"In the 1942 I was telegraphist on board the CANT Z 1700 aircraft in bombing in the Sicilian Channel. From the 1953, transferred to the 87 ° Gruppo Volo dell'Aeronautica Militare, which operated from Catania Airport, I flew to the Helldiver S2C-5, the Harpoon PV-2, the Grumann S2F and finally, before my departure in the 1979, also on the BR-1150 Atlantic aircraft. I missed flying on the last 41 ° Stormo aircraft and today, almost at the age of 97, I finally realized my dream; I'm very happy; it was a wonderful experience as well as my entire career in the Air Force".
These are the words that the second lieutenant Melino Barbagallo, enlisted in the Air Force in the 1940, has emotionally addressed the crew of the X-NUNXX aircraft of the 72 ° Stormo of Sigonella, which led him in flight during a scheduled training mission.
In fact, during an activity of the Arma Aeronautica Association of Catania, an organization of which he is a member, the 97enne had expressed the desire to fly also on the P-72A.
The initiative, welcomed, allowed the veteran Barbagallo to visit the 29 ° Stormo and Sigonella Airport on Wednesday 2018 August 41 and to be then flown by the same commander of the base, the pilot Colonel Francesco Frare.
Following a moment of recollection at the foot of the Fallen Monument of the 87 ° Gruppo Volo, the day spent at Sigonella ended with the delivery to the guest of the crest of the 41 ° Stormo and a lithograph of the P-72A aircraft. in memory of the event.
The 41 ° Stormo Antisom of the AM of Sigonella, employed by the Office of the Aviation Inspector for the Navy, is equipped with P-72A aircraft with which it guarantees its primary mission which consists in countering the naval threat and in provide long-term search and rescue services at sea, keeping potentially hostile naval units under control, to protect the main maritime routes. Furthermore, it ensures the control of mercantile traffic, in the context of operations against international terrorism and support for activities aimed at controlling illegal immigration flows from the southern quadrants of the Mediterranean, ensuring the coverage of large areas of the sea, with the possible localization of refugees at sea and the alerting of the bodies in charge, including an initial Search and Rescue (SAR) intervention in the event of a maritime accident and shipwreck of the same.
