16, 17 and 18 June – Pratica di Mare Air Base
The 2023 it is the year in which the Air Force celebrates 100 years.
It was the 28 March 1923 when Vittorio Emanuele III "by the grace of God and by the will of the Nation" established the new Armed Forces.
A 100 Exactly years later, the official ceremony commemorating the event took place in Rome (you can find photographs and news which),
However, to celebrate the anniversary in the company of as many enthusiasts as possible, the Air Force has decided to organize a grandiose event at the largest airport on the peninsula, already the scene of highly successful Giornate Azzurre in recent years. L’evento, broadcast live on Rai1, it allowed the Armed Force to showcase its operational capabilities with displays of aircraft from the past and present. A unique event, during which it was possible to "experience" the Air Force in all its organizational and capacity nuances.
On this occasion it was decided to fly as many planes as possible that served in the ranks of the Italian Army. We will see that the intent was perfectly accomplished.
Saturday 17 is Sunday 18 the airport was open to everyone, with identical flight program for the 2 days and with the only difference of participation, Sunday, of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, who wanted to be present, also on this occasion, to the important celebration, together with the Minister of Defense and the Chiefs of Staff of Defense and the Air Force.
The event had a notable success with the public (we're talking about more 300.000 people in 3 days) and entailed a considerable organizational effort for the Armed Forces.
The airport was set up with a static exhibition that included all the operational assets of the Air Force: by MQ drones 9 Reaper al KC 767, dal Leonardo T 346 Master, all’F 35 Lightning II. The only foreign aircraft present was a USAF Lockheed Martin F 16C Fighting Falcon, just to have in static view an aircraft which was present for several years in the AM ranks and which is still remembered with nostalgia by enthusiasts. Furthermore, “Campo 100” was created, in which the public present at the Air Show was able to immerse themselves in a journey that starts from 1923 and it continues to this day, where aircraft will be present, means, figures in uniform from various eras and detailed reconstructions of airport environments.
During the journey it was possible to understand the dizzying progress in the field of technology made by the Air Force 100 years ago to today, and perceive the greatness of the feats that young aviators have accomplished with the aircraft from its origins to the present day.
An immersive journey that outlines the past and present of the Air Force, and projects it to a future made up of challenges that include aerospace and environmental sustainability.
Also, they were present, for the enjoyment of adults and children, flight simulators, inflatable slides, an exhibition area for the various defense industries, a dynamic exhibition area and an off-road area, where to try out some wheeled vehicles.
But the real interest of the many arrivals was the planes, and here the Air Force has outdone itself. In fact, we wanted to have present the majority of the aircraft that serve or have served in the ranks of the Blue Army. For modern aircraft there is no problem but for older ones it is not so simple.
Representing the very early years, when the Air Force did not yet exist as an independent Armed Force, but it was an offshoot of the Royal Army, the reconstructions of SPAD S. XIII of the Italian ace Francesco Baracca and a gigantic three-engine biplane Caproni CA 3.
For the immediate post-war aircraft, the various warbirds present in Europe were used. Here then is P 38 Lightning, he P 47 Thunderbolt e i P 51 Mustang. From the same period, the four-engine Douglas DC 6 who served for a long time in the ranks of the 31st Wing. The jet age was well represented by a T 33 Shooting Star, an F 86E Saber and the stupendous G 91R in the PAN colours, beautifully restored and returned to flight a few days before the event. What can we say about F 104 Starfighter, specially brought from the United States, which cheered (and shed a few tears) with the howl of his J 79 enthusiasts flocked from all over Europe just for him.
All these aircraft have flown several times in the 3 days of demonstrations, alone or in groups (only the '104 did not fly on the second day, due to a fault repaired in record time on the night between Saturday and Sunday). The in-flight performance, actually, it was conceived as a large and long parade that, with different formations, retraced the Centenary, starting from the planes of the First World War, up to the F 35A and B which currently constitute the spearhead of the AM. The event was closed, as per tradition, from the Frecce Tricolori in great form.
For AviaSpotter.it the event, that should have been experienced for all 3 days inside the airport, in the end it had an absolutely unexpected evolution. On Friday morning in fact, I entered as a spotter and filmed the initial part of the performance in flight from the barriers. Unfortunately Pratica di Mare, from the point of view of photographic shooting, doesn't help much, because already at midday the shots are disturbed by a truly annoying counter-sun. And so, together with some friends, we moved outside the grounds, next to the runway head 31, in favor of light and in a perfect position to film landings and evolutions from a slightly different position.
We enjoyed it so much that we returned the next day and filmed the entire event from this location.
Then on Sunday I was able to film the event from the stand set up for the media, positioned next to the RAI station, near the junction from where the planes returned to the car parks.
Overall a great event, that the presence of F 104 e G 91 they made it Grandiosa. We won't forget her in a hurry.
Enjoy the photos of 3 fantastic days
