76a Squadriglia
76 suffered 4 Killed in Action and credited with 69 victories.
1916 equipped N11 until probably the spring of 1918.
25 May 1916, as one of Italy's original fighter squadrons. It began at La Comina, with five pilots and four Nieuport 11 planes. CO was Capitano Ettore de Carolis, pilots were s.ten. Giuseppe Rigoni, serg. Mario Stoppani, sold. Giovanni Menegoni and Otello Venchiaruti.
29 May 1916 unit moved to the airfield of S. Maria la Longa assigned to Gruppo I.
30 May 1916 the unit flew its first combat mission
18 Jul 1916 Mario Stoppani scored the squadron's first victory
24 Aug 1916 cpr. Guido Iori ranout of gas and landed in enemy territory and was captured with an intact N11.
29 Sep 1916 the unit was assigned to the II Gruppo.
1916 flew 624 combat missions and 39 air engagements claiming 5 victories.
Feb 1917 unit had a mix of N11s and N17s and 9 pilots were the CO De Carolis, ten. Ernesto Bonavoglia, Luigi Olivi, Giuseppe Rigoni, s.ten. Menegoni, and serg. Virgilio Appiani, Giovanni Bartolomeo Arrigoni, Stoppani and Venchiarutti.
25 Feb 1917 unit moved to Borgnano airfield in the hottest area of the Isonzo front.
Mar/Apr 1917 was staring to re-equip with the N17
22 April 1917 ten. Luigi Olivi became the CO.
14 May 1917 ten. Francesco Broili was shot down.
17 Jun 1917 ten. Olivi shot down two aircraft and when he returned to take pictures he crashed to his death.
Summer 1917 tested and refused the SPAD VII flown by Baracchini. In Jun 1917 Olivi crashed one and was killed.
01 July 1917 Capitano Salvatori Calori became the new CO until 11 August 1917
09 Jul 1917 the unit assigned to the VI Gruppo.
Jul 1917 had mixed equipment of N11s and a few Spad VIIs
11 August 1917 the new was CO Tenente Gastone Novelli till he was WIA 21 on August 1917. Cap. Calori became the CO of “Sottogruoppo Aeroplani di Borgnano” consisting of 76a, 78a and 81a.
18 Aug 1917 had Nieuport 11 and Spad VIIs, and the first French built Hanriots that reached the front. A few months later Macchi built ones arrived but the Hanriot had teething troubles and not enough spare parts so they were not used very much at first.
13 Aug 1917 unit had 6 Hanriots, 6 N11s and 3 Spads.
28 Sep 1917 Tenente Francesco di Rudini became the CO until KIA, 03 Oct 1917, by Lt Schroeder of Jasta 1
Many Hanriots had to be left behind during the Caporetto retreat and moved to Campoformido then La Comina and Arcade.
25 Oct 1917 ten. Alessandro Veronesi crashed probably due to action with Fw Hippert of Jasta 1.
01 Nov 1917 unit had 12 pilots. The CO became Capitano Alberto De Bernardi his Hanriot had with an eagle and hunting horn. The pilots were ten. Buzio, Fucini, Mecozzi, s.ten. Michetti, Scaroni, asp. Donati, serg. Armati, Avenati, Di Loreto, Fanti and Razzi.
10 Nov 1917 unit had just 4 Hanriots
26 Dec 1917 the squadron fought in the famous air battle above its home base of Istrana.
1917 flew about 2000 missions and had 300 combats
31 Jan 1918 that night 2 bombs fell close and damaging seven of its fighters.
02 Feb 1918 unit moved from Istrana to Isola di Carturo
17 Feb 1918 unit moved to Casoni and it remained there for the rest of the war.
27 Feb 1918 a bomb hit a hanger and killed 2 men and destroyed 10 fighters
24 Mar 1918 Baracchini returns
13 May 1918 unit had 17 pilots and 18 Hanriots. Pilots were the CO De Bernardi, cap. Lega, ten. Baracchini, Buzio, Censi, Di Loreto, Donati, Fanti, Michetti, Razzi, Retino, Scaroni, s. ten. Dante, Nannini, Brig Malfranci and cpr. Boccasaiva and Baggini.
31 May 1918 Baracchini transferred to 81a.
Mid Jun 1918 unit had 17 Hanriots
12 Jul 1918 Scaroni was seriously wounded in combat.
09 Sep 1918 Capitano Amerigo Notari became the CO until the wars end.
By Oct 1918 equipped solely with the Hanriot.
1918 flew 2464 combat missions and had 101 air engagements.
EOW 19 pilots and 21 aircraft in service under the command of Notari, cap. Lega, ten. Carrara, Fornasari, Sivori, brig. Balandi and Malfranci serg. Baggini, Magnetti, Mondini, Pasta, Ticconi, cpr. Ramberti, sold. Giovanardi, Randali and Silvi.
It had fought 340 combats during its 5,088 wartime sorties
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Originally Posted by BobP
Great research there John.
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