ||
| Squarcia, Vittorio | 5 | |||
| Stabile, Natalino | 10 + 2 shared | |||
| Sterzi, Annibale | 5 | |||
| Talamini, Renato | 5 + 4 shared, 3 + 5 shared damaged. | Tenente | SMMV, BMMV | KIA April 10, 1944 |
| Tarantola, Ennio ("Banana") | 11 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 1 on the sea + 1 in Spain with Aviazione Legionaria | Maresciallo Pilota | 2x SMMV(during WWII, + 2 in Spain), 2x BMMV | Died July 30, 2001 |
| Tessari, Arrigo | 5 | 3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC | ||
| Torchio, Luigi | 5 | SMMV, WMC | KIA January 30, 1944 | |
| Torresi, Giulio | 10 + 10 shared, 5 + 2 shared probable, 11 shared damaged | Capitano | 4x SMMV, GIC2 | KIA July 1, 1944 |
| Tugnoli, Giorgio | 6 + 4 shared, 1 probable | 3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC | ||
| Valenzano, Raffaele | 8 | |||
| Valtancoli, Tito | 8 | |||
| Vanzan, Virgilio | 7 | |||
| Veronese, Alberto | 6 | 2x SMMV | KIA November 4, 1944 | |
| Veronesi, Mario | 11 + 6 shared, 2 + 2 shared probably, 1 damaged. | SMMV, BMMV, GIC2 | ||
| Visconti di Lampugnano, Adriano | 10 | Maggiore | 7 victories with RSI Shot in the back by Russian guard after surrender April 29, 1945 | |
| Visintini, Mario | 16 (+ 2 in Spain), 5 probable, 32 on the ground (solo + shared) | Capitano | GMMV, SMMV, BMMV | Highest scoring biplane pilot of the war and most successful pilot of the East African campaign KIFA February 11, 1941 |
| Zemella, Celso | 5 + 1 shared | 3x SMMV, BMMV, GIC2 | ||
| Zotti, Andrea | 9 + 3 shared, 1 damaged | KIA March 16, 1940 | ||
| Zotti, Nicola | 5 | |||
| Zuccarini, Gian | 5 |
See also
- Regia Aeronautica, the air force of the Kingdom of Italy
- Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud), the air force of the Royalist Badoglio-government in southern Italy during the last years of World War II
- Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of the Italian Social Republic
- Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano, the army of the Italian Social Republic
- Marina Nazionale Repubblicana, the navy of the Italian Social Republic
- Aviazione Legionaria, an expeditionary corps from the Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica Italiana), set up in 1936 and sent to provide support to the rebel faction in the Spanish Civil War.
- in Italian , List of World War II aces from Italy in Italian language.
Notes
- Abbreviations
- "KIA" – Killed in action (dates are included where possible).
- "KIFA" – Killed in Flying Accident.
- "MIA" – Missing in action.
- "WIA" – Wounded in action.
- "DOW" – died of wounds received in action (WIA).
- "POW" – taken Prisoner of war.
- Awards
| Award | Title |
|---|---|
| BMA |  Medaglia di bronzo commemorativa d'impresse aeronautiche (Bronze Medal of Aviation)
|
| BMMV | Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (Bronze Medal of Military Valor)
|
| CMV | Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare (War Cross for Military Valor)
|
| GIC1 |  Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse (German Iron Cross 1st Class)
|
| GIC2 | Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse (German Iron Cross 2nd Class)
|
| GMMV | Medaglia d'oro al Valore Militare (Gold Medal of Military Valour)
|
| LBM |  Médaille Louis Blériot (FAI's Louis Blériot medal)
|
| SMA | Medaglia d'argento commemorativa d'impresse aeronautiche (Silver Medal of Aviation)
|
| SMCV | Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare (Silver Medal of Civil Valor)
|
| SMMV | Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare (Silver Medal of Military Valor)
|
| WMC | Croce al Merito di Guerra (War Merit Cross (Italy))
|
References
- Citations
- died of wounds received in action
- ^ Controversy regarding exact number of victories. Some victories are probably confirmed, but the exact number is unknown. Sources might have included some pilots among the aces based on a misinterpretation of official documents.
- Warhistoryonline.com The forgotten aces; air gunner aces of WWII, visited March 20, 2018
- ^ killed in flight accident
- ^ Shores, Christopher, "Air Aces", Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-104-5.
- Shores 1983, p. 93.
- derived during World War II from the German Flugabwehrkanone, for "aircraft defence cannon"
- (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie - Enzo Omiccioli, Visited March 21, 2018
- ^ (in Italian) La Tribuna di Treviso Aeronautica in lutto é morto Omiccioli, un mito del 51 Stromo (Omiccioli died, Air Force mourns a myth of the 51st Wing) (1 February 2009), Visited March 21, 2018
- (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie - Walter Omiccioli, Visited March 21, 2018
- Biplane fighter aces – Italy - Tenente Renato Talamini, visited March 20, 2018
- Bibliography
- Beurling, George and Leslie Roberts. Malta Spitfire: The Story of a Fighter Pilot. New York/Toronto: Ferrar & Rinehart, Inc. 1943. NO ISBN.
- Gustavsson, Håkan and Ludovico Slongo. Fiat CR.42 Aces of World War 2. Midland House, West Way, Botley, Oxford /New York, Osprey Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84603-427-5.
- Gustavsson Håkan.URL "Italy Capitano Mario Visintini Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare." Biplane fighter aces on Håkan's aviation page. Retrieved: November 12, 2009.
- Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. Italian Aces of World War Two. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 978-1-84176-078-0.
- Saintes, Philippe; Garello, Giancarlo (May–June 2007). "Les as de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale: Giuseppe "Bepi" Biron, le doyen de la Regia Aeronautica". Avions (in French). No. 157. pp. 15–23. ISSN 1253-5354.
- Shores, Christopher, Air Aces, Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-104-5.
- Skulski, Przemysław: Fiat CR.42 Falco. Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2007. ISBN 83-89450-34-8.
- Massimello, Giovanni (1998). Furio Niclot Doglio: Un pilota indimenticabile (in Italian and English). Milan: Giorgio Apostolo.
- Spick, Mike: The complete fighter ace - All the World's Fighter Aces, 1914–2000. London, Greenhill Books, 1999. ISBN 1-85367-255-6.
- Sutherland, Jon & Diane Canwell: Air War East Africa 1940-41 The RAF versus the Italian Air Force. Barnsley (South Yorkshire) Pen and Sword Aviation, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84415-816-4.
- (in Italian) Il Portale delle Memorie del combattenti Decorati al Valor Militare della Provincia di Pesaro Urbino (Memorial site for the soldiers of the Province of Pesaro and Urbino decorated for Military Valor)
