Italy
Francesco Baracca
1888–1918 Commander, 91st Squadriglia (Squadron of the Aces), 1917–1918
Born in Lugo on 9 May 1888, Francesco Baracca became a cavalry officer after the military school at Modena and learned to fly in France in 1912. After Italy entered the war in May 1915 he scored his first victory on 7 April 1916. In May 1917 he joined the new 91st Squadriglia, nicknamed the Squadron of the Aces, and became its commander. He carried a black prancing horse on his fuselage in honor of his cavalry regiment; Enzo Ferrari later took up a version of it at the suggestion of Baracca's mother. Credited with 34 victories, Italy's leading ace, he failed to return from a strafing mission over the Montello on 19 June 1918. Accounts differ: the Italian version blames ground fire, the Austro-Hungarian one a two-seater's gunner.
In the chronicle
Sources
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Baracca
- www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/francesco-baracca_(Dizionario-Biografico)
- www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/francesco-baracca_(Enciclopedia-Italiana)
- www.museobaracca.it/francesco-baracca
- www.museobaracca.it/il-cavallino-rampante
- www.museobaracca.it/la-morte-2
- www.museobaracca.it/il-mito
- www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/enzo-ferrari_(Dizionario-Biografico)
- www.museobaracca.it/in-guerra