Teresio Vittorio Martinoli, MOVM, (26 March 1917 – 25 August 1944) was an Italian World War II fighter pilot in the

Regia Aeronautica The Royal Italian Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') (RAI) was the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Regio Esercito, Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was ...

and in the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (ICBAF). During the war, he fought over

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

and

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

, in

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

, on

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

, and was involved in the defence of the Italian mainland. Martinoli has been credited with 22 air victories and 14 shared destroyed in 276 sorties. Flying the Fiat C.R.42

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

and Macchi C.202 and

C.205 The Macchi C.205 ''Veltro'' () (also known as MC.205, "MC" standing for "Macchi Castoldi") was a Second World War-era fighter aircraft designed and produced by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.200 ...

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

s, he shot down: a

Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Developed privat ...

Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until the end of the war. ...

Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...

Curtiss P-40 The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter-bomber that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry ...

Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the ...

s, a

P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...

, a

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...

, and a

Junkers Ju 52 The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers. First introduced during 1930 as a civilian airliner, it was adapted int ...

, the last after the

Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile ( Italian: ''Armistizio di Cassibile'') was an armistice that was signed on 3 September 1943 by Italy and the Allies, marking the end of hostilities between Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was made public ...

. He lost his life in a flying accident on 25 August 1944, while converting from the C.205 to the

P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by th ...

.Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 65.

Before World War II

Martinoli gained a glider pilot's licence in 1937. The following year, he was enlisted in the Regia Aeronautica, and after a military flying course at

Ghedi Ghedi (Brescian: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on November 24, 2001. Ghedi is known for a base of the Italian Air Force, Ghedi Air Base ...

, was assigned to 366ª ''Squadriglia'' of 151° ''Gruppo'' (53°''Stormo'') with the rank of ''Sergente Pilota''.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 48. Subsequently, he was posted to the 384ª ''Squadriglia'', 157° ''Gruppo'', stationed in

Trapani Trapani ( ; ; ) is a city and municipality (''comune'') with 54,887 inhabitants, on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an important fishing port and the mai ...

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 48.

Theatres of war

North Africa

He claimed his first air victory, just three days after Italy entered the war, on 13 June 1940. His apparent first victim was a bomber, most probably a French

Potez 630 The Potez 630 and its derivatives were a family of twin-engined, multirole aircraft developed for the French Air Force in the late 1930s. The design was a contemporary of the British Bristol Blenheim (which was larger and designed purely as a b ...

, shot down over

Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...

, while flying his Fiat CR.42. This encounter is unverified from any other source however Martinoli's own log book has a precise attesting entry in it.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 59 Then he was posted to 78ª ''Squadriglia'', 13° ''Gruppo'' of 2° ''Stormo'' and on 13 October he claimed a Gloster Gladiator (most probably from No. 112 Squadron RAF), while escorting a

Savoia-Marchetti S.79 The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 ''Sparviero'' (Italian for sparrowhawk) is a three-engined medium bomber developed and manufactured by the Italian aviation company Savoia-Marchetti. It may be the best-known Italian aeroplane of the Second World War. ...

, to

Mersa Matruh Mersa Matruh (), also transliterated as Marsa Matruh ( Standard Arabic ''Marsā Maṭrūḥ'', ), is a port in Egypt and the capital of Matrouh Governorate. It is located west of Alexandria and east of Sallum on the main highway from the Nile ...

, Egypt. Having transferred to 4° ''Stormo'', Martinoli claimed a Bristol Blenheim shot down in the

Bardia Bardia, also El Burdi or Bardiyah ( or ) is a Mediterranean seaport in the Butnan District of eastern Libya, located near the border with Egypt. It is also occasionally called ''Bórdi Slemán''. The name Bardia is deeply rooted in the ancient ...

zone on 5 January 1941.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 59

Malta

After he had transferred to 4° ''Stormo'' (which became his permanent unit), in autumn 1941 Martinoli flew fighter sweeps over

, from

Comiso Comiso () is a ''comune'' of the Province of Ragusa, Sicily, Southern Italy. As of 2017, its population was 29,857. History In the past Comiso has been incorrectly identified with the ancient Greek colony of Casmene in Magna Graecia. Under the B ...

. Flying the Macchi C.202, in just two months, he claimed three Hurricanes (two on 19 October 1941) and a Blenheim. Still over Malta, he was credited with the destruction of three Spitfires (plus one probable) between 4 and 16 May 1942.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 59. Back in North Africa, during the Battle of Bir Hacheim, on 9 June 1942, he shot down two P-40 fighters and damaged a third.Duma 2007, p. 288. On 29 June, in

Marsa Matruh Mersa Matruh (), also transliterated as Marsa Matruh (Standard Arabic ''Marsā Maṭrūḥ'', ), is a port in Egypt and the capital of Matrouh Governorate. It is located west of Alexandria and east of Sallum on the main highway from the Nile Del ...

area, along with three more 73ª ''Squadriglia'' Macchi C.202s, he attacked a formation of 12 P-40s, downing a Curtiss fighter (while his fellow pilots shot down two more).Duma 2007, p. 299. Martinoli's final kill in the North Africa theatre was over El Daba on 23 October 1942. Officially, this was identified as a

Bell P-39 Airacobra The Bell P-39 Airacobra is a fighter produced by Bell Aircraft for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. It was one of the principal American fighters in service when the United States entered combat. The P-39 was used by th ...

but was more likely a

Curtiss Kittyhawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter-bomber that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry ...

from No. 260 Squadron RAF.Massimello and Apostolo 2000, p. 59

Home Defence

During the summer of 1943, he took part in the defence of Sicily and Italy. On 4 July, he claimed a

and a shared

over Sicily.

''Aeronautica Co-Belligerante''

After the armistice of 8 September, he joined the ''Aeronautica Co-Belligerante'' ( Co-Belligerent Air Force), fighting alongside the Allies. He flew, with other 4° ''Stormo'' pilots, sorties to

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

, attacking the German

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

and

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

. He shot down a

Junkers Ju 52/3m Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG (JFM, earlier JCO or JKO in World War I, English: Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works) more commonly Junkers , was a major German aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturer. It was founded in Dessau, Germany, ...

over

Podgorica Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...

, on 1 November 1943, after a dogfight with two

Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a monoplane fighter aircraft that was designed and initially produced by the Nazi Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt#History, Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW). Together with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the ...

s. It was his last air victory. He was killed in a flying accident on 25 August 1944, at Campo Vesuvio air base, while training on one of the second-hand Bell P-39s that had just been delivered to the Co-Belligerent Air Force.Dimensione Cielo 1972, p. 78.

Awards

Martinoli was posthumously awarded the ''Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare'' (

Gold Medal of Military Valor The Gold Medal of Military Valor () is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia for deeds of outstanding gallantry in war by junior officers and soldiers. The face of the medal displayed the profile o ...

). He had been previously decorated with two silver medals and the German Iron Cross Second Class.

Notes

Bibliography

* "Caccia Assalto 3." ''Dimensione Cielo Aerei italiani nella 2° guerra mondiale '' (in Italian). Rome: Edizioni Bizzarri, 1972. * * Lioy, Vincenzo. ''Gloria senza allori'' (in Italian). Roma: Associazione Arma Aeronautica, 1953. * Lazzati, Giulio. ''Ali nella tragedia'' (in Italian). Milano: Mursia, 1970. * Lazzati, Giulio. ''I soliti Quattro gatti'' (in Italian). Milano: Mursia, 1965. * * Massimello, Giovanni and Giorgio Apostolo. ''Italian Aces of World War Two''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. . * Neulen, Hans Werner. ''In the Skies of Europe.'' Ramsbury, Marlborough, UK: The Crowood Press, 2000. . * Palermo, Michele, ''Eagles over Gazala - air battles on North Africa May–June 1942'', Roma: IBN Editore, 2014. . * Pesce, Giuseppe and Giovanni Massimello. ''Adriano Visconti Asso di guerra'' (in Italian). Parma: Albertelli editore s.r.l., 1997. * Sgarlato, Nico. ''C.202 Lo chiamavano il Macchi'' (in Italian). Parma: Delta Editrice, 2008. * Sgarlato, Nico. "Macchi Folgore" (in Italian). ''Aerei Nella Storia'' 1998 (8): 8-20. Parma, Italy: West-Ward sas. * Shores, Christopher. ''Air Aces''. Greenwich, CT: Bison Books, 1983. .

External links

Italian biplane fighter aces - Teresio Martinoli

Scheda sul sito dell'ANPI

Motivazione del conferimento della M.O.V.M. da quirinale.it
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martinoli, Teresio 1917 births 1944 deaths Italian World War II flying aces People from the Province of Novara Recipients of the Gold Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor Recipients of the Iron Cross (1939), 2nd class Regia Aeronautica personnel killed in World War II