Visit to the Italian Airforce Museum in Bracciano.

[genazzano]

My wife and I took a little trip to the Italian Airforce Museum in Bracciano not far from our home. Thanks to Stephen who kindly told me where it was located. The museum is located in the original hangars built in 1904 for the emerging field of aeronautics when many aircraft used the lake as an airbase. It is operated by the Aeronautica Militare and is situated on the shore of Lago di Bracciano, a beautiful lake formed by an ancient caldera. The power was out when we arrived, so I had to crank up the ISO to 1600 on my old D70. Please excuse the poor lighting. I must spend some time on PS to improve the images as much as I can. The entire set of photos can be seen at s1279.photobucket.com/user/biloraradix/library/Aeronautical%20Museum%20Bracciano?page=1. Here are a couple of my favorites. Ciao! David

[Stephen]

Nice Museum,...if in the UK, there are several, led by RAF Duxford, run by the Imperial War Museum and the Science Museum, and the world renown Shuttleworth Collection of vintage early aircraft, both of these are working airfields as well as trying to maintain as many in airworthy condition as possible.
RAF Hendon is the Royal Airforce Musuem, but is static display only, as is the gallery at the Science Museum in London.

Stephen.

[truls]

I like the Aircraft Pictures, Your composition is great. Maybe one should spend more time Learning composition than all this photo editing stuff?

[genazzano]

Stephen: I would love to visit those museums. My dad was a mechanic in the Army Air Corps from 1941-45 and I learned a love of aircraft and mechanics (like being a wrench on a couple amateur racing cars), but notably no inclination to be a pilot. I suppose that's the theme my careers followed.

Thanks truls, There is always the debate whether to crop in the viewfinder, or on the easel (or PS on the computer). David

PS: Tomorrow chemo again. I may be a bit slow in replying during the next week. Ciao!

[olroy2044]

Really enjoying the shots of the Italian aircraft.  Here in the U.S., the Italian Air Force and its aircraft are not well known.  I do know, however, that some outstanding aircraft came out of Italy during the later stages of WWII.  Some of them (Macchi Folgore?) competitive with the best the Allies had.

Very nice museum.  Here at the Chico Air Museum, an indoor display area like that is, at present, only a dream.  The necessity of displaying our aircraft outdoors means a lot of constant work to keep the aircraft in shape.  Thanks for posting these photos, David, and Stephen

Roy


Just looked at the set of photos on Photobucket:  The Macchi 205 is the aircraft I was thinking of.  Beautiful airplane!

[genazzano]

Thanks Roy. I very much admire those who work so hard to preserve the aircraft of past decades. It's like collecting and preserving photographic technology.

I lived for 12 years in Point Richmond and used to take my bike up through Chico. Many memories.

David