Rino Corso Fougier

When in Italy acrobatic group flight had not developed yet, following up the events in France and Russia, many pilots started to practice acrobatic flight to become well prepared for World War 1.
Lt. Col. Rino Corso Fougier was appointed airplane pilot on October 26th 1916 and military pilot on February 1st 1917. From June 1st 1928 to June 1st 1934 he commanded the legendary 1st Fighter Wing, which had been formed in May 1923 in Campoformido. Fougier had been greatly impressed by the way the English pilots flew in groups of three at Hendon Airfield, near London. When he took command, Fougier included flying in pairs in the training program of the pilots. He thought that this type of flight was born out of air dogfight: in fact, when a pilot was trying to shoot down the enemy, he had to follow and carry out the same manoeuvres as his, with the strangest features and in the most unusual attitudes of flight. Fougier was convinced of the usefulness of acrobatic flight and during World War I, with the help of Sgt. Donadio and Sgt. Mognetti, he invented an acrobatic manoeuver carried out by three airplanes at the same time.

 

Campoformido airfield: Rino Corso Fougier takes part in the first airshows