The Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force) celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding as an independent air arm this past weekend (June 16th/19th, 2023) with three-days of fabulous flying and festivities at Pratica di Mare Air Base, a few miles southwest of Rome. For the occasion, the Italian Air Force showcased the majority of its modern assets alongside several, long-retired but well loved types from its history.

Officially, the Aeronautica Militare came into being on March 28, 1923, five years after Britain’s Royal Air Force debuted, but almost a quarter-century before the United States Air Force gained its independence from the nation’s Army. Throughout this year, the Aeronautica Militare Italiana has sponsored a number of events and initiatives across Italy – in schools, town centers and, of course, at its military installations.