Organised by the Italian Air Force in Turin, the exhibition registered over 10,000 visitors during the period it was open from 6th to 28th March 2010. It was no coincidence that the day coincided with the 87th Anniversary of the founding of the Italian Air Force, and in this context, as a fitting conclusion to the exhibition period, the Fanfare of the 1st Air Region performed a concert in the presence of Air Squad General Nello Barale, Commander of the 1st Air Region of Milan, and Civil and Military Authorities of the Piedmont capital.
The turnout was remarkable, with the public able to appreciate the musical ensemble's performance in the evocative setting of the vaulted apse of Torino Esposizioni, built in the first half of the last century, a work by Engineer Nervi, who had also designed the first hangars.
At the conclusion, General Barale, thanking the city authorities, the exhibitors and the men of the Air Force Association for their valuable collaboration and the fundamental transfer of experience to new generations, recalled, in a brief historical overview, the various stages of flight from its beginnings to the present day, emphasising the importance of Turin as the ‘cradle’ of aviation in Italy and, again, the contribution of the various aeronautical industries operating in the Piedmont region. The entire exhibition achieved more than appreciable success: over 10,000 visitors, including enthusiasts of all ages, families with jubilant children and groups of students from the nearby University, were able to admire the exhibition which, with a collection of aircraft, simulators, ancient prototypes, historic engines, photographs and documents, displayed along a chronological path and of contextual technological development, allowed for a virtual appreciation of flight from its dawn to the aircraft that are protagonists of today's military aviation, also used in international peace missions worldwide, and looking towards the future.
The feedback from the Regional School Directorate of Piedmont was also positive, allowing over 300 pupils from various educational institutions to visit. An achievement for the Italian Air Force on the slopes of the Turin hill, which 100 years ago witnessed the maiden flight of “heavier-than-air” craft.
