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 Summary

This collection consists of six black and white photographs of renowned Italian aviator Mario de Bernardi and one color photograph of his daughter Fiorenza de Bernardi, the first Italian woman commercial airline pilot. The collection also includes an informational document for each of the de Bernardis.

 Biographical / Historical

Mario de Bernardi, a renowned Italian aviator (1893-1959), received his wings in 1913 when serving with the Italian Army Service in the Baracca Squadron. De Bernardi was an experimental test pilot, aerobatic pilot, and racer, who won the Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider (Jacques Schneider Maritime Aviation Cup) at Hampton Roads, Virginia, in 1926 and the High Acrobatics Competition at the National Air Races in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1931. In 1940 he made test flights of the first Italian jet aircraft, the Caproni-Campini CC.2 (also known as the Camproni Campini N.1). He continued to fly until 1959 when he died following a heart attack suffered during an aerobatic flight.

 Identifier

NASM.2018.0020.0005

Date

bulk 1926-1955

2003

Provenance

Fiorenza de Bernardi, gift, 2004; via Smithsonian Institution Libraries, transfer, 2018; NASM.2018.0020.0005

Extent

0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder, 7 photographs, 2 documents)

Archival Repository

National Air and Space Museum Archives

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of six black and white digital print photographs of Mario de Bernardi along with an information page on him. The collection also includes one color digital print photograph and a photocopy of an article on his daughter, Fiorenza de Bernardi, the first Italian woman commercial airline pilot and an advocate for women's aviation opportunities.

Arrangement note

Materials are grouped by type; photographs are presented online in chronological order.

Rights

Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.

Restrictions

No restrictions on access

Citation

Major Mario de Bernardi Photographs, Acc. NASM.2018.0020.0005, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Topics

Aeronautics

Aeronautics, Commercial

Aeronautics, Military

Aeronautics -- Competitions

Airplanes

Air pilots

Women air pilots

Type

Collection descriptions

Archival materials