Present, in the presence of the Pilot's family, the recovery and restoration activities of the aircraft lost in the Second World War.

Today, at the Auditorium of Palazzo Aeronautica, the event dedicated to the discovery and restoration of a Macchi C.205 “Veltro” was held, as part of the activities for the recovery and enhancement of the historical heritage of the Italian Air Force.

The aircraft, military serial number 9310, operating with the 1st Fighter Wing, went missing in 1943 during the defence of Pantelleria by the Regia Aeronautica, before being identified in 2007 and recovered in 2023. The study of the recovered artefacts led to the identification of the pilot, the then Second Lieutenant Alvise Andrich, an Ace of the Second World War, multi-decorated for Military Valour, shot down on 8th June 1943 and who saved himself by bailing out with his parachute.

The event, organised by the Air Force and moderated by journalist Vincenzo Grienti, hosted, among others, speeches by Gen. Isp. Chief Basilio Di Martino, aviation historian and former President of the Air Force Centenary Committee; Col. Franco Linzalone, Commander of the Pantelleria Airport Detachment; and Capt. Andrich's son, Renato Andrich. The event was also attended by the bodies that, in various capacities, took part in the recovery of the aircraft: OTS Green Divers diver Antonello D'Aietti, who in 2007 spotted the wreck off Pantelleria; Lieutenant Commander Sebastiano Sgroi, of the 3rd Underwater Operators Unit of the Messina Coast Guard; and Dr. Roberto La Rocca, of the Sicilian Region Sea Superintendency. Also significant was the contribution of the Museum of Engines and Mechanisms of the University of Palermo for the identification of artefacts recovered from the sea, in particular the remains of the engine.

Welcoming those present, Gen. BA Urbano Floreani, Head of the 5th Department SMA – Communication, highlighted: “…the greatest monuments to heroes fallen in battle are not made of marble but are at the bottom of the sea, buried among arid desert dunes and among clouds in distant skies. This story is dedicated to a hero, an ace, who continued to fly after the accident that involved him. However, the recovery is dedicated to all those who did not return home. This is why the 5th Department, the Italian Air Force, embarked on this undertaking. To promote historical valorisation and tell this beautiful story…”

Colonel Linzalone, Commander of the Pantelleria Detachment, wanted to retrace the steps of this fascinating story. From the recovery of the wreck to the research, using historical sources, to determine what type of aircraft the recovered pieces belonged to. ”...when I first saw the wreck, the pieces transmitted a strong emotion to me. They give us a testament to an aircraft that represented an important part of our Armed Force. The instant it was shot down, the aircraft is no longer a piece of metal but a true emotion, an important testimony because it represents an effective synergy between multiple institutions...”

Following him, Alvise Andrich's son, Renato, took the floor, who, with deep emotion, wished to commemorate his father's life. ”... I knew about the crash through my mother's stories, who would recall how he was saved from a stormy sea by a German patrol boat. He taught us the courage of our actions, a sense of responsibility, patriotism, and a sense of duty that has accompanied me and my sister and all our children throughout our lives... I can't wait to go to Pantelleria to visit the museum site where Dad's plane will be preserved...”.

The restoration project involves the construction of a wooden and steel structure that reproduces the shape of the aircraft. Inside, original salvaged parts will be visible, while the rear part of the aircraft will be clad in aluminium by artist Marco Mazzei. Upon completion of the works, the aircraft will be exhibited at the Nervi hangar at Pantelleria Airport, from where the aircraft operated during the war.

The Italian Air Force has always been strongly committed to promoting the operational, industrial, and technological history of flight in Italy, including through the development of a distributed museum network, with the MUSAM – Museum of the Italian Air Force History, in Vigna di Valle, serving as the primary hub for the aeronautical historical heritage.

Background

The Macchi C.205 Veltro, the best Italian fighter aircraft of the Second World War, is an evolution of the Macchi C.202 Folgore and entered service in Pantelleria in April 1943. It was the first Italian fighter capable of matching its contemporaries, despite being vastly outnumbered.
The wreck of MM9310 (engine, wing spars with undercarriage and machine guns) was discovered off Pantelleria in 2007, lying on the seabed at a depth of approximately 30m, 700m from the coast, and was recovered between April and October 2023 thanks to the collaboration between the Air Force, Port Authority – Coast Guard, Superintendency of the Sea, and OTS Green Divers.
The search for documentary and archival sources, including the archive of the Historical Office of the Air Force, Aermacchi, and the Central State Archive, led to the analysis of the Personal Record Book of Air Force Ace, Captain Alvise Andrich, identified as the pilot of the aircraft and then a Second Lieutenant.

Technical data of the aircraft:
Engine: Fiat RA. 1050 RC. 58, 1.475 HP model
Speed: 646 km/h
Dimension: 11,000 m
Armament: 2 x 12.7mm machine guns; 2 x 7.7mm machine guns
Range: 1000 km
Length: 8.45 m

Alvise Andrich was born in Vallada Agordina, in the province of Belluno, in 1915. His brother Giovanni was a great mountaineer and a friend of Leopold, the King of Belgium, with whom he climbed. Alvise also began climbing at a very young age. He quickly demonstrated exceptional skill and became a leading figure in the age of the sixth grade of difficulty, particularly in the Civetta group. Despite his short period of activity, between 1934 and 1936, many climbing routes in the Alps still bear Alvise Andrich's name today.
He enlisted in the Regia Aeronautica in 1936, for which he fought in various theatres of operations as a pilot. In June 1943, he took part in the defence of Pantelleria and was shot down. Having survived by parachute jump, in 1944 he joined the Cobelligerent Air Force and returned to fly the P-39 Aircobra, joining the 4th Fighter Wing. He was a flying companion of what later became General Bertolaso: both from Veneto, Alvise is three years older and they are called “el vecio and il bocia”. For acts of bravery during the war, he received two silver and two bronze medals for Military Valour and three Military Crosses for Valour. After the Second World War, he continued his career as an officer in the Air Force, which he ended with the rank of Captain. He died on 17 October 1951, at the controls of a Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor during a transfer mission over the Apennines due to an ice formation on the wings. Remaining in the pilot's seat during the plane's crash, he allowed the other crew members to parachute in, managing to dodge a village and avoid a massacre. For his act of heroism he was awarded the Silver Medal of Remembrance.