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Low level photography from the hills

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Full report on Vigna di Valle (Back)

The Italian Air Force Museum
(Museo Storico dell' Aeronautica Militare Italiana)
Looking Back (to my pre-digital camera days)
Vigna di Valle
Rome

April 2002 Hall 3 'Badoni' has been cleared with the exception of these two old ladies.
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Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 'Canguru' painted as 'MM61850' coded 14 (but it is really MM61187).
Fiat G.212 'Flying Classroom' (MM61804 / 142-5).
The CRDA Cant Z.506S 'Airone' (MM45425 / 84-4). Note the HU-16 behind is back on the military side of the base.
Fiat G5bis (MM290 ex I-BFFI) it was owned by Cesare Biffi of Milan in 1939. The was the only G5 to survive the war. It was first here seen in 1991 (and 1999) but had gone by 2004, (where to?).


April 2001
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Left to right: Caproni Ca100 float plane (MM65156 coded COM-11 ex I-ABOU) in Hall 2, and is formerly of Como Aero Club. It's stay was brief at the Museum, it had gone back to Como Aero Club where it was still active in early 2005.
Ansaldo AC.2 (MM1208 coded 94-6) based on the Dewoitine D1. Current.


August 1996 Many of the former inmates of Hangar 3 or 'Badoni' Hall were stored outside as it had been partly cleared ready for refurbishment. The larger aircraft were able to 'stretch out' in the increased space, making photography much easier.
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Fiat G-59-4B (MM53276), current.
P-47D Thunderbolt (MM4653 coded 51-19 ex 44-89746). Delivered to Italian Air Force in March 1951. I saw this aircraft when at the Museum from 1973 to 2002, it is no longer on display, stored where? In April 2010 it was seen dismantled at Guidonia, by December 2010 it had moved on.
Grumman S-2F Tracker (MM136556 coded 41-6). Current.
Beech C-45F Expeditor (MM61734 coded RR-25). This aircraft has moved to the museum store at Guidonia just outside Rome last noted in December 2010 with another C-45 (MM61762 'RR-11') with a glass nose.
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Macchi MC.205V (MM9546 coded 97-2 was also as MM9345/155-6), current.
Macchi MC.202T-AS (MM7844 coded 91-3 'Baracca', now painted MM9667 and coded 73-7), current.
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 'Sparviero' (Sparrow Hawk), current.
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 'Canguru' painted as 'MM61850' coded 14 (but is really MM61187), current.
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Fiat G.46-4A (MM53286 'Z.I-7' ex I-AELM) First seen in 1980 it was on dislay till 1996, when it was moved to Pratica di Mare where has performed taxi runs during air displays in 2007 and 2008. Currently in storage.
The G.46 is of aluminum construction was designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli as a two seat trainer, sitting in tandem. There was also a single seat version. The G.46 first flew in 1948, before going into production in the following year. The Italian Air Force received 141 aircraft. 70 of these aircraft were passed on to Italian Flying Clubs by the end of the 1950's and remained in use till the 1970's. Today only five G.46s remain airworthy, apart from two in Italy (MM53491/I-AEKT and MM53304/I-AEKA at Montegaldella November 2004), there is G-BBII (ex MM52801/I-AEHU) from the Aircraft Restoration Co, Duxford (since 1992), US based N46FM (MM53091/I-AEHX) and OO-VOR (ex MM53293/I-AEKI) of the Vormezeele Collection in Belgium.

December 1994

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Lockheed F-104G Starfighter (MM6501 coded 3-11), I saw this aircraft on display at the Museum from 1986 to 2000, it has now gone to Pratica di Mare, where it was reported in June 2004.
Milita MB3 Leonardo (I-MIBO). I saw this little aircraft on display at the Museum from 1991 to 1994 it has now gone, (where to?), the Fiat G-212CA is behind it.
Right: Fiat G-59-4B (MM53276), current.  

April 1993

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(Left) Grumman HU-16A Albatross (MM50-179 coded 15-5) was moved back from the military side of the base to along side the crane, where is was photographed in April 2000 (Centre).
At this time the new Hangar 4 Skema' Hall was being filled with exhibits from Hangar 3, including DH Vampire NF.54 (MM6152), which has since been moved to the 'top shelf' in this hall (Right).

Before 1993 and as far back as 1979 when I first visited the museum, I was shooting in black and white.