Special tail liveries for the Italian Frecce Tricolori
Thursday 27 May 2021 saw the first public demonstration of the Frecce Tricolori, the aerobatic demonstration team of the Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force). This event was held for a limited public, representing the Frecce Tricolori support Clubs. It is usually held on the first of May and traditionally marks the end of the training period and the start of the aerobatic season. It was postponed due to the pandemic situation.
The Frecce Tricolori (or Tricolored Arrows) is officially known as the 313° Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale (PAN) and is based at Rivolto Air Base, in the northern province of Udine. It was created on 1 March 1961 as a permanent group for the training of AM pilots in aerobatics.
This year’s 60th anniversary will be a dive into the history of the AM, marking this milestone with five unique tail marking designs.
This dive into the history represents the liveries of former demonstration team. In subsequent years, except during the Second World War period, many Gruppi (Squadrons) and Stormi (Wings) had their own demonstration teams such as the Cavallino Rampante (Prancing Horses), Getti Tonanti (Thunder Jets), Diavoli Rossi (Red Devils), Tigri Bianche (White Tigers) and Lanceri Neri (Black Lancers). These demonstration teams represented the Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force), on a rotational basis, at air shows or flyovers in Italy and overseas.
The members of the Frecce Tricolori are named ‘Pony’, which name was chosen in 1961, the year of the constitution of the Frecce Tricolori. ‘Pony’ was chosen in honor of the prancing horse that was the distinctive symbol of the ace of aces of the Italian aviation, Francesco Baracca. This ace of the First World War wore on his biplane a black prancing horse on a white field to honor his official cavalry provenance. The prancing horse later became the well-known emblem of Ferrari.
On 27 May 2021 the following Frecce Tricolori aircraft and 2021 team members were noted:
Pony 0: Tenente Colonnello Gaetano Farina, commander of the Frecce Tricolori, in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54510/0 in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
Pony 1: Maggiore (Major) Stefano Vit in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM55054/1 with a special tail dedicated to the aerobatic team Cavallino Rampante (Prancing Horse). This aerobatic team was established in 1956 from 4ª Aerobrigata, with five Canadair Sabre Mk4 (F-86 Sabre). The team existed until 1957.
Pony 2: Capitano (Captain) Alfio Mazzoccoli in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54518/2 with a special tail dedicated to the aerobatic team Getti Tonanti (Thunder Jets). This team was created in 1959 at Rimini-Miramare airbase from the 5ª Aerobrigata and flew the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak fighters and existed until 1960. The Getti Tonanti aerobatic team also took part in the opening of the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960 and for this reason the team’s color scheme incorporated the Olympic Games rings and colors on the tails of their aircraft.
Pony 3: Capitano (Captain) Federico De Cecco in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM55058/3 with a special tail dedicated to the aerobatic team Tigri Bianche (White Tigers). Tigri Bianche was first formed in 1955 with the 51ª Aerobrigata at Treviso-Istrana and existed until 1956. Tigri Bianche flew the Republic F-84G Thunderjet and they were the first Italian aerobatic team to visit Canada and the United States
Pony 4: Capitano (Captain) Pierluigi Raspa in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54514/4 with a special tail dedicated to the aerobatic team Diavoli Rossi (Red Devils), another aerobatic display team. The team was established in 1957 from the 6ª Aerobrigata at Ghedi air base and flew also the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak. In April 1959 they performed in the United States at the “First World Congress of Flight” in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the end of 1959, the team was disbanded.
Pony 5: Capitano (Captain) Alessio Ghersi in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM55059/5 with a special tail dedicated to the aerobatic team Lanceri Neri (Black Lancers). They were established in 1958 from the 2ª Aerobrigata at Cameri Montichiari air base. The Lanceri Neri flew six Canadair-built F-86 Sabre Mk4 aircraft. The Lanceri Neri aerobatic team was disbanded in 1959.
Pony 6: Maggiore (Major) Franco Paolo Marocco in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54534/6 in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
Pony 7: Capitano (Captain) Oscar Del Dò in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54505/7 in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
Pony 8: Capitano (Captain) Simone Fanfarillo in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM55055/8 in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
Pony 9: Capitano (Captain) Alessandro Sommariva in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54517/9 in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
Pony 10: Maggiore (Major) Massimiliano Salvatore in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) MM54500/10 in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
Pony 11: Maggiore (Major) Emanuele Savani in Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) with Matricola Militare (registration) unknown in standard Frecce Tricolori livery.
All the eleven Aermacchi MB339A/PAN (MLU) aircraft of the Frecce Tricolori should have a special tail: the above mentioned five specials will be doubled to ten aircraft with the eleventh MB339A/PAN (MLU) wearing a special tail with the 60th anniversary badge.