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The latest retirement of the ultimate 4 operational AMX plane from Istrana marks the conclusion of their 35-year service with the Italian Air Pressure. These plane be a part of the historic flying assortment at Piacenza airport.
On Apr. 11, 2024, the final 4 operational AMX ACOL plane, together with the one seater sporting a particular livery to rejoice the Section Out of the sort, piloted by Col. Emanuele Chiadroni, commander of the 51° Stormo (Wing) left Istrana AB for Piacenza Air Base, the place they had been formally retired and brought on cost by the native airport detachment.
The touchdown at Piacenza, marked the tip of the operational service of the AMX Ghibli (unofficially nicknamed “Topone” – Italian for “Huge Mouse”) after 35 years of service.
A single coach stays in service with the Italian Air Pressure’s RSV (Reparto Sperimentale Volo – Italian Air Pressure Take a look at Wing), at Pratica di Mare Air Base: it can fly not less than till subsequent fall; then, it ought to be withdrawn from use and reworked right into a gate guardian (or be assigned to the ItAF Museum).
Witnessing the final flight of the @ItalianAirForce AMX in the present day. From Istrana to Piacenza the place the plane will likely be saved. Extra in regards to the farewell to the Ghibli right here: https://t.co/pNZkAxXLck pic.twitter.com/3L5UnmDAyX
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) April 11, 2024
The 4 plane took off on this order: MM7162/51-34, MM7197/51-46, MM55044/51-82, MM55043/51-81.
AMX taxing one final time at Istrana Air Base. The plane was formally retired after 35 years in the present day at Piacenza Air Base the place the quartet of Ghibli jets landed. #theaviationist #italianairforce #aeronauticamilitare #amx #amxphaseout #51stwing #51stormo pic.twitter.com/NbCxCiMHyP
— The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) April 11, 2024
After the departure, the quartet carried out a ultimate move over the bottom earlier than heading west in direction of Piacenza, chased by a Eurofighter.
On their option to Piacenza, the “Grappa formation” rejoined with the Frecce Tricolori and a C-130J (with the open ramp to take some images earlier than the historic final touchdown).
Piacenza
After welcoming the HH-212 helicopters from Grazzanise just lately retired after over 40 years of service, Piacenza will retailer the 4 retired AMXs.
Addressing native establishments, companies, professionals, and media representatives through the welcoming ceremony, the bottom commander, T. Col. Salvatore Occini, offered the present and future plans of the airfield.
Occini highlighted the bottom’s transition from solely operational duties to additionally embody the restoration and preservation of historic plane. Notably, a Fiat G-91, restored with a particular Frecce livery, was efficiently returned to flight for the Air Force’s Centenary Air Show in June 2023, because of the experience of the bottom’s workers and collaboration with specialised civilian technicians.
Commander of the first Air Area Normal Vestito emphasised the importance of the Piacenza base throughout the Air Pressure, highlighting its operational readiness demonstrated by the arrival of the AMXs. He underscored the bottom’s strategic significance for varied actions, together with operational deployments, coaching, workouts, and analysis within the aeronautical and automotive sectors, leveraging present synergies with institutional, college, and industrial companions.
The Flying Museum
Wanting forward, the Armed Forces are exploring tasks to transition Piacenza navy airport right into a Flying Museum, permitting aviation fanatics and historians to understand these belongings, together with witnessing them in flight, which have performed a pivotal position within the centenary historical past of the Armed Forces.
How these plane will likely be maintained and by whom, which pilots may have the {qualifications} to fly them and at what price, are simply a few of the questions that may have to be answered earlier than such an bold undertaking may be realized.
David Cenciotti is a journalist based mostly in Rome, Italy. He’s the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of many world’s most well-known and skim navy aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for main worldwide magazines, together with Air Forces Month-to-month, Fight Plane, and plenty of others, protecting aviation, protection, struggle, trade, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown a number of fight planes with completely different air forces. He’s a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Pressure, a non-public pilot and a graduate in Pc Engineering. He has written 5 books and contributed to many extra ones.
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