Show ITAlY'S AIR FLEET flEd RANKS FOURTH IN IM SIZE SILE Italy's air fleet ranks fourth numerically numerically numerically nu nu- right after Britain Germany Ger many and France Two successful types of airships ha have havo been evolved tho the Specialist and the types Captains Grecco and having achieved fame in aerodynamic aerodynamic mic research work were assigned to develop the tho first Italian military dirigible dirigible di die in 1904 Its trial in 1908 was satisfactory The typo type was improved im im- improved proved into the P class of oC Ital Italian n I dirigibles The P P-l P 1 in 1909 flew from Bracciano to Naples a three hour trip The P 2 next year flow from Rome to Venice crossing the Ap Ap- I A fleet of oC dirigibles was decided upon In 1911 Three types were constructed con tho the small type P class a medium 1 M class and a t large 0 G class ranking from 2500 cubic me me- I capacity to to 0 more than thau cubic meters When the Turkish halo war broke out several Ps P's and Ma Ms were shipped to Lybia They proved of great value alue in the military operations in Africa Signor Signer Enrico Leonardo Leonardo Leonardo Leon ardo da Vinci having proved a successful example of or the airship the citizens of Milan 1 bought a ship from him and presented it to tho the government calling It the Citta Cilta ill 11 Milano 1 in n 1913 o Another type has been added to the fleet The most recent additions have been a cu m. m called tho the G l and speedy speed V V-l guilt built by the same establishment establish establish- ment after plans by an aerial engineer en gincer named The craft can make ninety kilometers an hour Eleven dirigible sheds are scat scat- ered over Italy The Italian aeroplane fleet which was a factor in the victory consists o of fifteen land and two sea squadrons each of ot ten machines seven active and three in reserve The land squadrons are made mado up of oC armed scouts with machine guns and gun spotters Sixty fast Cast monoplane mono mono- plane ilane spotters recently were delivered de dc- livered to the tho arm army Many powerful power power- ful ul armed bombardiers are under construction The new Caproni Capron plane bombardier-plane is 15 a biplane armored ar ar- mored nored and carrying carrin a one one Inch inch quick firing Iring gun in front It can make seventy five miles an hour and can stay aloft twenty five hours Only four types of machines are used in the Italian service although man many older types are made in the aviation schools The four Cour pro aro the national Capron Caproni I and the Far man tho the Sit and the Nieu Nieu- port ort Tho The sea squadrons use Borel monoplanes and Bessi Curtiss and Farman Savo biplanes The two sea squadrons are based at Venice and Naples |