"This badge is known as the "Gruppo Faggioni" badge of the R.S.I. Air Force. It was worn on the right breast pocket of the tunic. It is pinback and came in gold for officers and silverish white alloy metal for enlisted. Sometimes the eagle is bronze colored but it is a cheap plating because of the raw materials of the time (1944-45).
This group is actually called the "Gruppo Aereosilurante Faggioni". Aereosilurante is the Air Torpedo Group. Formed in late April 1944 and named after Captain Carlo Faggioni, who was killed in air combat on 10 April 1944 fighting the allies in an air battle over Anzio.
Ironically, then Lt. Carlo Faggioni was initally the commander of the "Buscaglia" Torepo Bomber Group that was named after its former commander, then Emanuele Buscaglia. It was believed that Buscaglia had been shot down and Faggioni, to honor his fallen commander, named the group "Buscaglia" after him. It was later learned, ironically, that Buscaglia had survived and been taken prisoner by the Allies.
To make matters even more ironic to destiny, while Faggioni had joined and remained loyal to the RSI Air Force, Buscaglia decided to join the co-belligerent air force of the south, operating with the allies. In another air action he too was killed in combat.
Both men received the Medal for Military Valore in gold for their heroic actions in air combat.
The Faggioni badge was worn only a short time between May 1944 and perhaps April 1945 when its last actions were recorded in Northern Italy. It is not as rare as the Gruppo Buscaglia Wings, but both are scarce badges of the short lived R.S.I. period. The Buscaglia Torpedo Group wings are also worn on the right breast over the pocket." - Rudy D'Angelo
