Francesco de Pinedo

Francesco De Pinedo (February 16, 1890 - September 2, 1933) was a famous Italian aviator. He was born in Naples into a noble family.

Biography
In 1925, he flew a SIAI S.16ter single-engine, five-seat, biplane flying boat named Gennariello for 55,000-mile in six months, from Rome to Australia, to Tokyo, and back to Rome. He was accompanied by engineer Ernesto Campanelli. During the expedition, he had to replace one wing and one engine. They carried, but did not use, a jib sail and rudder to negotiate unknown harbours in awkward winds.

In 1927, with Carlo del Prete and the airmechanic Vitale Zacchetti, he flew a Savoia-Marchetti S.55 flying boat named Santa Maria from Rome to the Cape Verde Islands and on to Buenos Aires and Arizona. It was on April 6, 1927 while refueling at Roosevelt Lake, Arizona that the plane caught fire. The plane sank below the surface of the lake within minutes.

On April 19, 1927 the engines from De Pinedo's plane were raised from the bottom of the lake by Ettore Franchini, Tom Domenici and Pete Vichi. The engine was later transported to New York and then shipped to Italy.

De Pinedo was killed while taking off in a Bellanca monoplane on September 2, 1933, reportedly preparing to start a record length flight from New York City to Baghdad.