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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

An Italian Aviation Map


JohnC

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This little booklet was published in 1917 by the Italian War Ministry's Technical Directorate of Military Aviation. It's a set of 3 strip maps showing the air route from Turin to the airfields of the front in the north east, terminating at Pordenone. Turin was the home of Fiat, and the route also takes in Milan, home of Caproni. The Italian air force used alot of French and British planes and Turin was perhaps a delivery base for those too (my guess, can anyone confirm?)

To faciltate deliveries to the front the ministry set up a chain of 39 landing sites along the route, one every 20-30 km. Some of these were proper aerodromes but most were just cleared fields for emergency use, which were maintained by the local municipality. They invented a set of symbols to assist landings, marked on the ground and reproduced on the map. The dumbell shape indicated the best landing approach, 92 metres long overall, the large circle of 22 metres diameter being the ideal point to touch down within and the bar indicating the recommended direction. There were more symbols which the ground staff could peg out to indicate wind direction and a fouled field.

The map is very dinky, printed at 1:625,000 each strip is just 10cm wide by 28cm long - pocket size. There are depictions of airmarks at key places -  rivers, roads, railways and identifiable buildings - and no superfluous detail. The ministry published a brochure to accompany, containing 32 detailed maps on cardboard of individual fields. If I could find one of these I would be very happy.

A very nice example, I think, of a well designed aviator's map which presents the essential information in an easy to use format. If anyone can decipher the inscription I would be most grateful.

John

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Hi John, the inscription reads:

 

"Di notte sogna aeroplani - di giorno cammina per la via dei padri: su di un asinello, dietro la virtù.

Emilio Silvestri" 

 

Regards

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That is a wonderful thing. I note the route exceeds 250 miles, with planned stops at aerodromes?

(Also, Google translate gives me this from Ago's transcription, presumably with a lot of the poetry knocked out of it: 'At night he dreams of aeroplanes - by day he walks down the street of the fathers: on a donkey, behind virtue.')

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Interesting to compare ground signals with current ones, the Airfield Signal Square.

 

http://aviation_dictionary.enacademic.com/3315/ground_signals

 

Howard

 

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Thank you all.

Ago and Open Bolt - a quotation I wonder? I must investigtae further

I guess that the aerodromes, marked by open circles, indicate planned stops and the fields marked by dumbell symbols are for unplanned.

Howard - I've attached the other two signals, Fig 3 for wind and Fig 4 for a fouled field. The full instruction can be found on this website http://www.ilfrontedelcielo.it/files_12/121_201_rotta.htm to which I extend my thanks and acknowledgment.

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