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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0007.PDF
JANUARY 7, 1926 THE REORGANISATION OF THE ITALIAN AIR MINISTRY THE steady growth during the past few years of Italian aeronautics has been very marked to all who have studied the progress of avia- tion in general, so the follow- ing notes, from a contributor who is thoroughly conversant in the matter, on the organi- sation of Italian aeronautics will, we think, be of interest to many. One of the most important points of the re-formation of the Italian Ministry in Octo- ber, 1922, was the reorgani- sation of aeronautics as an independent organ separate from the Army and Xavy. From the time of the armistice to the year 1922, aeronautics were practically abandoned, for reasons of economy and because the firms had stopped all ex- perimental work, owing to lack of orders. There were also political difficulties, as workers refused to co-operate in the building of engines for aircraft, as they considered these organs of war. At the end of January, 1922, the Air Commission was instituted, headed by His Excellency Mussolini himself, and with the Hon. Finzi as Vice-Commissioner, assisted by His Excellency Mercanti, Chief of the General Direction for Aeronautics, and Colonel Moizo, Military Commander of the Air Force. By June 30, 1924, the Italian Air Ministry had already 66 squadrons in service, while the aircraft construct- ing firms had presented more than 18 new experimental machines and 4 new types of engine. The retirement in June, 1924. of Hon. Finzi and His Excel- lency Mercanti, brought about a considerable change in the Air Authorities and a busy period of reorganisation which ended in June, 1925. At that time the President of the Ministry. Mussolini. General P. R. Piccio, Chief of Air Staff in Italy that unique Ministry of National Defence which has already been proposed in our own and other countries as the most logical solution of the military problem. The co-ordination of the three Ministries is, therefore, due to the fact that President Mussolini is at the same time Secretary for the three Minis- tries (Army, Navy and Air). A second innovation, which is perhaps more important, is the appointment of a Chief of General Staff which co- ordinates the three Offices of the Army, Xavy and Aero- nautics, so that in case of war the work of the three Offices of the Staff would not be separate and inde- pendent from each other as hitherto. So as to give an exact idea of the dependency and relationship of the various heads and officers of military administration, we would refer the reader to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 1 shows the divisions of the Italian National Defence ; Fig. 2 refers to the Air Ministry only. Italy has been the first definitely to carry out the unification of military activities, and it is hoped that this unification will permit considerable economy. For the present, the service of the buildings, the medical service and the chemical service have been united. The reconstruction of the Air Ministry can, therefore, be divided in three periods : The first started in January, 1923. and ended October 31, 1923, with the result of a first group of squadrons (25) with newly-built machines but of old types, dealing at the same time with the Army and Navy so as to establish the independency of the Air Service. In the second period, which ended on October 31, 1924, the number of squadrons was increased to 6fi, and tests of The Prime Minister, Sig. Mussolini. I The Chief of the General Staff, Gen. Badoglio. The Secretary of State for War, Sig. Mussolini. The Secretary of State for Navy,Sig. Mussolini. The Assistant Chief of the General Staff and Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Grazioli. The Secretary of State forAeronautics. Sig. Mussolini. I The Chief of the Navy Staff, Admiral Acton. The Chief of the Air Staff, Gen. Piccio. The Assistant Secretary for War, Gen. Cavallero. War Department. The Assistant Secretary for the Navy. Admiral Sirianni, Navy Department. The Assistant Secretary for Aeronautics, Gen. Bonzani. ! Air Department.Fig. 1. definitely instituted the Air Ministry, on the same basis as that of the Army and Navy Ministries. This definite re- organisation of the Air Ministry now forms part of the general reconstruction of the Military Ministries. Army, Navy and Aeronautics, up to June, 1925, claimed the most important parts of the funds which the country could afford for the National Defence. In order to stop useless controversy, Mussolini thought it best to assume the control of the three Ministries (Army, Navy and Air) by becoming Secretary for each, and this practically succeeded in creating many different experimental machines were made in order to improve the construction of the engines, etc. The third period, which ended on October 31, 1925, showed the result of an increase in the number of squadrons up to 90 and the bureaucratic organisation of the Air Ministry on the same basis as that of the Army and Navy Ministries. In June, 1925, General Alberto Bonzani was nominated Assistant Secretary of the Air Ministry, and General P. R. Piccio, the Italian Ace, was appointed Chief of the Air Staff. The problem of the Air Ministry, like that of the Navy, is
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