List of World War II aces from Italy

This is a list of aces in World War II from Italy. A flying ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. For other countries see List of World War II aces by country.

NameWartime victoriesRankAwardsNotesAdami, Ranieri 7 Maggiore retired as a ColonnelloAnnoni, Emanuele ("Ele") 9 Capitano retired as a Generale di Squadra AereaArcangeletti, Paolo 5 Aurili, Giuseppe 5 Baldi, Loris 5 Sergente Maggiore died October 7, 2015Bandini, Luigi 5 KIA April 29, 1944Barcaro, Giovanni 9 Baron, Luigi ("Gino") 12 Sergente Maggiore Bartolacchini, Osvaldo 6 Bartolozzi, Osvaldo 6 Baschirotto, Gianlino ("Giri") 11 Maresciallo Pilota Retired in 1970 as a ColonnelloBassi, Livio 6 Tenente GMMV KIA April 2, 1941 (DOW)died of wounds received in actionBaylon, Giuseppe 5Controversy regarding exact number of victories. Some victories are probably confirmed, but the exact number is unknown. Sources might have included some pilots among the aces based on a misinterpretation of official documents. Tenente Colonnello Bellagambi, Mario 13 Capitano Retired in 1967 as a Generale di Brigata AereaBenati, Amedeo 10 Bernardi, Duilio 5 Biagini, Bruno 7 Biagini, Lucio 5 KIA April 25, 1944Bianchi, Manfredo 5 Bianchi, Pietro 5 KIA August 2, 1943Biron, Giuseppe ("Bepi") 10 Maggiore Retired in 1971 as a Generale di Brigata AereaBladelli, Alessandro 5 + 7 shared, 1 shared damaged 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV Bonet, Giovanni 8 Capitano 4x SMMV, GIC2c KIA April 29, 1944Bonannini, Pietro 8 + 2 prob. Aiutante di Battaglia Turret gunner on Cant Z.506B and Fiat RS.14 floatplanes (top turret). Credited with 4x Spitfires, 3x Blenheims and 1x HurricaneWarhistoryonline.com The forgotten aces; air gunner aces of WWII, visited March 20, 2018Bonfatti, Pietro 6 + 7 shared, 2 + 3 shared probably, 4 shared damaged 2x SMMV, 1BMMV KIA November 22, 1941Bonzano, Mario 17 Maggiore SMMV retired as a ColonelloBordoni-Bisleri, Franco ("Robur") 19 Tenente 3x SMMV (during WWII), GIC2 KIFAkilled in flight accident September 15, 1975Botto, Ernesto 8 + 20 shared, 7 shared probably . 1 + 4 shared damaged. GMMV Buogo, Egidio 5 Buvoli, Aldo 6 Camaioni, Antonio 8 Canella, Carlo 7, 27 + 5 shared on ground SMMV Canfora, Antonio 7 Caselli, Gilberto 5 Cavalli, Evasio 5 KIA July 21, 1943Celentano, Agostino 6 Cenni, Giuseppe 9 Maggiore GMMV, 6x SMMV, GIC2 KIA September 4, 1943Ceoletta, Giovanni 10 Sergente Maggiore Retired in 1981 as a Generale di Brigata AereaChiarini, Guglielmo 5 Capitano GMMV, 2x SMMV KIA February 4, 1941Covre, Tullio 5 Sergente Maggiore 2x SMMV, GIC, SMCV Cucchi, Carlo 5 Cuscuna, Francesco 5, 1 shared probable, 2 shared damaged. 2x SMMV Daffara, Vittorino 13 + 1 shared, 4 damaged. Damiani, Rinaldo 6 + 3 shared, 4 shared damaged, 1 damaged on the ground. Dell'Innocenti, Giovanni 12 KIA July 3, 1943Bert, Cesare Di 6 Sergente Piloti 3x SMMV Briona, Giorgio Di 11 Capitano SMMV, GIC2 Doglio, Furio 7 Capitano GMMV (3x during WWII), LBM (1936), SMA, SMMV, 2x BMMV, GIC2 KIA July 27, 1942, on Gozo, by Canadian top aceGeorge BeurlingDrago, Ugo 17 + 3 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground. Capitano 4x SMMV, CMV 11 victories with RSIShores, Christopher, "Air Aces", Greenwich, CT, Bison Books, 1983. .Ettore, Domenico 5 Facchini Dotta, Domenico 5 Fanali, Duilio 15 Tenente Colonnello 5x SMMV, 2x BMMV, CMW Retired 1971 as a Generale di Squadra AereaFerazzani, Giuseppe 5 Ferla, Germano La 13 GMV, SMMV Ferrulli, Leonardo 21 (+ 1 in Spain) Sottotenente GMV, SMMV KIA July 5, 1943Fibbia, Guido 6 (+ 3 in Spain) Maresciallo Pilota 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC, GIC2 Filippi, Fausto 8 KIA January 23, 1945Filippi, Luigi 7 + 1 shared. SMMV, BMMV KIA February 20, 1943Fissore, Giuliano 3 shared Forlani, Dino 7 Fornaci, Fausto 9 Maresciallo Pilota KIA February 6, 1945Foschini, Ettore 7 François, Armando 7 + 3 shared SMMV, BMMV, SMA, BMA, WMC Frigerio, Iacopo 5 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 4 + 4 shared damaged SMMV, BMMV, GIC2 Gaucci, Roberto 7 Giannella, Luigi 12 Capitano Retired in the 1960s as a ColonnelloGiardina, Antonio 5 2x SMMV, 1BMMV Giudice, Eber 5 SMMV, BMMV Gorrini, Luigi 19 Sergente Maggiore GMMV (in 1958), BMMV, GIC1, GIC2 (4 victories with RSI air force)Graffer, Giorgio 5 Capitano GMMV, BMMV KIA November 28, 1940Guarnaccia, Filippo 7 Guerci, Mario 5 Guidi, Amedeo 6 + 3 shared, 1 + 2 shared probable, 2 + 2 shared damaged. SMMV, 2x WMC Guiducci, Spiridone 5 Incerto, Enrico 8, 2 probably, 3 damaged (Spain) GMV, SMMV Iellici, Luigi 5 Laiolo, Domenico 6 Sergente Maggiore Lauri, Furio 11 (approx.)Shores 1983, p. 93. GMV, 2x SMMV, CMV Leotta, Eugenio 5 Locatelli, Bruno 5 Longhi, Felice 6 + 4 shared, 4 shared damaged. 3x SMMV, CMV, GIC2 Longhini, Antonio 8 Tenente KIA November 16, 1944Lucchini, Franco 21 + 6 shared (+ 5 in Spain + 52 shared) Capitano GMMV(Posthumous), 5x SMMV, BMMV, GIC(2c) KIA July 5, 1943, on SicilyMagnaghi, Carlo 11 Maresciallo Pilota Magrini, Vasco 11 KIFA July 1961Malagola, Willy 11 Malvezzi, Fernando 10 Capitano Mandolini, Orlando 7 + 1 shared, 1 + 1 shared damaged, 1 armoured car on the ground. SMMV, WMC, GIC2 Mantelli, Adriano 10 + 6 shared (including in Spain) 2x SMMV, WMC Marconcini, Giuseppe 6 Mariotti, Luigi 5 + 10 shared, 1 shared damaged on the ground. Maggiore 4x SMMV, BMMV, WMC KIA on December 27, 1944, in Bell P-39Qby German Flakderived during World War II from the German Flugabwehrkanone, for "aircraft defence cannon"Martinoli, Teresio 22 + 14 shared Sergente Maggiore GMV, SMMV, GIC2 KIFA in Bell P-39 (1 victory with Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force)Mastroagostino, Angelo 11 Maurer, Sergio 5 KIA May 6, 1943Mazzitelli, Orfeo 8 + 14 shared Tenente Mecatti, Mario 6 Melis, Mario 5 Miani, Carlo 7 Capitano Ritired in 1962 as a Tenente Colonnello. Died April 16, 1994.Minguzzi, Vittorio 13 Miotto, Elio 5 + 8 shared, 2 shared probably. 3x SMMV KIFA March 21, 1945, during a training flightin a Bell P-39Montagnani, Gianfranco 5 Montegnacco, Brunetto Di 15, 1 on the ground. SMMV KIA April 13, 1938. All victories duringthe Spanish WarMonterumici, Amleto 6 Monti, Luigi 8 + 19 shared, 3 shared probably, 3 + 1 shared damaged SMMV, BMMV, WMC Moretto, Enrico 5 Morosi, Luigi 5 Mottet, Giuseppe 6 + at least 4 shared, 2 damaged. BMMV KIFA March 30, 1950Nioi, Clizio 7 + 1 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged Capitano 3x SMMV Nobili, Guido 9 + 2 shared, 1 probably. Colonello 3x SMMV, WMC Died July 10, 1943, during the 1st day of Operation Husky.Noveli, Raffaello 5 Oblach, Giuseppe ("Garolla") 7, 2 probably, 1 + 1 shared damaged Tenente GMV, 2x SMMV KIA December 1, 1942Ocarso, Dante 5 KIA November 28, 1942Omiccioli, Enzo ("Cioli") 5 + 2 shared Maresciallo di terza classe GMV KIA February 3, 1941. Brother of Walter Omiccioli. Il Portale delle Memorie - Enzo Omiccioli, Visited March 21, 2018Omiccioli, Walter ("Valterino"/"Ciulìn"/"Tigre 18" La Tribuna di Treviso Aeronautica in lutto é morto Omiccioli, un mito del 51 Stromo (Omiccioli died, Air Force mourns a myth of the 51st Wing) (1 February 2009), Visited March 21, 2018) 9 Sergente Piloti Brother of Enzo Omiccioli. Died January 30, 2009 Il Portale delle Memorie - Walter Omiccioli, Visited March 21, 2018Palazzeschi, Antonio 5 Pecchiari, Francesco 5 KIA July 6, 1942, by Canadian top aceGeorge BeurlingPerdoni, Luciano 5 + 3 shared, 2 shared probable, 1 shared damaged. SMMV, 2x BMMV, 3x WMC Pergameni, Antonio 7 + 5 shared, 1 probably, 1 + 7 shared damaged. 4x SMMV KIA June 26, 1942Petrosellini, Costantino ("Pedro") 5 Sottotenente 3x SMMV, 2x WMC Left the Aeronautica Militare in 1956 as a Tenente Colonnello, and started flying for Alitalia. Died January 21, 2015Pinna, Mario 5 + 6 shared, 1 probably, 1 damaged, 3 armoured cars shared 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC Pluda, Mario 5 KIA November 8, 1941Pocek, Giorgio 5 Poggio Suasa, Carlo di 11 Maggiore Presel, Guido 12 + 10 shared, 2 probably, 2 on the ground (all in Spain). GMV, 2x SMMV, 2x BMMV KIA June 5, 1937Querci, Alvaro 6 + 5 shared, 1 + 1 shared probably, 3 shared damaged. SMMV, BMMV Reiner, Giulio 10 + 57 shared, 7 + 23 shared probably, 2 + 9 shared damaged, 3 + 3 shared on the ground. Capitano SMMV;BMMV;GIC2 Retired in 1949 as a Maggiore.Died September 6, 2002Remondino, Aldo 5 Ricci, Corrado 5 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 4 on the ground 2x SMMV, WMC Died 1995Robetto, Giuseppe 10 + 20 shared + 4 probably + 2 on the ground Capitano GIC1, GIC2, 3x SMMV, BMMVDied in Argentina in 1984Rodoz, Diego 6 Romagnoli, Carlo 11 GMV KIA September 7, 1941Roveda, Riccardo 5 Tenente Colonnello Ruspoli, Carlo 11 Born in 1906, Ruspoli is recorded as probably the oldest Italian fighter pilot to become an ace in World War II, achieving his 11 victories first in North Africa and then on the Russian front.Ruzzin, Giuseppe 5 + 6 shared, 8 + 4 shared damaged 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC Died February 6, 2009Sajeva, Giovanni 5 Salvatore, Massimo 10 + 6 shared, 3 probably) SMMV, BMMV Sanson, Attilio 12 Sant'Andrea, Vincenzo 7 Savini, Angelo 7 + 7 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable SMMV, 2x BMMV Scarpetta, Per 6 Maggiore 3x SMMV, 2x BMMV, WMC KIA August 14, 1942Schiappacasse, Lombardo 7 Seganti, Carlo 5 Tenente GMMV (Posthumous) KIA July 12, 1942, North of Malta, by Canadian aceGeorge Beurling, while searching for a Missing In Action fellow pilot.Seidl, Ricardo 6 GMV KIA September 27, 1941Serafini, Ferruccio 9 Sergente Piloti Serini, Pietro 11 Maggiore Simionato, Olindo 5 Soffritti, Aroldo 8, 5 probably, 1 damaged, 11 shared on the ground, 5 shared damaged on the ground Maresciallo Pilota 2x SMMV Died February 18, 1977Solaro, Claudio 12 + 14 shared, 1 + 1 shared probable, 8 shared damaged, 20 on the ground Capitano 2x SMMV, 3x BMMV, 3x WMC, GIC2 Retired as a Generale di Squadra AereaSolaroli, Giorgio11 Spigaglia, Alberto 6 + 4 shared 2x SMMV, BMMV, WMC Squarcia, Vittorio 5 Stabile, Natalino 10 + 2 shared Sterzi, Annibale 5 Talamini, Renato 5 + 4 shared, 3 + 5 shared damaged. Tenente SMMV, BMMV KIA April 10, 1944Biplane fighter aces – Italy - Tenente Renato Talamini, visited March 20, 2018Tarantola, Ennio ("Banana") 11 + 4 shared, 1 probably, 1 on the sea + 1 in Spain with Aviazione Legionaria Maresciallo Pilota 2x SMMV(during WWII, + 2 in Spain), 2x BMMV Died July 30, 2001Tessari, Arrigo 5 3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC Torchio, Luigi 5 SMMV, WMC KIA January 30, 1944Torresi, Giulio 10 + 10 shared, 5 + 2 shared probable, 11 shared damaged Capitano 4x SMMV, GIC2 KIA July 1, 1944Tugnoli, Giorgio 6 + 4 shared, 1 probable 3x SMMV, BMMV, WMC Valenzano, Raffaele 8 Valtancoli, Tito 8 Vanzan, Virgilio 7 Veronese, Alberto 6 2x SMMV KIA November 4, 1944Veronesi, Mario 11 + 6 shared, 2 + 2 shared probably, 1 damaged. SMMV, BMMV, GIC2 Visconti di Lampugnano, Adriano 10 Maggiore 7 victories with RSI Shot in the back by Russian guard after surrender April 29, 1945Visintini, Mario 16 (+ 2 in Spain), 5 probable, 32 on the ground (solo + shared) Capitano GMMV, SMMV, BMMV Highest scoring biplane pilot of the warand most successful pilot of the East African campaignKIFA February 11, 1941Zemella, Celso 5 + 1 shared 3x SMMV, BMMV, GIC2 Zotti, Andrea 9 + 3 shared, 1 damaged KIA March 16, 1940Zotti, Nicola 5 Zuccarini, Gian 5

See also Regia Aeronautica, the air force of the Kingdom of Italy Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud), the air force of the Royalist Badoglio-government in southern Italy during the last years of World War II Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of the Italian Social Republic Esercito Nazionale Repubblicano, the army of the Italian Social Republic Marina Nazionale Repubblicana, the navy of the Italian Social Republic Aviazione Legionaria, an expeditionary corps from the Italian Royal Air Force (Regia Aeronautica Italiana), set up in 1936 and sent to provide support to the rebel faction in the Spanish Civil War. in Italian, List of World War II aces from Italy in Italian language.

Notes Abbreviations "KIA" – Killed in action (dates are included where possible). "KIFA" – Killed in Flying Accident.