SCUOLA IDROVOLANTI TARANTO (Taranto Seaplane School) HISTORY

Scuola idrovolanti Taranto - 1915-1918 (Taranto Seaplane School) L2 Seaplanes Photo taken by Giuseppe Marini Collection of Domenico Marini, 1-21-06

 

Giuseppe Marini and his L2 Seaplane -1918 (Taranto Seaplane Air Base) Collection of Domenico Marini, 3-7-06

 

TARANTO SEAPLANE SCHOOL - HISTORY Via email from Domenico Marini, 1-21-06      The seaplane air base of Taranto was built for the Italian Navy early in 1915 when my uncle Giuseppe Marini was assigned there. In the beginning, there were only very simple installations like the awning hangars that can be seen in the pictures from my Marini family album.      In addition I have included the picture of an old scrapped ship that was used as sleeping facility for the pilots and Headquarters activity at that beginning time.

Headquarters Ship - 1915 Photo taken by Giuseppe Marini Collection of Domenico Marini, 2-6-06

 

Also I send to you a picture taken by my uncle of the small white target being loaded on a self running boat.

GUNNERY TARGET Photo taken by Giuseppe Marini Collection of Domenico Marini, 2-6-06

 

During the target practice in WW I, the L2 pilot was trained to hit that self running white target using the onboard machine gun.      Beginning in 1915, the air base was enlarged and improved and in 1925 it was dedicated to the memory of pilot hero Luigi Bologna.      It was from the Taranto air base that on June 5, 1929, the East Mediterranean Flight to Athens-Istanbul-Odessa and back, made by 35 S-55 seaplanes who took off under the command of Italo Balbo and Francesco De Pinedo.      During that flight, Giuseppe Marini served as second pilot of seaplane I-SAAQ for a total distance of 4667 km      In 1938, and during WW II in 1940, the Taranto navy air base was operating with the 142° and 143° squadron of Cant Z 501 and Cant Z 506 seaplanes under the command of Giuseppe Marini. He was designated Commander in Chief of Aviation for the Ionic and Adriatic Seas. His headquarters was located in a building on the Luigi Bologna airport.      During WW II, from 1940 to 1943, the air base was operating with the 139th, 171th and 288th Seaplane Squadrons and during those years of war, many tactical and reconnaissance missions where made in the Ionic and Mediterranean Seas and many lives were lost.      From the Taranto air base after the armistice, September 8, 1943, the 139th, 149th and 183rd squadrons fought together with the U.S.A Allied Forces in 1,214 war missions with more than 1,250 airplanes participating, including Cant Z 506 and Cant Z 501      After WW II, the Taranto navy airport was used only for training purposes of recruits and specialists for the italian Military Air Force actually in operation. Best regards Domenico Marini

 

Scuola idrovolanti Taranto - 1915-1918 (Taranto Seaplane School) L2 Seaplanes Collection of Domenico Marini, 1-21-06

 

Scuola idrovolanti Taranto - 1915-1918 (Taranto Seaplane School) L2 Seaplanes Collection of Domenico Marini, 1-21-06

 

Takeoff of the L2 piloted by Giuseppe Marini - 1915-1918 Collection of Domenico Marini, 1-21-06

 

SCUOLA IDROVOLANTI TARANTO (Taranto Seaplane School) The Twenties

Scuola idrovolanti Taranto - 1920's (Taranto Seaplane School) from L'Aeroporto Italiano Courtesy of Giovanni Giorgetti, 1-28-06

 

Scuola idrovolanti Taranto - 1920's (Taranto Seaplane School) from L'Aeroporto Italiano Courtesy of Giovanni Giorgetti, 1-28-06

 

Scuola idrovolanti Taranto - 1926 (Taranto Seaplane School) from L'Aeroporto Italiano Courtesy of Giovanni Giorgetti, 1-28-06

 
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RECOMMENDED READING

L'AEROPORTO ITALIANO Dalle origini al Secondo Conflitto mondiale   Aeronautica Militare - Ufficio storico Mariano Ranisi   Product Details Cloth: Publisher: Ufficio Storico; Roma 1998

 

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