Flavio Baracchini
Encyclopedia
Tenente Flavio Torello Baracchini was an Italian
World War I
fighter ace
credited with 21 confirmed and nine unconfirmed aerial victories. His confirmed victory total ranked him fourth among Italian aces of the war.
After the war he worked as an inventor, working in the areas of aviation communications and explosives. He died in 1928 as a result of injuries that he received during an accident in his laboratory.
, was originally an engineer before switching to aviation. He got his pilot's license in 1915, and began flying combat against Austria-Hungary
's air force at the end of that year. His first flying assignment was to a Voisin
squadron. He later upgraded to Nieuports. However, he had no success as a fighter pilot until May 1917, when he was assigned to 81 Squadrone. His claim of the 15th went unconfirmed, but he got his first victory five days later, when he shot down an Albatros south of Marco
. He scored again on the 23rd and 25th.
He scored once more, on 6 June 1917, while flying a Nieuport 11
, before upgrading to a Nieuport 17
. He used his new plane to tally four more triumphs that month.
He transferred to 76a Squadrone and a Hanriot HD.1
. He also evaluated a loaner Spad VII for possible use by the squadron; it was rejected.
Baracchini won twice in July. In August, he was credited with two more victories, on the 3rd and 8th, while his first claim for an observation balloon went unconfirmed. He was so seriously wounded on 8 August 1917 that he was out of action for nine months.
Upon his return, he again had an unconfirmed credit on a balloon, on 3 April 1918. Then he was transferred back to 81a Squadrone. He had four confirmed and four unconfirmed wins for May.
He began his final month of combat with a double victory on 15 June, with a third claim going unconfirmed. On the 18th, he once again was denied credit for downing a balloon. On the 21st, he finally became a balloon buster
, for his nineteenth credit. He scored again on both the 22nd and the 25th, to bring his total to 21 confirmed and nine unconfirmed. However, on the 25th, he was again severely wounded, this time when he was shot down by machine gun fire.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
credited with 21 confirmed and nine unconfirmed aerial victories. His confirmed victory total ranked him fourth among Italian aces of the war.
After the war he worked as an inventor, working in the areas of aviation communications and explosives. He died in 1928 as a result of injuries that he received during an accident in his laboratory.
Military career
Baracchini, who was born at Villafranca in LunigianaVillafranca in Lunigiana
Villafranca in Lunigiana is a comune in the Province of Massa-Carrara in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 120 km northwest of Florence and about 35 km northwest of Massa....
, was originally an engineer before switching to aviation. He got his pilot's license in 1915, and began flying combat against Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
's air force at the end of that year. His first flying assignment was to a Voisin
Voisin
- Companies :*Avions Voisin, the French automobile company*Voisin , the French aircraft manufacturer- People :*Catherine Monvoisin, known as "La Voisin" , French sorceress during the reign of Louis XIV...
squadron. He later upgraded to Nieuports. However, he had no success as a fighter pilot until May 1917, when he was assigned to 81 Squadrone. His claim of the 15th went unconfirmed, but he got his first victory five days later, when he shot down an Albatros south of Marco
Marco
Marco may refer to:* Georg Marco , Romanian chess player of German origin* Marco , people with the given name "Marco"* 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother, an anime series, in some countries referred to as Marco...
. He scored again on the 23rd and 25th.
He scored once more, on 6 June 1917, while flying a Nieuport 11
Nieuport 11
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Angelucci, Enzio, ed. The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft. New York: The Military Press, 1983. ISBN 0-517-41021-4....
, before upgrading to a Nieuport 17
Nieuport 17
|-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153....
. He used his new plane to tally four more triumphs that month.
Hanriot HD.1
|-References:* Bruce, J.M. The Hanriot HD 1 Leatherhead: Profile Publications* Cheesman E.F. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War Letchworth, Harletford Publications, 1960 pp. 82-83- External links :*...
. He also evaluated a loaner Spad VII for possible use by the squadron; it was rejected.
Baracchini won twice in July. In August, he was credited with two more victories, on the 3rd and 8th, while his first claim for an observation balloon went unconfirmed. He was so seriously wounded on 8 August 1917 that he was out of action for nine months.
Upon his return, he again had an unconfirmed credit on a balloon, on 3 April 1918. Then he was transferred back to 81a Squadrone. He had four confirmed and four unconfirmed wins for May.
He began his final month of combat with a double victory on 15 June, with a third claim going unconfirmed. On the 18th, he once again was denied credit for downing a balloon. On the 21st, he finally became a balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
, for his nineteenth credit. He scored again on both the 22nd and the 25th, to bring his total to 21 confirmed and nine unconfirmed. However, on the 25th, he was again severely wounded, this time when he was shot down by machine gun fire.