Italian Air Force Museum, Vigna di Valle |
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The Museo Storico dell’Aeronautica Militare di Vigna di Valle (MUSAM) is in a beautiful setting on the shore of Lake Bracciano, about 20 miles north-west of Rome. It had been closed for renovation and expansion for the last 18 months, and we visited on 16 June, the day it reopened to the public. The place is excellent, Only a few areas are crowded, and in the huge main hall one wall has multi-level viewing platforms, and the top level (accessible by lift) extends into the ajacent hangar for a high view of that, too. The collection of aircraft is superb. The lighting is generally very good, though the huge glass hangar doors can be problematic for photography on a sunny day even though they're north-facing. There is a nice cafe which could be called 'Seaplane Racer View'. Getting here is a bit of a problem as there is very limited public transport, and apparently even taxis from the nearest railway station are hard to find. |
| Aircraft | Reg'n | Thumbs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerfer Ariete | MM569 |
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Ariete = Ram |
| Aerfer Sagittario 2 | MM561 |
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Sagittario = Sagittarius |
| AerMacchi MB-326E | MM54389 68 |
 |
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| Aermacchi MB-339A-PAN (MLU) | MM54485 0 |
 MM54485 Frecce Tricolore 0 1.jpg) |
Frecce Tricolore |
| Agusta (Bell) AB-47G-2 | MM80113 12 |
 AB-47G-2 MM80113 12 2.jpg)
 AB-47G-2 MM80113 12 4.jpg)
 AB-47G-2 MM80113 12 5.jpg) |
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| Agusta (Bell) AB-47J Ranger | MM80187 SE-38 |
 AB-47J Ranger MM80187 SE-38 1.jpg) |
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| Agusta (Bell) AB-204B | MM80357 RM-112 |
 AB-204B MM80357 RM-112 1.jpg) |
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| Agusta (Bell) AB-212ICO | MM81161 9-61 |
 AB-212ICO MM81161 9-61 1.jpg) |
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| Agusta (Bell) HH-3F Pelican | MM80986 15-15 |
 HH-3F Pelican MM80986 15-15 2.jpg)
 HH-3F Pelican MM80986 15-15 3.jpg)
 HH-3F Pelican MM80986 15-15 1.jpg) |
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| Ambrosini Super S7 Supersette | MM558 |
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Ex I-RAIN, with a De Havilland Gipsy Queen engine. |
| AMX | MM7125 |
 |
|
| Ansaldo AC-2 | MM1208 94-6 |
 |
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| Ansaldo SVA-5 | 11721 |
 |
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| Bréguet 1150 Atlantic | MM40118 41-03 |
 |
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| Canadair CL-13 Mk1 (F-86E) | MM19792 13-1 |
 MM19792 13-1 ex RAF XB915 1.jpg)
 MM19792 13-1 ex RAF XB915 2.jpg)
 MM19792 13-1 ex RAF XB915 3.jpg) |
Ex RAF XB915. |
| CANT Z-506S Airone | MM45425 84-4 |
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Airone = Heron |
| Caproni Ca-3 | 23174 |
 |
Falco |
| Caproni Ca-100 | I-GTAB FIR-9 |
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| Caproni Campini N-1 (CC-2) | MM487 |
 MM487 1.jpg)
 MM487 2.jpg)
 MM487 3.jpg) |
Considered the world's first jet aircraft until the Heinkel He178's flight a year earlier in 1939, was revealed. |
| CVV CVV-6 Canguro | MM100028 28 |
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CVV = Centro di Volo a Vela, (gliding centre) in this case at Milan Polytechnic University. |
| De Havilland DH113 NF54 Vampire | MM6152 |
 |
|
| Douglas C-47A Skytrain (DC-3) | MM61776 |
 MM61776 ex USAF 42-100731, PH-TBH 1.jpg)
 MM61776 ex USAF 42-100731, PH-TBH 2.jpg)
 MM61776 ex USAF 42-100731, PH-TBH 3.jpg)
 MM61776 ex USAF 42-100731, PH-TBH 5.jpg) |
Ex USAF 42-100731, KLM PH-TBH. |
| Fiat C-29 | MM130bis |
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Built for the 1929 Schneider Trophy contest at Calshot, UK, but didn't compete. |
| Fiat CR-32 (Hispano HA-132L) | C.1-328 3-6 Z4 |
 Spanish AF C.1-328 3-6 Z4 2.jpg)
 Spanish AF C.1-328 3-6 Z4 3.jpg)
 Spanish AF C.1-328 3-6 Z4 5.jpg)
 Spanish AF C.1-328 3-6 Z4 6.jpg)
 Spanish AF C.1-328 3-6 Z4 8.jpg) |
Spanish AF |
| Fiat CR-42 | Fv2539 SE-AOP |
 |
Swedish AF, marked as Italian AF MM5643 162-6 |
| Fiat G-46-4A | MM53286 Z-1-7 |
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| Fiat G-55 Centauro (G-59-4A Sr.IV) | MM53265 5 |
 MM53265 5 02.jpg)
 MM53265 5 04.jpg)
 MM53265 5 06.jpg) |
Centauro = Centaur |
| Fiat G-59-4B | MM53276 SE-7 |
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Merlin-powered trainer version of the Centauro. |
| Fiat G-80-3B | MM53882 RS-22 |
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Jet trainer project, just five were built. |
| Fiat G-91PAN | MM6250 9 |
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Frecce Tricolori |
| Fiat G-91R-1 | MM6280 2-33 |
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| Fiat G-91T-1 | MM6344 SA-47 |
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| Fiat G-91Y | MM6959 8-66 |
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Twin-engined ground attack version. |
| Fiat G-212CA | MM61804 142-5 |
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| Fiesler Fi-156C-3-Trop | MM12822 20 |
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Ex I-FAGG, D-EDEC, G-FIST. |
| General Dynamics F-16A-ADF Fighting Falcon | MM7251 |
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Ex USAF 81-0801 |
| Grumman S-2F Tracker | MM136556 41-6 |
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Ex USN 136556 |
| Grumman SA-16A Albatross | MM50-179 15-5 |
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Ex USAF 50-0179 |
| Hanriot Dupont (Macchi) HD-1 | HD19309 76 |
 HD-1 HD19309 76 1.jpg)
 HD-1 HD19309 76 3.jpg) |
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| Il Barchino Idroplano N.2 |
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A boat, not a plane. Developed in 1907, pioneering hydrofoils and variable pitch propellers. | |
| IMAM (Meridionali) Ro37bis Lince | MM11341 110-12 |
 Ro37bis Lince MM11341 110-12 1.jpg)
 Ro37bis Lince MM11341 110-12 4.jpg)
 Ro37bis Lince MM11341 110-12 5.jpg) |
Lince = Lynx |
| IMAM (Meridionali) Ro43 | MM27050 ORB-23 |
 Ro43 MM27050 ORB-23 2.jpg)
 Ro43 MM27050 ORB-23 3.jpg)
 Ro43 MM27050 ORB-23 4.jpg)
 Ro43 MM27050 ORB-23 6.jpg) |
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| Junkers J-1 fuselage | 805-17 |
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1917 armoured sesquiplane, the world's first all-metal production aircraft. |
| Lockheed F-104G | MM6501 3-11 |
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| Lockheed RT-33A | MM53-5594 9-35 |
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Ex USAF 53-5594 |
| Lohner L | L-127 |
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1915 Austro-Hungarian flying boat that inspired many Macchi designs. |
| Macchi (Breda) MC-202 Sr.XI Folgore | MM9667 73-7 |
 MC-202 Sr.XI Folgore MM9667 73-7 1.jpg) |
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| Macchi M-39 | MM76 II |
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This won the 1926 Schneider Trophy contest at Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA. |
| Macchi M-67 | MM105 10 |
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Competed in the 1929 Schneider Trophy contest at Calshot, UK, but engine problems caused lack of success. |
| Macchi M-416 | MM53762 AA-48 |
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Licence-built Fokker S-11-3 Instructor. |
| Macchi MB-308 | MM53058 SG-8 |
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Ex I-GORI |
| Macchi MC-72 | MM181 |
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This held the world all-aircraft speed record and is still the fastest piston-engined seaplane in the world. |
| Macchi MC-200 Saetta | MM8307 369-1 |
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Saetta = Lightning |
| Macchi MC-202 Sr.X | MM9546 97-2 |
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| Monument to Arturo Ferrarin |
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Ferrarin was a long distance pioneer, with flights From Italy to Tokyo and non-stop to Brazil in the 1920s. | |
| Nardi FN-305 | MM52757 3 |
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Ex I-DASM |
| North American F-86K-NF | MM55-4868 51-62 |
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Ex USAF 55-4868 |
| North American P-51D Mustang | MM4323 RR-11 |
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Ex USAF 44-73444 |
| North American T-6G Texan | MM54097 RR-67 |
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| Panavia Tornado F3 | MM7210 36-12 |
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| Panavia Tornado IDS MLU | MM7071 |
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| Piaggio P-166ML-1 | MM61933 |
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| Piaggio PD-808GE1 | MM61961 |
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| Reggiane Re2002 Ariete II | MM8669 239-5 |
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| Republic F-84F Thunderstreak | MM53-6892 36-38 |
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Ex USAF 53-6892 |
| Republic F-84G-26-RE Thunderjet | MM51-11049 51-29 |
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Ex USAF 51-11049 |
| Republic RF-84F Thunderflash | MM52-7458 3-05 |
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Ex USAF 52-7458 |
| Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 Sparviero | MM45508 278-2 |
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Sparviero = Sparrowhawk. Ex Lebanese AF LR-AMB |
| Savoia-Marchetti SM-82PW Canguru (Marsupiale) | MM61187 ZR-89 |
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| SIAI-Marchetti SF-260AM | MM54436 70-63 |
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| Sikorsky SH-3D-TS Sea King | MM80973 |
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| SPAD S-VII | S1383 S153 |
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| SPAD S-VII | S1420 |
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| Supermarine Spitfire IXc | MK805 |
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Ex MM4084 A-32 |
| Wright Flyer IV replica |
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