Mario de Bernardi
Mario de Bernardi | |
|---|---|
| File:Mario de Bernardi 1928.jpg Mario de Bernardi in 1928 | |
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | April 8, 1959 (aged 65) Rome, Italy |
| Occupation(s) | World War I fighter pilot air racing competitor Test pilot |
Mario de Bernardi (1893–1959) was a distinguished Italian World War I fighter pilot, a prominent seaplane air racer during the 1920s, and a test pilot involved with early Italian experimental jet aircraft.
Early life
Born on 1 July 1893 in Venosa, Italy, De Bernardi enlisted in the Italian military at age 18 and participated in the Italo-Turkish War (1911–1912). During this conflict, he observed the inaugural use of aircraft in military operations. Motivated by this experience, he pursued aviation training and earned his pilot’s license in 1914.
Flying achievements
World War I
Upon Italy’s entry into World War I in 1915 on the side of the Allies, De Bernardi served initially with the 2nd Regiment of the Piedmont Royal Cavalry. He subsequently transferred to the Italian Air Service, where he became the first Italian aviator officially credited with downing an enemy plane in aerial combat, having shot down an aircraft over Verona. By the conclusion of hostilities in November 1918, he was credited with four confirmed enemy aircraft destroyed and one additional unconfirmed kill.
Following the war, De Bernardi took on roles as an aircraft component inspector and directed experimental airfields located at Montecelio, Furbara, and Vigna di Valle.
Schneider Trophy races and world speed records
After World War I, De Bernardi embarked on a career as a seaplane racing pilot in international competitions. One of his most notable achievements occurred on 13 November 1926, when, holding the rank of Major, he represented Italy in the prestigious Schneider Trophy race held at Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA. Piloting a Macchi M.39, he completed the 350-kilometer (217-mile) course at an average speed of 396.698 kilometres per hour (246.497 mph), establishing a new world speed record for seaplanes. Just four days later, on 17 November 1926, he surpassed this record by reaching 416.618 kilometres per hour (258.874 mph) over a three-kilometer (1.86-mile) circuit at Hampton Roads while flying the same M.39.
On 26 September 1927, De Bernardi again competed for Italy in the Schneider Trophy race hosted in Venice, Italy. Although forced to withdraw early due to engine failure while flying a Macchi M.52, he subsequently set a new world speed record on 4 November 1927 by achieving 479.290 kilometres per hour (297.817 mph) over a three-kilometer course aboard an M.52. Continuing his record-breaking streak, on 30 March 1928 he flew a Macchi M.52R racing seaplane to a speed of 512.776 kilometres per hour (318.624 mph) at Venice, becoming both the first individual to exceed 500 kilometres per hour (310 mph) and to surpass 300 miles per hour (480 km/h) in flight.
Later career
Around the early 1930s, de Bernardi became affiliated with the Caproni firm at Taliedo, near Milan, where he took on roles as a test pilot and technical advisor. In 1931, he secured victory in the world aerobatics championship held in Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
In 1933, de Bernardi flew a Caproni Ca.111 reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber carrying five passengers on a journey spanning approximately 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) from Rome to Moscow in the Soviet Union.
By 1939, de Bernardi had relocated to Rome, where he lived for the remainder of his life. The following year, in 1940, he began contributing to the creation of early remotely piloted aircraft designed as flying bombs.
On 27 August 1940, de Bernardi piloted the inaugural flight of the Caproni Campini N.1, also known as the "Caproni Campini CC.2," an experimental motorjet aircraft. At that time, the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale recognized this as the first successful jet-powered flight until the earlier August 1939 flight of the German Heinkel He 178 jet became publicly known. On 30 November 1941, he completed a flight from Milan to Guidonia Montecelio in roughly two hours aboard the N.1, transporting aerograms with canceled postage stamps and thus becoming the pioneer pilot to deliver air mail via jet aircraft.
De Bernardi was also responsible for designing the M.d.B. 02 Aeroscooter, a lightweight two-seat sport aircraft whose maiden flight occurred in 1957.
Death
On 8 April 1959, de Bernardi attended a demonstration of a German light aircraft at an airport in Rome and took to the skies himself in his own light plane, showcasing his aerobatic expertise. During the flight, he suffered a heart attack. Despite this, he successfully landed the plane but passed away shortly thereafter at age 65.
Honors, Awards, and Commemoration
In 1926, de Bernardi was honored with the National Trophy—one of four Harmon Trophies awarded that year—as Italy’s most distinguished aviator.
He was a recipient of the Gold Medal of Valor (Aviation), bestowed to recognize "acts of exceptional bravery, expertise, and humanitarian efforts performed aboard aircraft in flight." Furthermore, due to his remarkable contributions, Italy’s largest air force installation southwest of Rome was named after him in 1959 as "Colonello Mario de Bernardi" — now known as Pratica di Mare Air Force Base.
In March 2006, a commemorative plaque was unveiled at Via Panama 86 in Rome—his home for two decades—with his daughter Fiorenza present during the dedication. Template:Clear-left
Notes
References
- Donald, David, editor. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5.
External links
- Template:Commonscatinline
- Archival newsreel showing Major Mario de Bernardi and his Macchi M.39 seaplane following victory in the 1926 Schneider Trophy competition Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine
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- Pages with script errors
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- 1893 births
- 1959 deaths
- Aerobatic pilots
- Italian air racers
- Italian aviation record holders
- Italian aviators
- Italian test pilots
- Italian World War I flying aces
- Harmon Trophy winners
- Schneider Trophy pilots
- Caproni people
- People from Venosa
- Sportspeople from the Province of Potenza
- Italian colonels