Antonio Lippi

Antonio Lippi (1900–1957) was an Italian aviator. He participated to the Transatlantic flight organized by Italo Balbo and awarded with the Medaglia d'Oro to aeronautic valor of Regia Aeronautica.

He was born in Torremaggiore, a small town in the south of Italy, on October 9, 1900 to a wealthy landowning family.

He had a passion for flying since he was a child. As a young adult he decided to not follow his families wishes and rather his own passion. He started his career by enrolling in the military for officials of Regia Marina.

He attained his pilot's license in Scuola di Pilotaggio di 2° Periodo in Foggia Sud airport (nowadays Gino Lisa airport)

After his degree of captain of lingo corso, he was nominated guardiamarina in 1921; after three years he took place in Regia Aeronautica and lately in 184th Squadriglia Idrovolanti where in 1925 attained the seaplanes pilot's license for Savoia-Marchetti S.59 and S.59bis airplanes.

He was selected and inserted into the group of aviator that took the 1928 Crociera del Mediterraneo Occidentale (Orbetello - Los Alcázares) with a Savoia-Marchetti S.59 bis.

High speed aviator


From 1930 to 1932 he took service at Reparto Alta Velocità ( high speed unit) of Desenzano del Garda. He was admitted to the II Course for high speed seaplanes piloting the Macchi-Castoldi MC-72.

As part of Velocisti (High speed runners) he was allowed to wear a special emblem with a red V in the middle of an eagle on his uniform,

Crociera del decennale: the first massed flight of aircraft ever to cross the Atlantic.


In 1933 was selected again by Italo Balbo to take part of epic Crociera del Decennale known by Americans as Italian Air Armada, this was the first massed flight of aircraft ever to cross the Atlantic.

From 1 July to 12 August 1933, a flight of twenty-four seaplanes on a round-trip flight from Rome to the Century of Progress in Chicago, Illinois. The flight had eight legs; Orbetello — Amsterdam — Derry — Reykjavík — Cartwright, Labrador — Shediac — Montreal ending on Lake Michigan near Burnham Park and New York City. In honor of this feat, Mussolini donated a column from Ostia to the city of Chicago: the Balbo Monument; it can still be seen along the Lakefront Trail, a little south of Soldier Field. Chicago administration renamed the former 7th Street in Balbo Drive and staged a great parade in his honor. The Newfoundland Post Office overprinted a 75-cent airmail stamps, that has just been issued a few weeks previously, for the event.

From Chicago they flew to New York City with an escort of 36 U.S. airplanes. New York population gave an incredible crowded and warm welcomes the pilots on Broadway (Manhattan). Millions of people acclaimed the big parade of dozens cars escorted by police horses throughout the streets on Manhattan.

His plane (Savoia-Marchetti S.55X) during the aircruise was marked as "I-LIPP" under the wings and on tail.

For that reason Antonio was honored with the Medaglia d'Oro to Aeronautic Valor and with a promotion to Maggiore rank.

Career and family
He took part of the famous group of high speed aviators called "Sorci Verdi" and in 1937 raced the flight competition Istres–Damascus–Paris Air Race. His Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 (Competizione Sportiva version) was marked as I-LICA. In the Damascus point he had an accident during the takeoff: hit a hole in the semi prepared strip and destroyed his undercarriage and could not continue. Despite everything he managed to maintain the control of the airplane. For that occasion was awarded with Medaglia d'Argento al Valore Militare. His team won the competition reaching the first, second and third position.

His pilot skills brought him to Stormo Aerosiluranti, the main Regia Aeronautica flight storm.

In 1940 he married Amalia Stingone with whom had three sons: (1941) Nicola, (1943) Alfonso (1946) Lorenzo and settled his home in Rome.

In 1943 he became Capo di Stato Maggiore nel Comando SAS and in 1944 in chief of comando raggruppamento bombardieri e trasporti.

After World War II
After the World War II was integrated into the new Air force of the new Repubblica Italiana : Aeronautica Militare.

In 1947 he took command of Direzione Generale Armi e Munizioni and became the Inspector General of the Air Force.

For his human grace and his aviator skills he was honored with Generale di Divisione Aerea.

He died in Palermo on February 2, 1957 and was proclaimed official day of mourning.

Legacy
In Torremaggiore there is a street entitled in his honor: Via Generale Lippi.

At Museo storico dell'Aeronautica in Bracciano there is a section focused on the Crociera del Decennale where are conserved some historical photos and models.

You can order a model of the Savoia-Marchetti S.55X with the I-LIPP mark on it.

On April 29, 2017 was celebrated 60th years from his death with a personal exhibition at Museo Civico di Torremaggiore with models of seaplanes, historical photos, antiquites.