BIOGRAPHICAL BRIEF from Don Fiore, 8-30-03

For a time the man who seemed most likely to emerge as Italy's top aviator of the post-World War I era, Antonio Locatelli had built his reputation on a series of daring, wartime reconnaissance flights over Austria and Germany.      As one of the team of veteran pilots sent abroad on goodwill and demonstration tours by the Italian government during the early 1920s, Locatelli achieved international recognition when he conducted the first round trip flight over the Andes (Buenos Aires-Santiago-Buenos Aires).      In 1924, Locatelli conducted the first Italian attempt to fly across the Atlantic, but this mission was aborted when his Dornier flying boat ran out of fuel off the coast of Greenland.      Locatelli returned to military service at the outbreak of the Ethiopian War of 1935-36, and was killed in action in the final weeks of that conflict.      Locatelli was born on April 19, 1895 at Bergamo, Italy. He was killed in action at Lekempti, Ethiopia on June 27, 1936.

 

RECOMMENDED READING

EROI E PIONIERI DELL'ALA Dizionario Biografico dell'Aeronautica Italiana "Biographical dictionary of the Italian Air Force"   by Enea Grossi   Product Details Cloth: 122 pages; Publisher; Milano Arti Grafiche Fratelli Magnani - 1934

LOCATELLI ANTONIO Selection courtesy of Giovanni Giorgetti, 12-23-05 Nato a Bergamo (19 aprile 1895}. Conseguì il brevetto (N. 548} di pilota il 18 giugno 1915 quello militare {N. 91 il 2 ottobre successivo e partecipò alla guerra contro l'Austria distinguendosi in numerose azioni belliche; eseguì il volo sui cantieri di Friedrichshafen; partecipò il 9 agosto 1918 all'epico volo su Vienna. Dopo la guerra fu in missione in Argentina; dove compì un audace volo attraverso le Ande. Tornato in Patria fu a Fiume nel 1920 indi prese parte alla vita politica e fu eletto deputato al Parlamento. Nel 1924 col Tenente Crosio a bordo di un idrovolante Dornier-Wal tentò per primo al mondo la rotta atlantica del Nord. Dopo avere toccata la Scozia e l'Irlanda dovette ammarare al largo del Capo Farewell (Groenlandia} e venne salvato quattro giorni dopo dall'incrociatore americano Richmond. Oltre a vari articoli su riviste e quotidiani ha pubblicato: La traversata delle Ande, Il Volo su Vienn, Milano, Editori Treves, Le Ali del Prigioniero, Milano, Editori Treves, 1924. Decorato di medaglia d'oro, di tre d'argento al valore militare; di Croce di guerra, di Croce di guerra francese, belga, di Croce al merito cilena; insignito della Croce di Cavaliere dell'Ordine Militare di Savoia. Promosso Tenente. Ora Podestà di Bergamo. Dal Libro "EROI E PIONIERI DELL'ALA" Dizionario Biografico dell'Aeronautica Italiana; di Enea Grossi; Milano Arti Grafiche Fratelli Magnani - 1934

 

ENGLISH VERSION LOCATELLI ANTONIO Translation in Progress Antonio Locatelli was born in Bergamo, Italy on April 19, 1895. He earned his pilot's license, Number 548, on June 18, 1915. 91 2 successive October and participated to the war against Austria distinguished himself in numerous war actions; he executed the flight on the yards of Friedrichshafen; August 1918 participated 9 to the epico flight on Vienna. After the war he was in mission in Argentine; where compìleted an audacious flight over the Andes. Returned in Native land he was to River in the 1920 taken Indians part to the polheical life and was elect deputy to the Parliament. In 1924, with Lieutenant Crosio in a Dornier-Wal seaplane, he tried to be the first in the world to cross the Atlantic by way of the North route. After having touched Scotland and Ireland, he proceeded to cross the width of Cape Farewell, Greenland, but had to land in the sea where he was saved four days later by the American cruiser Richmond. In addtion to several articles in the daily paper, he has published: La traversata delle Ande, (The Crossing ot the Andes), Il Volo su Vienn, (The Flight to Vienna), , Milano, Editori Treves, Le Ali del Prigioniero, (The Wings of the Prisoner), Milano, Editori Treves, 1924. His decorations include the medal of gold, three of silver to the milheary valor; of Cross of war, Cross of French, Belgian war, of Cross to the Chilean merhe; insignheo of the Cross of Knight of the Militlary Order of Savoia. Promoted Lieutenant. Hour Podestà of Bergamo.

 

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