It was 1 March 1961 when the first six F-86E "Saber" aircraft with the livery of the "Prancing Horse" patrol arrived at the Rivolto air base (Udine). The six "Sabers" came from Grosseto, today one of the bases dedicated to the defense of the Italian skies and seat of the then 4th aerobrigata, now 4th wing. Waiting for them on the ground, their first commander: Major Mario Squarcina. Thus the first cell of the "Special Acrobatic Unit", the original nucleus of the nascent ones, was established Frecce Tricolori.
60 years have passed since that day and today as then Frecce Tricolori they are proud to represent the values, technology, skills and ability to team up of the entire Air Force. 60 years in which the National Acrobatic Patrol has brought his performances in 48 countries around the world - from America to Russia, from Northern Europe to the Middle East and North Africa - spreading the Tricolor on the most beautiful places and on the occasion of the most significant events in the history of our country. A symbol of Italian spirit and a sense of belonging, but also of the values and professionalism of all the Armed Forces, as well as the expression of the capabilities of the national industry and of the entire country system.
An anniversary that falls in a particularly difficult moment, in which the importance of remaining united and teaming up is renewed and strengthened. With this in mind, at the end of May 2020, the National Acrobatic Patrol made a historic overflight of all the Italian regional capitals, an initiative that took its name from the strong symbolic value of "Abbraccio Tricolore", culminating in the overflight of the city of Rome on 2 June - Republic Day.
"The Frecce Tricolori are known, appreciated and carry our Tricolor all over the world", says the chief of staff of the Air Force, air squad general Alberto Rosso. "They summarize all that is technology, passion, ability, competence and professionalism that Italy is able to export and bring to the world".
A story, that of Frecce Tricolori, made of passion and competence, which the men and women who have been part of it in these sixty years have contributed to making it famous. "The human factor within the National Aerobatic Team - says Lieutenant Colonel Gaetano Farina, commander of the Frecce Tricolori - is critical. We are not talking about individuals but about teams, not only the riders but also all those who work on the ground. Let's look for those who are able to work in a team, but also those who are able to get involved and accept criticism ".
The 313th acrobatic training group, this is the official denomination of Frecce Tricolori, is a flight department of the Air Force made up of about one hundred soldiers including officers, non-commissioned officers and graduates. The formation of 10 aircraft, 9 plus that of the soloist, is made up of pilots from the flight operational departments of the Air Force who, following selection, become part of the National Acrobatic Patrol; here they spend a parenthesis of their operational career and then return to the departments at the end of the experience. The remaining staff belonging to the Frecce Tricolori, are mainly maintenance specialists of the Aermacchi MB339A-PAN aircraft.
On the occasion of the anniversary of March 1st, RAI Friuli Venezia Giulia has made a documentary on the history of Frecce Tricolori entitled "Sixty years in flight: la National Acrobatic Patrol"which will be broadcast tonight at 22:10 pm on RAI STORIA (digital terrestrial channel 54).
The history of the Frecce Tricolori - 1st March 1961
At the end of the 20s on the Campoformido airport (UD), located a few kilometers east of the Rivolto base, the first pioneers of aerobatic flight demonstrated how aerial acrobatics constituted the very essence of military fighter capable of improving performance in air combat. From there a tradition of collective aerial acrobatics came to life which culminated with the collective aerobatic formations of the 50s identified on an annual shift in the operational departments of the Air Force: Black Lancers, Red devils, White Tigers, Thundering jets e prancing Horse.
Precisely from the latter, reserve patrol in 1960 and subsequent owner in 1961, the nucleus of pilots was identified who went to form a group that permanently dealt with collective aerial acrobatics and that represented in all events at home and abroad. , the Air Force and all of Italy.
On 1 March 1961, the first 4 F-6E "Saber" aircraft with the livery of the "Prancing Horse" patrol that bore the emblem of the Asso Francesco Baracca (symbol given by Countess Paolina, Baracca's mother directly to Enzo Ferrari for the Maranello car manufacturer).
Thus was born on the Rivolto airport, where it still has its headquarters today, thespecial stunt unit which from 1 July 1961 would have assumed the official name of 313 ° acrobatic training group.
Once in the skies of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the six "Saber" aircraft headed for the Campoformido airport on which they performed a loop in honor of the cradle of the Italian collective aerial acrobatics. Subsequently they performed some acrobatic maneuvers on the Rivolto airport and then landed there. On the ground, waiting for them, Major Pilot Mario Squarcina, former leader and commander of the "Red Devils" patrol, who would go down in history, from that day, as the 1st commander and "founding father" of the Frecce Tricolori.
The F-86E "Saber" aircraft flew the first ever demonstration on 1 May 1961 in Trento Gardolo. In the first year of life the Frecce Tricolori they flew with the insignia of the "Prancing Horse" assuming in 1962 a new livery and the emblem that we know well.
From the 1964 season the Frecce Tricolori they began to use the Italian FIAT G-91PAN aircraft which they left only in 1982 when the transition to the currently equipped MB-339PAN aircraft took place.
Overflight and events with which the representative task assigned to the Frecce Tricoli is realized in flight are events with a great following that always accompany important moments in the history of our country.
