Bartolomeo Costantini
Encyclopedia
Bartolomeo "Meo" Costantini (14 February 1889 in Vittorio Veneto
- 19 July 1941 in Milano) was an Italian aviator
and racing car driver, known for being the sporting manager of the Bugatti
car manufacturer.
(1911), and later became well known
in World War I, where capitano Costantini became a flying ace
with six victories flying a Spad
in the Squadriglia degli Assi, part of the Corpo Aeronautico Militare
.
Costantini used a Spad VII to score his first aerial victory in conjunction with Prince Fulco Ruffo di Calabria
, on 25 October 1917. The next day, Costantini shot down another Aviatik
reconnaissance plane over Castelmonte. A month later, on 23 November, he shared his third victory over a two-seater with Cesare Magistrini
. A week later, he had another shared win. He did not score again for nine months. In August 1918, he acquired a newer Spad XIII that he used to round off his career. On the 12th, he singlehandedly defeated an Albatros D.III
near Lucia di Piave. Ten days later, he flamed a two-seater over Marano di Piave and watched its observer parachute away.
team (1914–17).
He joined Bugatti
(1923) and won two Targa Florio
in a Bugatti Type 35
(1925–26),
won the Circuito Lasarte
(1926), and in chassis #4802 of Type 39, got second in French GP (1926). He remained racing team manager until 1935, replaced by Jean Bugatti
.
Vittorio Veneto
Vittorio Veneto is a city and comune situated in the Province of Treviso, in the region of Veneto, Italy, in the northeast of the Italian peninsula, between the Piave and the Livenza rivers.-Geography:...
- 19 July 1941 in Milano) was an Italian aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and racing car driver, known for being the sporting manager of the Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
car manufacturer.
Military service
He joined the Italo-Turkish WarItalo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War was fought between the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912.As a result of this conflict, Italy was awarded the Ottoman provinces of Tripolitania, Fezzan, and...
(1911), and later became well known
in World War I, where capitano Costantini became a flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
with six victories flying a Spad
Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés
SPAD was a French aircraft manufacturer between 1911 and 1921. Its SPAD S.XIII biplane was the most popular French fighter airplane in World War I.-Deperdussin:...
in the Squadriglia degli Assi, part of the Corpo Aeronautico Militare
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
.
Costantini used a Spad VII to score his first aerial victory in conjunction with Prince Fulco Ruffo di Calabria
Fulco Ruffo di Calabria
Fulco VIII, Prince Ruffo di Calabria, 6th Duke of Guardia Lombarda was an Italian World War I flying ace, and posthumous father-in-law of King Albert II of the Belgians.-Background:...
, on 25 October 1917. The next day, Costantini shot down another Aviatik
Aviatik
Automobil und Aviatik AG was a German aircraft manufacturer during World War I. The company was established at Mülhausen in 1910 and soon became one of the country's leading producers of aircraft, relocating to Freiburg in 1914 and establishing a subsidiary in Vienna as Österreichisch-Ungarische...
reconnaissance plane over Castelmonte. A month later, on 23 November, he shared his third victory over a two-seater with Cesare Magistrini
Cesare Magistrini
Sergente Cesare Magistrini began his lengthy aviation career as a World War I flying ace credited with six confirmed and four unconfirmed aerial victories.-Reference:...
. A week later, he had another shared win. He did not score again for nine months. In August 1918, he acquired a newer Spad XIII that he used to round off his career. On the 12th, he singlehandedly defeated an Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
near Lucia di Piave. Ten days later, he flamed a two-seater over Marano di Piave and watched its observer parachute away.
Motor racing career
Costantini was a racing driver in the Aquila ItalianaAquila Italiana
The Aquila Italiana founded as the "Società Anonima Aquila" and quickly renamed as "Società Anonima Italiana Aquila" was an Italian automobile manufacturer from 1906 to 1917. The company was named again in 1909 after it was bough by bank as...
team (1914–17).
He joined Bugatti
Bugatti
Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti....
(1923) and won two Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
in a Bugatti Type 35
Bugatti Type 35
The Type 35 was the most successful of the Bugatti racing models. Its version of the Bugatti arch-shaped radiator that had evolved from the more architectural one of the Bugatti Type 13 Brescia, was to become the one that the marque is most known for though even in the ranks of the various Type 35s...
(1925–26),
won the Circuito Lasarte
Circuito Lasarte
The Circuito Lasarte was an 11.029-mile Grand Prix motor racing road course at Lasarte-Oria, Guipúzcoa, Spain in the Basque Country near the resort town of San Sebastián on the Bay of Biscay at...
(1926), and in chassis #4802 of Type 39, got second in French GP (1926). He remained racing team manager until 1935, replaced by Jean Bugatti
Jean Bugatti
Jean Bugatti was an French/Italian automotive designer and test engineer.Born Gianoberto Maria Carlo Bugatti in Cologne, Germany, he was the eldest son of Ettore Bugatti. Soon after his birth the family moved to the village of Dorlisheim near Molsheim in Alsace where his father built the new...
.