The Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare (Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force) is located in Vigna di Valle, near Lake Bracciano, about 30 km north of Rome. It is the main museum dedicated to the history of Italy’s air force, showcasing its evolution, technology, and significant contributions to aviation.

.

Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare – Italian Air Force Museum

Aeroporto “Luigi Bourlot”

Strada Circumlacuale

00062 Vigna di Valle, Bracciano RM

Italy

Museo Storico

stataereo.com.4uf@aeronautica.difesa.it

+39 06.99887510 – 06.99887452

Monday – Friday 10:00 – 16:30
Saturday – Sunday 10:00 – 18:00

Free admission

Gift shop

By CAR from Rome, take Via Cassia as far as La Storta and then turn left onto the Braccianese-Claudia. Carry on for 18 kilometers until the turning on the right for Vigna di Valle. It is possible also to leave the Braccianese-Claudia at Osteria Nuova and then continue in the direction of Anguillara Sabazia from which Vigna di Valle is reached by taking the lakefront road.

Aircraft collection

MM569 MM561 MM7125/RS-11 MM53058/SG-8 MM554/RS-10 MM54389 MM54485/0 MM53762/AA-48 MM80113/12 MM80187/SE-38 MM80357/RM-112 MM1208/94-6 – BL246 MM40118/41-03 MM487 MM488 MM19792/13-1 MM45425/84-4 23174 ../Falco MM65156/COM-11 MM100028 MM6152 MM61776/14-45 MM130 bis 3-6 MM5643/162-6 MM53286/Z-I-7 MM556/39 5 MM53276/61 MM53882/RS-22 MM3886/ST-19 MM6344/SA-47 MM6280/2-33 MM6405/2-05 MM6250/9 MM6959/8-66 MM61804/142-5 MM12822/20 MM7251 MM50179/15-5 MM136556/41-6 19309/76 C1-328/3-6/24 MM11341/110-12 MM27050/ORB-23 805/17 – MM6501/3-11 MM6720/9-51 MM53-5594/9-35 L-127 MM76 – MM5311/369-1 MM9667/91-3 MM9546/97-2 19309/76 MM52757/3 54868/51-62 MM4323/RR-11 MM54114/RM-18 MM7210/36-12 MM7001/RS-01 MM61933/53-34 MM61961 – MM8669/5-239 MM53-6892/36-38 MM51-16746/51-29 MM52-7458/3-05 MM558 MM24327/278-2 MM61187/89-ZR MM54436/70-63 MM80973 S1383 S1420 MM52848/S-12 MM53058/SG-8 MK805/MM4084 –

Aerfer Ariete Aerfer  Sagittario 2 Aeritalia AMX Aermacchi MB 308 Aermacchi MB 323 Aermacchi MB 326E Aermacchi MB 339PAN Aermacchi M 416 Agusta-Bell AB47G2 Agusta-Bell AB47J Agusta AB-204B Ansaldo AC 2 Barchina Idroplano Bleriot XI-II Brequet 1150 Atlantic Caproni Campini N-1 Caproni Campini CC.1 Canadair CL-13 Sabre 3 CantZ 506 S Airone Caproni Ca.3 Caproni Ca-36 Caproni Ca-100 Idro CVV 6 Canguro de Havilland DH.113 Vampire NF.54 Douglas C-47A Skytrain Fiat C.29 Fiat CR.32 Fiat CR.42 Fiat.G.46-4A Fiat G.49/2 Fiat G.55 Centauro Fiat G.59 4B Fiat G.80-3B Fiat G.82 Fiat G.91T1 Fiat G.91R1 Fiat G.91R1/B Fiat G.91 PAN Fiat G.91Y Fiat G.212AV Fieseler Fi-156C-3/Trop Storch General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon Grumman HU-16A Albatross Grumman S2F-I Tracker Hanriot HD-1 Hispano HA-132-L Chirri IMAM Ro37bis Lince IMAM Ro43 Maggiolino Junkers J4 (fuselage) Libratore Bonomi BS.17 Allievo Cantù Lockeed (Fiat) F-104G Starfighter Lockheed F-104S-ASA-M Starfighter (cockpit) Lockeed RT-33A Lohner L.1 Macchi M39 Macchi MC 72 Macchi MC-200 Saetta Macchi MC-202 Folgore Macchi MC.205 Veltro Macchi Hanriot HD.1 Nardi-Piaggio FN 305 North American F-86D Sabre North American P-51D Mustang North American T-6G Texan Panavia Tornado F3 Panavia Tornado IDS Piaggio P166ML-1 Piaggio PD-808GE Regiane Re.2000 Falco (wreck) Regianne Re. 2002 Republic F-84F Thunderstreak Republic F-84G Thunderjet Republic RF-84F Thunderflash SAI Ambrosini S-7 Super Savoia-Marchetti SM-79 Sparviero Savoia-Marchetti SM-82PW Canguro SIAI-Marchetti SF260AM Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King SPAD S-VII SPAD S-VII Stinson L5 Sentinel Stinson L5/Macchi MB 308 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX Wright Flyer (replica)

Key Features of the Museum:

1. Aircraft Collection: The Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare is home to a vast collection of aircraft, ranging from early 20th-century planes to modern military jets. This includes iconic planes used by the Italian Air Force, such as the Fiat G.91, the Macchi C.202 Folgore, and the SIAI-Marchetti SF.260.
2. Historical Exhibits: The museum covers the history of aviation from its origins, through both World Wars, to the Cold War and beyond. It highlights significant Italian contributions to aviation technology and warfare.
3. Memorials and Relics: There are displays dedicated to notable figures and events in Italian air history, such as the contributions of Italian pilots and the nation’s involvement in various conflicts.
4. Educational Programs: The Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare also engages visitors with educational activities, helping to preserve and promote Italy’s aeronautical heritage. It attracts not only aviation enthusiasts but also schools and families.
5. Aircraft Restoration: Some of the planes on display are undergoing restoration, and visitors can witness the careful process of preserving these historical aircraft.

Museo Storico Aeronautica Militare – Italian Air Force Museum tells the story of the Italian Air Force in four hangars:

Hangar Troster is home to the sector from the dawn of aeronautics until the end of the First World War. The hangar itself is the oldest in Italy and was obtained on account of war damage repair from Austria at the end of the First World War. Inside there are exhibits dating back to the early days of flight such as the Garnerin balloon of 1804 or the replica of Forlanini’s experimental helicopter as well as the Crocco and Ricaldoni hydroplane boat which served to develop the knowledge necessary for the construction of the first Italian military airship, alongside the first aircraft used by the Italian Armed Forces. The replica of a Wright No. 4 shows the aircraft with which the first Italian military pilot Mario Calderara was patented, while the sector that recalls the First World War is equipped with a Blériot XI for reconnaissance, two SPAD S.VII and a Hanriot HD.1. used by three fighter planes, a Caproni bomber Ca.36 and one of the Ansaldo S.V.A.5 used for the raid on Vienna, while an Austrian-Hungarian Lohner L of war prey and the fuselage of a German Junkers J.I represent the planes in force against the adversaries. For the years just after the war an Ansaldo AC.2 is on display.

Hangar Velo mainly hosts the aircrafts operating between the two world wars. Some of the hydro-raids that took part in the Schneider Cup, such as the Fiat C.29, the Macchi M.39 and M.67 and the Macchi-Castoldi M.C.72, some objects linked to the polar expeditions of Umberto Nobile’s Norge and Italia airships, including a life-size replica of the second one, and the finds that recall the Atlantic crossings organised by Balbo, are on display. Together with the trainer Caproni Ca.100 and the glider Bonomi B.S.17 two of the most significant hunting biplanes produced by FIAT are on display: the C.R.32 used by the Legionnaire’s Air Force during the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent C.R.42 widely used during the Second World War, while to symbolise the theatre of war in East Africa there is an IMAM Ro.37 reconnaissance aircraft painted with the livery of Amedeo d’Aosta’s personal plane. This section also displays an IMAM Ro.43 seaplane, a Savoia-Marchetti S.56 and the Campini-Caproni CC.2, the first Italian jet plane.

Hangar Badoni houses the aircraft operating in the Second World War and those of the first post-war period. The building was built in 1930 and displays some of the main Italian fighter aircraft of the Second World War such as the Macchi M.C.200, M.C.202 and M.C.205, the Fiat G.55 as well as the aircraft used by the Allied Air Force and then by the Air Force such as the Supermarine Spitfire and the North American P-51 Mustang. In the area of multi-engines for bombardment, torpedoing or transport, there are the Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 and S.M.82 as well as the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, the Fiat G.212 and the CANT Z.506 seaplane, to represent the reconnaissance and connecting aircraft of the period, the single-engine Fieseler Fi 156, while for the fighter-bombers there is a Reggiane Re.2002. Finally, as regards training aircraft, a Nardi FN.305, a Fiat G.46 and an IMAM Ro.41 are on display.

Hangar Skema houses the most recent aircraft like the the North American F-86 Sabre and Canadair Sabre fighters, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and the more recent Panavia Tornado F3 ADV. There are the experimental aircraft Aerfer Ariete and Sagittarius II.  In the field of reconnaissance aircraft, a Republic RF-84F Thunderflash is on display, while the training aircraft include the MB 323, MB 326, MB 308 and Macchi M.416 the Fiat G.91 PAN aerobatic aircraft used by the Frecce Tricolori and the record-breaking CVV 6 “Canguro Palas” glider. In this sector there are also some objects that bear witness to Italy’s commitment to astronautics, such as a cross-section of the SIRIO satellite, as well as some examples of missiles used by the Air Force.

Photos Rob Vogelaar

100 years Italian Air Force, Pratica di Mare “Historical Camp”

100 Years Italian Air Force June 2023