Guido Pongluppi was born in Revere (province of Mantova) on 28 March 1909.

He served as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, and he was sent to Spain for the first time on 15 February 1937 to serve in the 2^a Squadriglia of I Gruppo.

On 22 April, the 2^a Squadriglia of I Gruppo became the 26^a Squadriglia of XVI Gruppo ”Cucaracha”.

On 24 May, Sergente Pongiluppi (CR.32 NC.208) and Sergente Eugenio Salvi (NC.093) took off on an alarm start between 17:05 and 18:30. At 4500 meters over Bilbao they saw a ”Curtiss” which they chased and shot down as a shared between them.
It seems that this was an I-15 flown by José Marin, who was shot down. He had been part of a 12-aircraft strong patrol under the command of teniente José Riverola Grúas.

Between 16:00-17:15 on 4 June 1937 on the Northern Front, ten CR.32s from 26^a Squadriglia, led by Capitano Mario Viola flying between Amorebieta and the Murguia front at 5 000 meters altitude, clashed with 17 I-15s between the Republican Escuadrilla Baquedano’s two bases (San Juan de Somorrostro and Sondica). Italian pilots claimed to have shot down seven “Curtiss fighters” in the Sondica area without loss, Capitano Viola being credited with two individual victories, Sergente Maggiore Guido Presel one Sergente Maggiore Pongiluppi (CR.32 NC.128) one, Sergente Italo De Bernardinis one, Sergente Maggiore Aldo Galadini one and Giannoti one.
Although both sides drastically overestimated their claims, Spanish I-15 pilot Marcelino Alonso Romero from Escuadrilla Baquedano did indeed lose his life during this encounter.

He left Spain on 1 October 1937.

Then, he returned there on 15 February 1939 (arrived in Spain on 20 February) to serve in the Squadriglia Sperimentale G.50 for testing in combat the new Fiat G.50 fighter. He flew various missions but made no contact with enemy aircraft.

He returned to Italy again on 4 May 1939.

During the Second World War he flew missions over Malta and served also as instructor for fighter pilots in Gorizia.

Pongiluppi ended the war with 4 biplane victories.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1937
	24/05/37	17:05-18:30	1/2	I-15 (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32	NC.208	Bilbao	26a Squadriglia
1	04/06/37	16:00-17:15	1	I-15 (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32	NC.128	Sondica area	26a Squadriglia
2	12/07/37		1	I-16	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32	NC.509	Villanueva de la Cañada	26a Squadriglia
3	18/07/37		1	R-Z	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32	NC.509	Valdemorillo - Navalcarnero	26a Squadriglia
4	18/07/37		1	R-Z	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32	NC.509	Valdemorillo - Navalcarnero	26a Squadriglia
	26/07/37		1/2	SB	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32	NC.509	Villanueva de la Cañada - Brunete	26a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 4 and 2 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 4 and 2 shared destroyed.
(a) José Marin shot down.
(b) 26^a Squadriglia claimed 7 I-15s without losses but only 1 can be verified (pilot KiA).

Sources:
Aerial War in Spain: Chronicle of air battle 1936-1939 – Sergey Abrosov, 2008
Aircraft of the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 – Gerald Howson, 1990 Putnam Aeronautical Books, London, ISBN 0-85177842-9
Air War over Spain - Jesus Salas Larrazabal, 1974 Ian Allan Ltd, Shepperton, Surrey, ISBN 0-7110-0521-4
Assi Italiani Della Caccia 1936-1945 - 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999
Fiat CR.32 Aces of the Spanish Civil War - Alfredo Logoluso, 2010 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84603-983-6
Guido Pongiluppi: Pilota Mantovano, Dal Cielo Di Campoformido A Quelli Di Spagna E Malta - Renato Zavattini and Antonio Inguscio, 2021 IBN Instituto Bibliografico Napoleone, ISBN 9788875655389
Spanish Republican Aces – Rafael A. Permuy López, 2012 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, ISBN 978-1-84908-668-4
The Legion Condor - Karl Ries and Hans Ring, 1992 Schiffer Publishing
Additional information kindly provided by Renato Zavattini.