ITALIAN AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 10

ITALIAN AIR FORCE

GREAT PARADE IN ROME Italy recently celebrated the fourteenth anniversary of the founding of the Italian Royal Air Force. The principal ceremony was held in Rome, on the Palatine Hill. The King and Signor Mussolini, both in aviation uni - form, were present at a parade of 8000 pilots and hundreds of thousands of Air Force men and flying pupils from all centres of Italy. Regimental flags, squadron banners, and decorations won by flying units were ceremoniously conferred. These emblems were handed over to colour parties gathered in the picturesque surroundings of the ancient stadium The King's post of honour was on a Roman marble throne. The ritual was marked with an inno-vation-periodic bursts of machine-gun fire and the explosion of bombs. For two hours the city sounded more like Madrid than Romo. All the Diplomatic Corps and a great number of the public attended the ceremony. Martial music, a glimpse of spring sunshine, fluttering pennants, and colour everywhere created a stirring scene in that historical site. The day also marked the inauguration of a military and administrative organisation of Italy's aviation service. When Signor Mussolini came into power the Italian Air Force was a subsidiary arm under an Air Commissary. It consisted only of about 70 machines and 500 officers and other ranks, with no civil aviation whatever. Created by Signor Mussolini as the “Italian Royal Air Force” in 1923, it had, after 10 years, more than 1500 machines. 22,000 officers and other ranks, a civil aviation covering a national network of 18,600 miles, and a useful total of world records in every department of flying from speed to altitude. The present number of machines is not published, but an Air Force Group consists of two or more squadrons, and a squadron normally consists of about nine machines. The Air Force alone is, therefore, shown to have a minimum of 1674 machines. In comparison with the 500 all ranks of 1923 and the 22.000 of 1933, the Air Force strength is now given as 4087 officers and 8144 n.c.o.’s. The rank and file, plus aviation students, run far into six figures. Not satisfied with these totals, the new organisation allows for an expansion within the nex' four years to 7670 officers and 12.647 n.c.o.’s.