In the era of the pioneers, aviation was defined as “pure and romantic”; the airplane continued to be a major attraction; no one believed in the airplane as a weapon of war. It was only at the outbreak of the Italo-Turkish war in Libya that aviation became an instrument of struggle, forging ahead in a few years, until it became a decisive weapon in the last world war.
In fact, not a few lessons have been learned, at an operational level, from the experience gained in this first use of the air forces; experience that was decisive in convincing the high military and political commands of the need to include “soldiers of the air” (aerosters, dirigibles, airmen) in the Libyan expeditionary force.
The Italian Air Force in the Libyan campaign: 1911-1912
Fiorenzo Longhi PREMISE In 1910, numerous aviation competitions had been held in various Italian cities, among which the most important for the results obtained were those of Verona (May 22-29) and Milan (September, 25 – October, 3). Among the aviation events that took place in Italy in 1911, the most important was that organized byContinue reading "The Italian Air Force in the Libyan campaign: 1911-1912"