CONTENTS

Preface by Giovanni, Maria Fede and Umberto Caproni from Taliedo
Foreword by Maurizio Pagliano
Author's note

Colour plates

Caproni 300 HP
* The concept of strategic bombing
* The first Caproni enter into action
* 1916: deep bombing raids
* The third year of war

Caproni 450 HP
* More power for the bombers
* Technical data of the Caproni 450 HP
* 1917: raids over Pola and Cattaro
* Target: Vienna
* Caproni built in France
* Derivations from the Ca.3 until 1926

Caproni 600 HP
* Programmes of international co-production
* 1918: the victory

Other users
* The Caproni of the Regia Marina
* Caproni on the Western front line
* The American Northern Bombing Group
* American pilots at Foggia
* Tri-motors in the re-conquest of Libya

The triplanes
* A giant of the era

The single engines
* From monoplane reconnaissance aircraft to triplane fighter

Flying the tri-motor

Bibliography
The authors

FOREWORD by Maurizio Pagliano

In Italian aviation circles, the First World War, which saw Italy enter the field on 24 May 1915 alongside the forces of the Triple Entente against the Central Empire, brings to mind above all two types of aircraft, the S.V.A. and the Caproni. The first, as will be recalled, was a reconnaissance and light bomber biplane designed by ingegneri Umberto Savoia and Rodolfo Verduzio and manufactured by Ansaldo, which entered service with operational units at the beginning of 1918. The second, with its characteristic tri-motor formula, was conceived and produced by ingegner Gianni Caproni, and became synonymous with strategic bombing, a definition which must, however, take account of the technological and doctrinaire parameters of the era.

This volume, written by Giorgio Apostolo and Rosario Abate, two established experts in the sector, describes the history of this complex all-Italian aircraft from the design phase to the prototype, from the results of the first test flights until acceptance by the military administration, then the demanding phase of national production and the operational service of the various versions. Published for the first time in 1970, it is re-launched after some forty years in a new edition promoted by the Vaccari publishing house which, amongst other projects, is engaged in reissuing works which for some time have not been available from libraries or publishing companies.

In my second forty years of activity in the editorial field I continue to demand of the authors the application of some basic principals which have always guided me through the profession, and which can be summed up as: intellectual honesty, knowledge of the subject, balanced opinions, and civility in terms of humans relationships. Assumed are the ability to write, and the desire to be read. I should add that in works of a technical nature like this there is no space for ideological interpretations of any kind; it is the numerical data that assumes overwhelming value, and this must be the foundations for a realistic picture of the situation. These are important characteristics, which are distinguishing features of the books with the signatures of Apostolo and Abate.

The volume appears in the period of the major celebrations of the 150 years of Italian Unity, and the 1915-1918 war is considered by many experts to be the fourth war of independence. However, research works like this stand apart from simple anniversaries, and contribute to the recording of the design and entrepreneurial capabilities of a man like Gianni Caproni, born at Arco, in the Trentino, territory then in the possession of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and who elected to become Italian and make his contribution to the victory of the Tricolour.

There is a letter, reproduced in its original English in the book, dated 11 February 1919, and addressed to Inginiere [sic] Caproni: "My Dear Sir, in the name of the American Expeditionary Forces, I desire to express to you our appreciation of all that you have accomplished in the realm of the Allied aviation during the war. Your name is of course well known to all of us as an inventor of marked genius, but will be especially remembered by those officers with whom you came in contact on account of the sympathetic understanding and friendship which you always displayed toward the United States. Your untiring efforts and unfailing interest were of the greatest help to us in the development of our Air Service.

I am sure that I voice the sentiments of all when I say to you that among our officers and men you will ever find in the United States the same warm welcome and the same friendship which you have shown to us in your own land of Italy".

It was signed by General John Joseph Pershing, Commander in Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe.

Rosario Abate obtained a Phisician degree at Catania University and moved to North Italy. He started writing about avation in 1953. Since then his works have appeared in numerous journals in Italy and abroad. His books include a story of the Italian aviation, the story of the Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca company and Aeroplani Caproni (with Alegi and Apostolo). He passed away in Milan in 2004.

Giorgio Apostolo became interested in aviation in 1950 launching an intensive career which continues to these days. A contributing editor of several aerospace journals, he has authored many publications, books and serials. For many years he edited the historical magazine «Aerofan» and he is owner of a specialized publishing house.

CONTENTS

Foreword
* 1908-1909 - Today, we will fly
* 1910 - The beginnings of aviation in Italy
* 1911 - The Italian military aviation starts gaining ground
* 1912 - The fervent aviation activity for the war in Libya
* 1913 - The great flights
* 1914 - The wonderful air trips
* 1904-1914 - The different aviation activities

CONTENTS

* Foreword, Annita Garibaldi Jallet
* Table, in colour, with the map representing the operations of the Italian-Greek legion and of the battle in Drisko
* Garibaldis and their topicality, conversation with Annita Garibaldi Jallet, Fabio Bonacina
* Introduction, Bruno Crevato-Selvaggi

* Dedication, Ricciotti Garibaldi
* I - Greece and Italy
* II - Greece
* III - Preparations in Italy
* IV - From Rome to Athens
* V - Some incidents
* VI - From Athens to Metzovo
* VII - Romas Column
* VIII - Battle in Drisko
* IX - The field hospital
* X - From Drisko to Athens
* XI - Accountancy
* XII - Documents
* XIII - Notes of promotions
* XIV - Note of volunteers
* XV - Summary note of jobs
* XVI - Alphabetical note

Ricciotti was born in Montevideo in 1847, fourth born of Giuseppe Garibaldi and Ana Maria de Jesus Ribeiro.
From 1866 he distinguishes himself on the battlefields. When his father dies, in 1882, he wants to collect his moral heritage, the values of military voluntary service and of philhellenism which belonged to Garibaldian tradition. It is Greece which gives him the possibility to revive the tradition of Garibaldi's "Redshirts", already from 1897. The General Ricciotti succeeds in realising his true inclination: at the head of new Garibaldian volunteers, he creates a new military tradition, which intervenes in favour of peoples' freedom, and pays attention to the values of heroism and sacrifice in the name of a nation.
He dies in Riofreddo (Rome) in 1924.

CONTENTS

* Last days of life
* The "show" in piazzale Loreto
* The problem of the corpse
* The return in Milan
* Padre Carlo from Milan, as if from Cerro
* The solution is in the monastery of Cerro Maggiore
* The years of the secret (1946-1957)
* The corpse given to the family
* A heavy inheritance to handle
* Padre Carlo's diary
* A monastery and its growth
* With the guests of the Central hotel
* Notes
* Bibliography

IN ITALIAN

Il saggio di Fabio Bonacina narra le vicende della salma di un uomo, per vent'anni al centro della storia d'Italia, che giunse, dopo le drammatiche vicende di Giulino e di piazzale Loreto, in un piccolo e, diciamolo pure, sconosciuto ai più, paese della provincia milanese.

Il libro è già alla sua seconda edizione a dimostrazione che le vicende narrate hanno suscitato un interesse che ha travalicato i confini locali.
Le recensioni alla prima edizione hanno trovato spazio sui media nazionali e il saggio è stato citato nella bibliografia di altri lavori. Un esemplare del libro è conservato alla Biblioteca del Congresso degli Stati Uniti. Persino una pièce teatrale si è ispirata alle vicende narrate nel libro.
In effetti la ricerca ha il pregio di aver colmato un vuoto storico e a oggi rimane l'unico testo che ricostruisce in maniera esemplare e minuziosa le vicende della «Salma nascosta».
Esso è quindi strumento indispensabile allo studioso, ma la sua lettura è di sicuro interesse anche al semplice appassionato di storia che avrà modo di conoscere una vicenda che a tratti assume i contorni di un giallo.

Ormai i protagonisti di quegli anni sono quasi tutti scomparsi. Nel suo piccolo, come uno scrigno, questo lavoro raccoglie frammenti di vita di uomini semplici, come il fotografo Igino Braghin o la balia Enrichetta Rotondi. Uomini e donne che non recitarono sul palcoscenico della storia, ma più semplicemente nella quotidianità delle loro famiglie e del loro paese. Ricordarli è un doveroso atto di affetto della nostra Comunità. Ecco perché questo non è solo il libro della salma di Mussolini, ma anche il loro.

Antonio Lazzati
Sindaco di Cerro Maggiore (Milano)

luglio 2007

Fabio Bonacina, a journalist, mainly works in public communication, but he also writes about stamps and the post. The newspapers and magazines that have published his articles include "Cronaca filatelica", "L'arte del francobollo", "Vaccari magazine", "Esperienza", "Giornale di Brescia", and "Italia oggi". He is President of the Italian Philatelic Press Union since 2014, and editor of the daily web magazine of philately and postal information "Vaccari news" (www.vaccarinews.it) since 2003.
He has been awarded the prize by Usfi (Italian Philatelic Press Union) in 2010, he has obtained the award for journalism by the Town of Riccione in 2006, and the oscar for philately by Circolo filatelico numismatico reggiano in 2002.
For this publisher he has written the books "Propaganda con i denti - Il francobollo come mezzo di comunicazione nelle relazioni internazionali, il secondo dopoguerra"; "La salma nascosta - Mussolini a Cerro Maggiore dopo piazzale Loreto (1946-1957)", published in two editions; "Giovanni Paolo II - Viaggi di speranza - I francobolli del mondo testimoniano le visite di Papa Wojtyla", translated into English and German (English edition "John Paul II - Visits of hope - World stamps witness the travels of Pope Wojtyla"); "Campioni del mondo - I francobolli dei Paesi organizzatori e vincitori dei Mondiali di calcio 1930-2006"; "Buon Natale! Il libro-album per la raccolta dei francobolli italiani sul Natale 1970-2010"; "Habemus Papam. Tutti i Papi da Francesco a Pio XII. Il libro-album dei francobolli italiani"; "Campioni del mondo 2 - I francobolli dei Paesi organizzatori e vincitori dei Mondiali di calcio 2010-2014".