The exhibition on the Centenary of the Italian Air Force was inaugurated on July 12 at the Modern Art Gallery in Palermo. History, capabilities and traditions of the Italian Air Force in its first 100 years.
The Palermo exhibition is part of an iconographic journey that began at the complex of the Vittoriano in Rome and it arrived in Palermo after stops in Florence, Bari and Cagliari, before continuing on to other Italian cities. The exhibition, which was inaugurated on July 12 at the Palermo Modern Art Gallery, The event aims to illustrate the evolutionary process that the Armed Forces have undergone in their first century of existence, from their foundation to the present day, bringing them ever closer to the territory and the citizens; the event was organized by the Aeronautica Militare in collaboration with the Municipality of Palermo and the Museum of the History of Motors and Mechanisms of the University of Palermo, with the support provided by 37th Missile Wing (TP).
“Hosting the touring exhibition of the Italian Air Force in a place symbolic of the culture of Palermo, such as the Modern Art Gallery, is a matter of great pride for us. The Arma Azzurra, in its one hundred years of history, has been a protagonist in the most delicate engagements to which it has been called upon by the Institutions. Today, it is also at the forefront of technological research, which increases its capacity to operate in every dimension. For this reason, the combination of memory and future, history and culture, finds an extraordinary synthesis in the exhibition set up at the Museum of Sant’Anna.”These are the statements of the Mayor of Palermo Roberto Lagalla, in line with what was also expressed by the Councilor for Culture Giampiero Cannella on the eve of the inauguration.
The exhibition layout traces, through thematic panels and graphic tables, the first 100 years of the Italian Air Force, visually representing the most significant events and facts, starting from its origins, the heroic exploits of the pioneers of aviation, and the visions of the first theorists of air power, all the way to the present day and the new challenges: a linear exhibition structure that recounts the fundamental milestones of technological and scientific progress in the field of aeronautics and space, the development of the aircraft, and the increase in the operational capabilities of a modern Armed Force, projected towards the future and increasingly close to the community, with its daily services and activities.
On behalf of the Air Force, the following were present at the opening ceremony of the ribbon-cutting: Air Division General Andrea Argieri, Chief of Staff of Air Squad Command, who wanted to emphasize how “The traveling exhibition, in retracing the one hundred years of the Arma Azzurra and of our country, testifies to the capabilities that our men and women have always offered in the service of the community, in addition to the values that the Italian Air Force has preserved since its inception: passion, technological drive and innovation, teamwork and a spirit of sacrifice.”.
It Colonel Daniele Donati, Commander of the 37th Squadron, he added: “The success of the Palermo event is the result of the perfect synergy between the Air Force, the City of Palermo and the Museum of Engines and Mechanisms of UnipA, once again proving the integration between the Blue Army, represented here by the 37th Squadron, and the Sicilian society and population, which always responds with affection.”.
The exhibition is also enriched by a display of uniforms and equipment that highlights how the shapes, fabrics, colors, and finishes have changed over time to enable personnel of all roles and ranks to perform their operational duties better, from those of a technical-logistic nature to those of representation. The exhibition created in Palermo is further enhanced by aeronautical engines and propellers from the Museum of Motors of the University of Palermo and by some large models of aircraft from the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force.
The exhibition “One hundred years of the Air Force. The history, capabilities, and traditions of the Air Force in its first 100 years”It is on display at the Palermo Modern Art Gallery and can be visited free of charge from July 13 to 30, 2023, from 09:30 to 18:30, with last admission allowed at 17:30.
