Italian Air Force Centenary Airshow, |
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| The show was held at the Pratica di Mare airbase, otherwise known as Mario de Bernardi Airport, on the coast around 17 miles south of Rome. The weather was superb, if a bit hot, and the collection and flights of military aircraft used by the air force over the last hundred years was very impressive. It was a great shame that the flight line and displays were to the south-west of the spectators, so almost all photos were taken into the sun. | |
The show ran over three days, with mainly Air Force staff and families on Friday 16 June, and the public admitted (no charge, but prior registration was required) on the Saturday, when I visited, and the Sunday. On the previous Thursday we did some photography under the approach, but little was happening so we went to Piana delle Orme museum in the afternoon. The static displays were spaciously arranged; particularly impressive was the historic park, with paths laid out in the shape of the 100th anniversary logo, and with reproductions of airfield buildings and original equipment, complete with re-enactors adding character to the proceedings. Many aircraft were open for inspection, and long queues formed to sit in cockpits of everything from the prototype Eurofighter to an SF260. | |
| Aircraft | Reg'n | Thumbs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 formation |
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The 1 is F-35s, middle 0 is Eurofighters, last 0 is AMXs. | |
| Aermacchi MB-308 | I-BIOH MM53074 |
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| Aermacchi MB-326E | I-RVEG, MM54168 6-43 |
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| Aermacchi MB-326E | MM54387 66 |
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| Aermacchi MB-326K | I-MBCK, MM54391 RS-25 |
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| Aermacchi MB-339A | 1 |
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Frecce Tricolori |
| Aermacchi MB-339CD | MM55073 61-141 |
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|
| Agusta Bell 47G-2 | MM80474 31 |
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| Agusta Bell 212AM | MM81212 9-12 |
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| Agusta-Westland HH-101A Caesar | MM81875 9-14 |
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| Alenia Aermacchi T-346A Master | MM55215 61-10 |
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| Alenia YEC-27J Jedi (Spartan) | CSX62225 46-90 |
 CSX62225 46-90 2.jpg)
 CSX62225 46-90 3.jpg)
 CSX62225 46-90 4.jpg) |
Electronic warfare version. |
| AMX-ACOL | MM7162 51-33 |
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ACOL = Aggionamento Capacità Operative e Logistiche – Operational and Logistical Capability Upgrade. |
| AMX-ACOL | 51-72 |
|
Special livery |
| AMX-ACOL | MM7166 51-32 |
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| AMX-ACOL | MM7197 51-46 |
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| AMX-T | MM55050 51-03 |
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| Ansaldo SVA 9 |
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| ATR P-72A (ATR 72-600 MP) | MM62279 41-01 |
 MM62279 41-01 2.jpg)
 MM62279 41-01 4.jpg) |
|
| Beech (L-3) Super King Air 350ER | MM62317 14-31 |
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SPYDR signals intelligence aircraft. Ex N925WP. |
| Bleriot XI replica | F-AZNP |
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|
| Boeing KC-767A | MM62227 14-02 |
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| Boeing KC-767A | MM62229 14-04 |
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| Canadair CL-13B Sabre 6 (F-86) | F-AYSB |
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Ex Luftwaffe various codes inc KE-104, then D-9540, N1039K, N80FS. |
| Caproni Ca-3 replica | I-ZANA Ca3-2378 |
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Built by Giancarlo Zanardo of the Jonathan Collection at Nervesa della Battaglia. It was at the back of a hangar when I visited in 2015. |
| CCF Harvard IV | MM53821 |
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Ex USAF 51-17194. |
| Control tower |
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||
| Douglas C-47A | MM61893 14-46 |
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Marked as 'MM61775'. Ex USAF 41-7749, I-LINA. |
| Douglas DC-6B | OE-LDM |
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Flying Bulls |
| Eurofighter Typhoon | CSX733 4-60 |
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| Eurofighter Typhoon | CSX7352 36-55 |
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Centenary livery. On approach. |
| Eurofighter Typhoon | MM7288 4-40 |
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| Eurofighter Typhoon | MM7289 4-5 |
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| Eurofighter Typhoon | MM7317 4-43 |
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| Eurofighter Typhoon | MM7341 4-66 |
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| Eurofighter Typhoon | MMX603 DA7 |
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7th prototype |
| Eurofighter, F-35, F-86 formation |
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| Fiat G-46 | I-AEKA, MM53304 SM-74 |
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|
| Fiat G-46 | unknown |
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| Fiat G-46-1B | I-AEHE |
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Ex MM52799, BAPC79 |
| Fiat G-91PAN | 7 |
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Frecce Tricolori. Airbase resident. |
| Fiat G-91PAN | MM6265 5-265 |
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|
| Fiat G-91R-1A | I-AMIC MM6305 2-57 10 |
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Very recently restored and in Frecce Tricolori livery |
| Fokker S-11-1 Instructor | PH-AFS |
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Netherlands AF E-14 |
| Fokker S-11-1 Instructor | PH-HOG |
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Netherlands AF E-39 |
| Gabardini monoplane | 80-1 |
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|
| General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle | AV-SA-0019 32-34 |
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| General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle | AV-SA-0020 32-36 |
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| General Dynamics F-16CM Fighting Falcon | 89-2047 (89-047) AV |
 3.jpg)
 5.jpg) |
USAF |
| Grob G103A Twin Astir | MM100048 60-01 |
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| Gulfstream G550-CAEW | MM62293 14-11 |
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CAEW = Conformal Airborne Early Warning. Ex N849GA. |
| Leonardo (Agusta-Westland) HH-139A | MM81799 15-43 |
 HH-139A MM81799 15-43 1.jpg) |
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| Leonardo HH-139B | MM81822 15-50 |
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| Leonardo HH-139B | MM81985 15-55 |
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| Leonardo HH-139B | MM81991 15-61 |
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| Lockheed F-104G Starfighter | MM6525 3-30 |
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| Lockheed TF-104G Starfighter | N991SF |
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Starfighters Aerospace (based at NASA Kennedy Space Centre). Ex Italian AF MM54258 4-40. Flying pics taken on approach. |
| Lockheed (Aeritalia) F-104S-ASA Starfighter | MM6758 51-07 |
 F-104S-ASA Starfighter MM6758 51-07 2.jpg)
 F-104S-ASA Starfighter MM6758 51-07 3.jpg)
 F-104S-ASA Starfighter MM6758 51-07 4.jpg) |
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| Lockheed KC-130J Hercules | MM62181 46-46 |
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| Lockheed Martin F-35A | MM7337 32-13 |
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| Lockheed Martin F-35A | MM7368 6-03 |
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| Lockheed Martin F-35A | MM7369 6-04 |
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| Lockheed P-38LO Lightning | N25Y |
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Red Bull ex USAF 44-53254 |
| Macchi MC-202 IX Folgore replica | MM7431 365 |
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| Macchi MC-202 XI Folgore | MM7844 91-3 |
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| Macchi MC-205 Veltro | 3-2 |
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| Macchi-Castoldi MC-72 replica |
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| McDonnell Douglas (Agusta) NH-500E | MM81273 72-10 |
 NH-500E MM81273 72-10 1.jpg)
 NH-500E MM81273 72-10 2.jpg) |
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| North American AT-5 Texan | FT-7 |
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| North American Mustang trio |
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Horsemen Flight Team. Pilots: Ed Shipley, Jim Beasley Jr. Dan Friedkin. | |
| North American P-51B Mustang | N515ZB 324823 0-B6 |
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Berlin Express. Ex USAF 43-24837. |
| North American P-51D Mustang | N4034S 463889 |
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Miss Stress. Ex USAF 44-63889, N7710C, CF-FUZ, C-FFUZ. |
| North American P-51D Mustang | NL351MX (N351MX) 413305 WR-Z |
 413305 WR-Z The Hun Hunter-Texas 02.jpg)
 413305 WR-Z The Hun Hunter-Texas 03.jpg)
 413305 WR-Z The Hun Hunter-Texas 13.jpg)
 413305 WR-Z The Hun Hunter-Texas 15.jpg) |
The Hun Hunter-Texas. Ex USAF 44-74391, Guatemala AF 351, N38229 |
| North American T-6G Texan | I-SSEP MM54101 |
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Ex USAF 51-14462, marked as 114462 4-06. |
| Panavia Tornado ECR | MM7070 6-71 |
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|
| Panavia Tornado IDS | MM7023 6-63 |
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|
| Panavia Tornado IDS | MM7064 6-24 |
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|
| Panavia Tornado IDS | MM7108 RS-06 |
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Recently mounted near a public roundabout. |
| Piaggio (Focke-Wulf) FWP149D | D-EHJK IAF 4-01 |
 FWP149D D-EHJK IAF 4-01 03.jpg)
 FWP149D D-EHJK IAF 4-01 07.jpg)
 FWP149D D-EHJK IAF 4-01 09.jpg) |
Flying pics taken on approach. Ex West German AF 90+21. |
| Piaggio P149D | D-EKLY |
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|
| Piaggio P166C | I-FENI 303-23 |
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Ex I-PIAS. |
| Piaggio P180 AM Avanti | MM62199 |
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CAE Multi Crew |
| Piaggio P180 AM Avanti | MM62206 |
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CAE Multi Crew |
| Piaggio P180 AM Avanti | MM62207 |
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CAE Multi Crew |
| Piaggio P180 RM Avanti | MM62160 |
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Radio Misure |
| Piaggio P180 RM Avanti | MM62162 |
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Radio Misure |
| Republic P-47D Thunderbolt | G-THUN J-F4 |
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Nellie, a composite of several airframes. Ex N47DD, N147PF |
| SIAI S208M | MM62009 60-44 |
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|
| SIAI-Marchetti S208M | MM61980 60-32 |
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Special livery |
| SIAI-Marchetti SF260AM | D-ESMC MM59013 70-44 |
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|
| SIAI-Marchetti SF260EA | MM55100 70-03 |
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|
| SIAI-Marchetti SF260EA | MM55121 70-30 |
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|
| Sikorsky (Agusta) HH-3F Pelican | MM80991 15-22 |
 HH-3F Pelican MM80991 15-22 3.jpg)
 HH-3F Pelican MM80991 15-22 4.jpg) |
|
| SPAD VIII replica | I-JONA |
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With the Ca-3, part of the Jonathan Collection which I visited in 2015. |
| Stinson L-5 Sentinel | I-MEMA 8819 604 |
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|
| Supermarine Spitfire Vc | G-IBSY |
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Ex RAF EE602 DV-V, G-VMIJ. |
| Tecnam P-2006T | I-CABE |
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| Trainers x8 formation |
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| Trainers, jet x4 formation |
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