The exhibition traces the history of the Air Force, highlighting, through a graphic narrative, the events that have characterized the Blue Army from its origins to the present day, projecting the visitor towards the future.
On Friday, December 15, in the church of San Francesco della Scarpa (former Palmieri Convent) in Lecce, Brigadier General Romeo Paternò, Deputy Commander of the A.M. Schools/3rd Air Region of Bari, Prefect of Lecce Dr. Luca Rotondi, Mayor of Lecce Dr. Carlo Salvemini and Colonel Vito Conserva, Commander of the 61st Wing, inaugurated the Traveling exhibition dedicated to the Centenary of the Air Force.
This one in Lecce is the last stop of an iconographic journey Itinerant, inaugurated on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Arma Azzurra, which aims to illustrate the evolution of the Armed Forces in its first century of life, from its foundation to the present day.
Started in Rome last March, it has visited several cities along the entire Italian peninsula over the course of the year – including Florence, Bari, Cagliari, Palermo, Caserta, Parma, Treviso, Milan, Ferrara, Viterbo – always achieving significant success in terms of audience and participation.
It General Paternò he expressed satisfaction and pride for this exhibition, stressing that it “It represents the first 100 years of a modern Armed Forces that is at the same time close to the territory and the citizens. With this exhibition, we tell a story of men and women who, in these first 100 years, have never changed their passion, always honoring the Flag, the Air Force and the Nation.”.
The exhibition layout traces, through thematic panels and graphic tables, this first century of the history of the Air Force, highlighting the most significant historical events of this long period through a graphic narrative that, following the chronological order, facilitates the visitor’s reading of the enormous evolution and technological progress in this field of science, with the consequent and progressive growth of the operational capabilities of the Air Force. Thus, starting from the origins and visions of the first theorists of air power, the visitor is projected into the future.
Some panels provide additional details on individual topics, while the graphic displays, combined with the models of the aircraft, allow for a visual and tactile appreciation of the remarkable technological progress that has taken place from the early helicopter-powered aircraft supplied to the Air Force to the current fifth-generation aircraft, up to the contemporary and growing interest in Aerospace.
The exhibition is complemented by an exhibition of uniforms and equipment that highlights how the shapes, fabrics, colors, and finishes have changed over time to enable personnel of every role and rank to perform their duties to the best of their ability.
The exhibition will be open to the public, free of charge, from December 16 to 28, from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00. On the days of December 25 and 26, the opening will be only in the morning, from 9:00 to 13:00..
Addicted to Air Force Schools Command / 3rd Air Region in Bari, the 61st Wing, The 61st Flight Squadron is the reference unit of the Italian Air Force in the province of Lecce, and is a “flight school” with the task of providing flight training on Phase 2 (Primary Pilot Training) aircraft for all military pilots, aimed at identifying the lines on which they will fly (fighters, remote piloting, helicopters, support); Phase 3 (Specialized Pilot Training), exclusively for selected pilots for the “Fighter” lines, which concludes with the acquisition of the military pilot certificate (aquila turrita); and Phase 4 (Lead In to Fighter Training – LIFT), a precursor to subsequent employment on the latest generation fighter aircraft. The training activity of the 61st Flight Squadron is aimed at Italian Air Force pilots, pilots of the other Armed Forces and allied/partner countries, in all phases of flight, in accordance with the requests of each country.
