From 6 May, it will be possible to visit the areas of what was the Higher Studies and Experiences Directorate, one of the first and most advanced research and development centres for flight experimentation and a testament to the role of Guidonia airport from the dawn of the Royal Air Force.
Among the initiatives linked to the Centenary celebrations of the Italian Air Force, the Armed Force has decided to make the historical heritage present on the Guidonia airport site accessible to the public, telling the story of one of the symbolic places of the dawn of the Royal Air Force, the Senior Management Studies and Experiences.
The DSSE, operational from 1st February 1928 under the command of Air Force Engineering General Alessandro Guidoni, was a world-leading center for the experimentation of new aircraft, armaments, equipment, and generally anything related to flight. It represented an enormous wealth of scientific knowledge and human resources, which was unfortunately not spared by the wartime events that occurred after 1943.
The inauguration of the historical-museum route was held today, Thursday 27 April, in the presence of Commander of Schools and the 3rd Air Region, Air Division General Silvano Frigerio, with the participation of Chief Inspector General Basilio Di Martino, President of the “Air Force Centennial Committee”, and numerous civil, religious, and military authorities from the area. The special guest was Prof. Amalia Ercoli Finzi, ..., the first woman to graduate in aeronautical engineering in Italy from the Polytechnic University of Milan, one of the most important figures in the world in the field of aerospace science and technology, scientific consultant to NASA, ASI and ESA.
To open the inauguration ceremony, the Commander of the 60th Wing of Guidonia, Col. Michele Cesario which was highlighted during his speech how today's event is: “rich in meaning for the nation and for the Air Force, which between the 1920s and 1940s had the Superior Directorate of Studies and Experiments as the true pride of the sector in aeronautical research and experimentation, and for the community of Guidonia, which personally experienced the birth, glories, and decline of the DSSE. After many years in which the DSSE was left to itself, with the foresight of our leaders and the passion of our personnel, today finally what was a boast for everyone becomes accessible as a multimedia exhibition trail.”
It Colonel Cesario he then continued by saying: “For the first 50 years of the last century, the research and experimentation process involved, to simplify, study phases followed by empirical experimentation. It was precisely for this second phase that the various wind tunnels and hydrodynamic tanks were created, allowing for the testing and comparison of what was theorised on paper with balsa wood models, yielding exceptional results. It is sufficient to consider that here, using the stratospheric ultrasonic wind tunnel, the foundations for supersonic flight were laid.” He then concluded by highlighting thatToday, everything takes place in a digital environment, in some respects defined as the metaverse, and therefore, borrowing current research and development techniques, it has been decided not to restore in the strict sense but to create a so-called digital twin, that is, a digital replica of the DSSE. In this way, we can have the experience without altering what in fact represents a heritage of industrial archaeology, not coincidentally the site itself becoming an object of attention from purely aeronautical, architectural, and building engineering standpoints.”
The inaugural lecture was then followed by Prof. Amalia Ercoli Finzi which highlighted “[…] How the DSSE represents the roots of our history. Italy is a great country: we were the first in aeronautics when we were world leaders in a dramatic but fascinating situation, because aeronautics has meant not only the creation of aircraft then and now. With aeronautical research, we have ventured into many other disciplines. This centre is a testament to how many things were done then, the results that were achieved, and how Italy had an absolutely prestigious world standing. Prof. Ercoli Finzi then continuedThe fundamental concept was that a research centre was to be established here: immediately after the pioneers, it was understood that without in-depth study, particularly of programmes concerning physio-dynamics, aerodynamics and so on, it would not have been possible to achieve what later exploded onto the scene, namely the passenger aeroplane, which subsequently led to humanity's conquest of the skies. He then concluded his speech by stating that “In the solar system, we are but a speck, and yet we wonder: how do we come up with these grand ideas, think of exploring our solar system and perhaps going beyond it? Because we have a brain and a heart, intelligence and feeling, and we can go wherever we want.”.
In closing, the Commander of Schools and the 3rd Air Region, Air Division General Silvano Frigerio, she commented: “It is with emotion that we are here to see the DSSE, which had faded into obscurity, brought back to light. Seeing it return to life – if we can put it that way – is a remarkable achievement that the Armed Force has pursued with motivation. He then continuedI think it's an incredible achievement because it gives us back what I believe is the DNA of this base, of our Armed Force and, if I may say so, also of the city of Guidonia: today, rediscovering the DNA of the DSSE is a gift that we make to ourselves as an Armed Force, but we believe it is also for all the people of Guidonia who have seen the Air Force present in this territory for over 100 years. General Frigerio then concludedThe creation of this archeological-museum pathway is a way to create even more synergy between the Air Force and the City of Guidonia Montecelio, it is a way to know and understand our past, because only by knowing our past can we understand the present and, above all, always look towards the future.”
Among the artefacts still visible along the route are the three buildings of the Aerodynamics Section, which housed the wind tunnels, the return tunnel and the supersonic tunnel, the most advanced of its time for power and size, also known as the “ultrasonic stratospheric tunnel”. Another noteworthy element is the Hydrodynamics Section, whose tank was among the largest and most innovative of that period. The impact of what remains of these imposing structures, destroyed by the bombing of 13 January 1944 and finally freed, as much as possible, from the dense vegetation that covered them, is truly evocative and recalls the fascination of an archaeological site. The entire site of the DSSE has been virtually recreated and can be experienced through an immersive experience that highlights its activities and experimental methodologies, to allow the visitor to relive the excitement of the beginning of the history of flight through scientific and technological research that enabled rapid progress in aviation.
The precious and valuable work carried out by the Regia Aeronautica staff at the Directorate General for Studies and Experiments placed Italy among the most scientifically advanced countries on the international stage, so much so that, after the war, several Guidonian engineers and scientists were hired by NACA (later NASA) in the United States.
The public interested in visiting the DSSE site can do so free of charge on weekends starting from 06/05/2023 by booking online on the site:
https://centenarioam.aeronautica.difesa.it/evento/apertura-direzione-superiore-studi-ed-esperienze/
Bookings for guided tours, which can be made up to 30 days in advance, will be available to visitors from May via a “BOOK NOW” button at the bottom of the page. After booking, a QR code will be generated which you should bring with you to allow access to the 60° Wing in Guidonia, along with a valid identification document.
As part of the organisational activities concerning the Centenary celebrations, public thanks are extended to GE AVIO S.r.l. (Avio Aero) for their contribution as a sponsor to the realisation of the event.
