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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
This is Rudy D'Angelo's uncle Francesco, who was a First Lt but came out a Lt. Colonel in 1945. He is wearing the Model 1923 pilot's badge. This photo was taken in July 1934
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
This is Rudy D'Angelo's uncle Antemino. He was a Captain but came out a Major. His photo, which came out of his ID pass book was dated January 1940, six months before Italy went to war. He is wearing the Model 1935 pilot's wings.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
This is an unidentified early officer, rank of Captain also wearing the early pilot wing, so we must assume the photo is well before 1935, and if I had to guess by the uniform, hat and collar, probably 1930.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
Italian Pilot Fontanello
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
Royal AF Pilot Bolzano, Photo dated April 1942, Taken in Tunisia
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
Air Marshal Italo Balbo upon his arrival in London in July 1933 and is so dated, during the transatlantic flight. Here he is shown (the man with the goatee in photo center) with his senior staff pilots. The man on his right is General Pellegrino. Naturally, they are all still wearing the early pilot wing since it is before 1935. Of interest to point out is the officer at the photo far left....note he is wearing one of the war badges right under the medals. All these guys appear to be WW I veterans as well judging by the medals. (Balbo himself was an Alpini officer in WW I and then later went into the Blackshirts. The photo shows also the pilot's sword on the officer at far left, as well as the white uniform, blue sash, aguillettes, and dress boards. Balbo is also wearing 3 Orders as well (Order of St. Lazarus and St. Maurizio; Order of the Crown of Italy and Order of the Colonial Star of Italy. If you notice also that the sword of the pilot on the far left has a black grip (and an eagle's head) you will notice that Balbo's sword, (generals swords) between his left hand and the ends of the tassells, came with an ivory grip.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
Dated 23, August 1938. Italian Royal Air Marshal Italo Balbo on his visit to the German Luftwaffe has been awarded the Nazi Pilot-Observer badge. With him at the Barth Aereodrome in Pomerania are Field Marshal Hermann Goering and General Milch of the German Airforce. What is also interesting about this photo is that while it is August 1938, Balbo is still wearing his 1923 pattern pilot's badge over his ribbons. He is also wearing the Airforce "Bustina" - The overseas style cap. Note the Royal Italian Airforce General at the far left wearing the visor cap and white summer uniform. Also note that the General Milch has been awarded the Italian Royal order of the Crown.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
An Italian WWI Pilot. Note the Wings/Badge on his left arm. At this time of course it was part of the Royal Italian Army. His rank is 2nd Lt (one star on the cuff of the left sleeve) and his Chepi bears the correct arm badge of the engineers, which, along with the artillery and cavalry, was the branch many early pilots came from.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/4/2002
An unidentified pilot wearing the seldom seen leather coat.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
MACCHI 200s 'SAETTA" (lightning bolt) light green of the 1st Stormo, photo dated 20 September 1940. The unit marking is of the "Sagittario". Taken by Sipho, Belgian photographer, with following caption: Italian pilots with their "Hunter" planes leaving for the Front - Censored
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
MACCHI 202s 1st Stormo C.T. "Sagittario" taken 8 July 1942 by Sipho, Belgian Photographer with following caption: From unidentified air base in North Africa, Italian planes of the Hunter class leave for the Egyptian front
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
1st Lt. Vito Mussolini, son of Mussolini's brother, Arnaldo (who died in 1931) and Mussolini's nephew. He was Lt. pilot of the Royal Air Force and, along with Mussolini's two sons, Bruno and Vittorio, fought in the Italo-Ethiopian War in 1935-1936 and then in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 along with his two cousins. This photo was taken in 1937. He is shown in his parade uniform of the Royal Italian Air Force. You can see his model 1935 pilot wings, brocaded dress belt, hangers and sword as well as the aguillettes and dress shoulder boards and his medals. His rank, 1st Lt., is shown on the cuff of the tunic. The small badge over the rank is the "Promotion During War" badge. Among the medals he is wearing are, left to right - Bronze Valor Medal, War Merit Cross, Italo-Ethiopian War Medal and Spanish Civil War Volunteer Medal. He is also wearing the blue dress sash.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
Lt. Colonel Ferrucio Vosilla, Commander of the 50th Stormo, in North Africa. Note he had already been decorated with teh German Badge
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
Lt. Colonel Pilot and Transport Officer, also wearing the Croatian Pilot's badge and on his arm he is wearing the badge for having flown 1,000,000 miles. This badge came in both metal and enamel, as well as bullion shown here.
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
This airman wears the bullion version of the torpedo badge (Aereosiluranti) on his fatigue shirt
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Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
4/7/2002
This Royal Italian Pilot shows off his sense of humor with spectacular art work of his squadron on his quite rare Summer issue pilot's "cuffia". The Italian name for flight helmet.
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