1912 – 1995

Corrado Ricci was born in 1912.

He joined the Regia Aeronautica in 1931.

By 1936 he was flying CR.32s with 79^a Squadriglia, 6^o Gruppo, 1^o Stormo, which became 153^a Squadriglia, 3^o Gruppo, 6^o Stormo.

He volunteered for service in the Spanish Civil War under the nom de guerre ”Rocca” and arrived there on 3 November 1936.
He was posted to the 3^a Squadriglia of I Gruppo C.T., which was equipped with Fiat CR.32s.
Ricci usually flew a CR.32 with fuselage code 3-5 and with his initials CR painted on the engine cowling.

On 13 November, fourteen Fiat CR.32s escorted five ”Junkers” and three ”Romeos”. Over the Pasco de Rosales (Madrid) they clashed with sixteen I-15s led by Pavel Rychagov.
The Soviet pilots claimed six victories (three of them fell in Republican territory) while two I-15s were lost when Ivan K. Kovtun and Petr A. Purov were shot down by Fiats and killed. Kovtun’s death was witnessed by Georgiy Zakharov, who also took part in this combat. The Nationalist pilots claimed six victories over “Curtisses”. Joaquín García-Morato claimed one, Ángel Salas damaged three and Julio Salvador claimed another. One Fiat was lost when Captain Mosca (’Massa’), who was badly injured, made a crash-landing at Talavera. Captain Mariotti force-landed outside the airfield at Getafe, but without damaging his aircraft.
On their return flight, the Nationalist pilots encountered five Katiuskas, bombing Getafe and Cuatro Vientos from a height of 5000m. Salas damaged one so severely that the crew had to take to their parachutes, and Morato damaged three others. On this day, Morato recorded his fifteenth victory, both Salas and Salvador their fifth. Another pilot who claimed a Curtiss (I-15) over Madrid during the day was Corrado Ricci.
In the afternoon nine (or twelve) He51s from the German Legion Condor took off from Avila to provide escort for five Ju52s and three He46s, which were to attack the Republican positions on the west bank of the Manzanares. It seems that at least six CR.32s also were present.
At 15:00 twelve I-16 type 5 “Moscas” and twelve I-15s intercepted them over Madrid. The I-16s were led by the Russian squadron leader Sergeiy Tarchov (’Antonio’) (he was the commander of the first and newly created escadrilla of I-16s) while the I-15s (Escadrilla Rychagova) were again led by Pavel Rychagov. All Republican pilots taking part in this combat were Russians.
The Republican fighters dove on the Henrici Kette. Unteroffizier Mratzek was able to claim an I-16 as it dove past. Oberleutnant Oskar Henrici claimed a Russian fighter in the same way as the He51s dove into the clouds. A bitter dogfight raged over Madrid at 1,500 meters. The Knüppe Kette dove into a cloud, reversed course in a steep turn and re-emerged below the Republican aircraft. Oberleutnant Herwig Knüppel and Unteroffizier Sawallisch claimed two I-15s; Sawallisch made his way home with some difficulty with shot-up tail surfaces. The Eberhardt Kette had remained above the bombers as top cover. Oberleutnant Kraft Eberhardt collided with an enemy fighter he had shot down and was killed; the Russian pilot was able to bail out. Oberleutnant Henrici took a bullet through the lung, but was able to land his aircraft in friendly territory. As he left his aircraft, however, he collapsed and died. The German Staffel became completely scattered, each pilot seeking cover in cloud and making his own way back to Avila. Leutnant Hennig “Piefke” Strümpell and Leutnant Dietrich von Bothmer reported the destruction of two further I-15s.
Henrici was probably shot down by Sergiey Chernych, (I-16). It seems that Eberhardt collided with Tarchov since it’s reported that he single-handed fought against a number of He51s before being forced to bail out after a collision. While hanging in his parachute, Republican soldiers mistook him for Nationalist pilot and opened fire, hitting him six times. Tarchov landed in Madrid but was attacked by the public because they thought he was a German. He died of his injuries at Gómes Ulla hospital on 23 November. This led General Miaja to the issue following order the next day:

“Any aviator who jumps from his aircraft using a parachute is out of the battle and, therefore, I order all forces defending Madrid not to shoot at parachutists under any circumstances. They may be our own men, but, if they prove to be enemies they can provide us with valuable information, which will be of great use for our operations.”

On 19 November six SM.81s and eighteen Ju52/3ms dropped about 40 tons of bombs on Madrid. Escorting nine He5ls and sixteen Fiats fought against a large number of Ratas and Chatos (reportedly 33 Republican fighters were counted). Ángel Salas fired off practically all his ammunition against one Rata, which was last seen in a dive behind its own lines. During this combat Ricci claimed a Rata.
The Republicans claimed four aircraft destroyed (three fighters and one Ju52/3m) with two more damaged Ju52/3ms for the loss of two fighters. Fernando Roig Vaalta was shot down and killed in an I-15s as was Captain Dimitryi I. Zedanov, who crashed to his death in his heavily damaged I-16 two kilometres short of his airfield.
The Nationalist fighters and bombers claimed four enemy fighters.
This was the last large air battle during 1936.

On 3 December Ricci and Bernardino Serafini claimed a shared Martin bomber (SB) over Madrid.
This claim can’t be verified with certainty by either Republican and Nationalist records.

On 6 December two Ratas were claimed shot down over Madrid by Ricci and ten other Italian and three Spanish pilots of I^o Gruppo

He claimed two shared Ratas together with five other pilots over Las Rozas on 20 December.

His final claim for 1936 was a shared Potez 54, which was claimed with four other pilots over Madrid on 22 December.

Between 14:20 and 15:40 on 20 February, Sergente Maggiore Silvio Costigliolo of the 1^a Squadriglia claimed an I-16 over Morata de Tajuna during an escort mission of Ju 52 bombers. Ricci of the 3^a Squadriglia claimed a shared victory (Curtiss?) together with eight other Italian pilots during the same mission,

In spring 1937 XVI Gruppo ”Cucaracha” was formed and included 24^a (formerly 1^a), 25^a (formerly 2^a) and 26^a (formerly 3^a) Squadriglie.

26^a Squadriglia took part in the battles around Madrid, including the Battle of Jarama in February 1937, and the Battle of Guadaljara in March.

When the Nationalist attack on the Basque Country began in the end of March 1937, XVI Gruppo was moved north and 26^a Squadriglia was stationed at Vitoria.
The 26^a Squadriglia was commanded by Capitano Mario Viola (”Viotti”) who led the 1st Flight of five aircraft (with reserve pilots) usually including Tenente Luigi Mariotti, Ottorinio Cappellini, Giannoti (”Vitullo”), Curilli, Sartori and Romagnoli.
The 2nd Flight was led by Tenente Ricci and usually included (with reserve pilots) Tenente Giuseppe Mollo, Sergente Maggiore Guido Presel (”Sanmartano”)(totally 13 victories during the Spanish Civil War), Brunetto di Montegnacco, Eugenio Salvi, Galadini, Bernardino Serafini and Virgilio Pongiluppi.

During the attack on the Basque town of Guernica on 26 April at least the 2nd Flight and possibly also the 1st Flight provided escort to the German bombers when they left the target area in the afternoon and evening.

On 5 June 1937, Ricci claimed three I-15s destroyed on the ground at San Juan de Somorrostro.

He claimed a “Papagayo” " (R-Z or Aero 101) on 18 July over Brunete.

On 26 July Ricci claimed a shared Martin bomber (SB) together with other pilots from XVI Gruppo and a second as a probable by himself over Valdemorillo.
This was his last claim in Spain before returning to Italy.

Tenente Corrado Ricci in Spain with his Fiat CR.32 ‘3-5’.

In the East African campaign of 1940-41 he served with the 410^a Squadriglia, equipped with Fiat CR.32s.

At 08:00 on 1 August 1940 the two secret Italian landing grounds at Chinele, near Diredawa, was discovered and strafed by two Blenheims.
A dozen Blenheims from Aden, six each from 8 and 39 Squadrons, escorted by two Blenheims IVFs of 203 Squadron, were sent off to attack the fields in the afternoon. At 15:00 the bombers approached at 16,000 feet and dived to 10,000 feet to bomb. AA fire was encountered and fighters from Diredawa, eight miles away, attacked the two Blenheims IVFs, which were escorting the 39 Squadron formation, which had bombed first. One of the fighter Blenheims was hit by one bullet, and a possible hit on one CR.42 was claimed. Later than the rest of the fighters at Diredawa, Capitano Ricci, commanding officer of the 410^a Squadriglia, had taken off in his CR.32 as the second wave of bombers approached, and he chased and these. He later told:

"I look around; nothing to see. But... something is coming from the sunshine... Here they are; six diving bombers. It seems to me they are heading towards our secret airfields. I hope they had been alerted! They are flying over Diredawa; I'll chase them out of the town border. They hadn't bombed the town, so they're really heading to the airfields. They are going to pass at my side, at my same level, fast as a bolide! I attack the front section of three from the side, the other section still being to the rear. While I'm firing, I find myself in their trail; I shoot at the leader, then at the right wingman; the two aircraft seem to leave tiny trails of smoke, but I'm not sure of it. One of my machine gun jams, but I don't recharge it because I don't want to lose aim. Tracer shells passed nearby my side, I hear shots behind me; I am attacked too. I evade with a large, barrel-shaped tonneau; while I'm upside down I can see the second section passing at my right side, slightly lower than me. At the end of the manoeuvre I'm at six of the left wingman, but in the meanwhile I recharged the jammed gun, so I shoot again, sharing my rounds to all three, while bombs are falling. First section is far ahead, the two aircraft I fired at are still smoking. [...] I concentrate on the aiming: it's the turn of the right wingman now. The gun jams again! I recharge it. All three aircraft leave a light trail of smoke, like the two of the first section. I shoot again... the aircraft I'm shooting at seems to slow down... is it an illusion? No, it is really slowing down: while the other two are going, it extracts the gun turret and begins to shoot at me. I fire again; the British pilot manoeuvres to prevent me to hide behind his tail. I discharge brief bursts... I must slow down to not collide with him. We are at ten meters from ground; the British extracts the flaps and lands on the sand in a cloud of dust."

At 06:00 on 8 August Berbera airfield was attacked by two CR.32s and one CR.42 from 410^a Squadriglia, based at Hargeisa, led by Capitano Ricci flying in one of the CR.32s. The Italian aircraft had taken off from Diredawa at 05:00. Ricci later told:

"I was the first to take off, with Tellurio at my wing; soon after started Cacciavillani and Komienz, but the first skipped on ground, and then stood with tail up: what could have happened to him? Komienz joined us. I checked my compass with a pocket light to keep the course. After half an hour of flight the light is coming, but we could not yet see Berbera; five minutes more: nothing again... I again checked the chart; the course is right, but I have no reference point on the ground because it is so flat; I know that the wind is strong, and its direction change as the sun rise, but I can't evaluate it. I continue a little bit on chance. At the end I decide to turn 90-degrees left; after a few minutes a sparkling ahead makes me happy: it's the sea! I start a light dive, and I increase it as we are approaching, so we find us to fly grazing to the yellowish sand: it's the only way to come unseen! I can see the town, it's small, whitish; there's a ship in the harbour. Here is the airfield: two dark aircraft, side by side, stand out. They are Gladiators. My wingmen close at me, and this bothers me; slowly, I gain speed and I put them away from me. We are skimming the ground and some small hills cover us to enemy's sight; just a little bit... Here we are! With a steep climb I gain 500 m height, then I dive on the fighter at left; while I'm aiming a man leaves it and falls headlong... what a long-legged he is! I shoot: a strong wind disturbs my shoot, my rounds are on ground, but some hit the target. I pull hard, quite skimming the wing of the enemy aircraft; I hear behind my shoulders that Tellurio and Komienz are firing too. The anti-aircraft weapons awake; bluish tracer shells, shrapnel explosions; the ships fires like a volcano, the machine-guns in their nest at the airfield's edge are shooting: the air is hot! A big turn: the other Gloster is burning, mine is not, but with a second burst I get it burning too. We can go! I take a snapshot with my old camera that I bring with me at every flight: I have to prove the results of the action. We go away, with a grazing flight. A sand column rise just in front of me; here another and other around: they are the British grenades. I climb to 200 m altitude: black burst around us, some other sand gush here and there, then all is over."

In the beginning of December he made an emergency crash-landing after that the engine on his CR.32 had failed.
After this incident he was sent for a period of convalescence in the Dankalia highland. While here he witnessed Alberto Veronese and Athos Tieghi shooting down a Martin 167F (initially identified by Ricci as a Marauder) on 16 December. He immediately phoned his Squadriglia to get the names of the pilots involved.

During the early months of 1941 Ricci received a radio-equipped CR.32. With this he started to intercept the Blenheims on the route to and from Dessiè or Addis Ababa. This forced the Blenheims to make only a fast pass on the target, instead of two or three, which had been possible earlier.

Six Blenheims of 8 Squadron from Aden bombed Diredawa early on 9 March 1941, six CR.42s and a single monoplane being reported seen on the ground, although only two or three fighters were actually present; the monoplane was a S.81, already damaged beyond repair, but retained as a decoy.
Three CR.32s of the 410^a Squadriglia approached the bombers head on, and the leader, Capitano Ricci, turned sharply to attack the right hand Blenheim. This manoeuvred to evade him and Ricci found himself formatting closely with the leading aircraft, L8504 piloted by Squadron Leader Hanlon. The turret gunner opened fire on him and incendiary bullets struck the wings of his Fiat. Bouncing around in the bomber’s slipstream, Ricci opened fire as it begun to pull away from him, and saw his bullets exploding on the rear of the right-hand engine nacelle. Thinking he had damaged it badly, he then attacked another Blenheim and fought with it for minutes before his guns jammed and he had to land. He was credited with the bomber as probably destroyed but Squadron Leader Hanlon had to force-land on Perim Island during the homeward flight as a result of the damaged sustained. Two more Blenheims were claimed damaged.
Little damaged had been done to the airfield, but the native quarter was hit and twenty of the inhabitants killed. Ricci was pleased since thanks to the radio in his aircraft and as a result of guidance given from the ground, he had been able to intercept the bombers and attack them before they had dropped their bombs. He recalled:

"A morning I scramble with Puliti and I'm radio-guided to intercept two sections of three Blenheims each, which were going to bomb Diredawa. I think I could made only a single front attack, because, since they are faster than me, I could never reach them for a second pass; so, I decide to attack them from the rear to increase my possibilities. With a big turn I dive on the formation, which at a certain point is hidden from my sight by my wing; I fear to collide with them, but meanwhile I think that however they should take care to avoid me! Indeed I came very close to the right wingman, which suddenly veered away from the patrol and was soon attacked by Puliti, while I find myself right on the side of the leader, after having risked to hit its wing with my plane. I immediately start to fire, aiming at the right engine, but the slipstream shatters my aim, while the rudder dangerously pass me by; but a long, black smoke trail came from the engine, just while an piece tears off from the fuselage. I think to have got it, and I go to attack another alone one, that escapes me by diving. Here is a third one, it's alone too: I attack it. He's a courageous pilot: instead to evade, he challenges to me with beautiful turns; I’m surprised to see little smoke trails from its fuselage, but perhaps it's the gunner that's shooting at me. During the manoeuvres my weapons continue to jam while I'm shooting in tight turns, but at the end I find myself in a good advantage; the foe realizes it and, with a good overturn, go in a vertical dive, then heads towards Dankalia while I’m pursue him, shooting, while it leaves me behind, more and more. He disappears, apparently undamaged. The ground observers, however, don't see it pass: they spot only five while heading home. Some time after, we knew that a Blenheim force-landed in the Tajura area, in the French Somalia, but the crew should have been able to return to Arabia: perhaps they are those!"

Pilots of 410^a Squadriglia in a sandbagged shelter at Jigga.
On the left is Sottoten Alberto Veronese and on the right, enjoying a banana, Capitano Corrado Ricci.

Ricci was allowed to return to Italy in April 1941 because he was suffering of appendicitis (a potentially lethal pathology in pre-antibiotic era), but he missed the rendezvous with a S.82 at Sifani on 11 April, because the Caproni that had to bring him there had incorrect flight maps and became lost en route! Ricci had to wait for another S.82 from Italy the following month. He took off on 3 May at 17:00 as the only passenger: in fact the payload was important military documents that had to be brought back to Rome. The SIAI headed to the Red Sea, flew over the Dahlak Archipelago and over Port Sudan, then turned to Benghazi, where it landed the following morning. Ricci left to Italy on 7 May, on the same aircraft, following the coast until Tunisia, then heading to Rome.

Later in the war he formed and commanded the first specialized night fighter unit in the Regia Aeronautica, the 300^a Squadriglia. This unit was based at Ciampino and tasked with the night defence of Rome from January to May 1942. The unit was equipped with CR.42CNs and Re2001s. Later in the war his unit was issued with a few ex-Armée de l’Air Dewoitine D520s, and he was involved in some interceptions of USAAF B-24s in one of these fighters during 1943.

In April 1943 the prototype twin-engined FC.20bis was flown to Guidonia to Capua by Maggiore Ricci.
It made only one interception and was found too slow to catch the B-24s it was sent after.
After that it moved to Furbara.

Fiat CR.42CN MM7584 ‘300-7’ flown by Capitano Corrado Ricci in the night defence of Rome.

Following the Armistice of September 1943, Ricci served with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force.

Ricci ended the war with 5 victories, all of them claimed while flying biplanes during the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War.

He remained in the Air Force after the war, becoming Chief of Personnel. His subsequent successor following his retirement was another ex-East African pilot, Romano Palmera.

Following the tragic death of several of his children in accidents, he left Italy to start a new life in Gabon, where he set up a carpentry business. Subsequently he coupled that work with service as a missionary for the Roman Catholic Church.

Ricci passed away in 1995.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1936
1	13/11/36		1	I-15 (a)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Madrid	3a Squadriglia
2	19/11/36		1	I-16 (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Madrid	3a Squadriglia
	03/12/36		½	SB (c)	Shared probably destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Madrid	3a Squadriglia
	06/12/36		1/14	I-16	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Madrid	3a Squadriglia
	06/12/36		1/14	I-16	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Madrid	3a Squadriglia
	20/12/36		1/6	I-16	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Las Rozas	3a Squadriglia
	20/12/36		1/6	I-16	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Las Rozas	3a Squadriglia
	22/12/36		1/5	Potez 54	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Madrid	3a Squadriglia
	1937
	20/02/37	14:20-15:40	1/9	Enemy aircraft	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Morata de Tajuna	3a Squadriglia
	05/06/37		1	I-15	Destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.32		San Juan de Somorrostro	26a Squadriglia
	05/06/37		1	I-15	Destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.32		San Juan de Somorrostro	26a Squadriglia
	05/06/37		1	I-15	Destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.32		San Juan de Somorrostro	26a Squadriglia
3	18/07/37		1	”Papagayo”	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Brunete	26a Squadriglia
	26/07/37		1	SB	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Valdemorillo	26a Squadriglia
	26/07/37		1	SB	Probable	Fiat CR.32		Valdemorillo	26a Squadriglia
	1940
4	01/08/40		1	Blenheim (d)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Chinele	410a Squadriglia
	08/08/40		1	Gladiator (e)	Destroyed on the ground	Fiat CR.32		Berbera	410a Squadriglia
	1941
5	09/03/41		1	Blenheim (f)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Diredawa	410a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 5 and 7 shared destroyed, 1 and 1 shared probable, 4 destroyed on the ground.
TOTAL: 5 and 7 shared destroyed, 1 and 1 shared probable, 4 destroyed on the ground.
(a) The Republican pilots claimed six victories for the loss of two I-15s (Ivan K. Kovtun and Petr A. Purov killed). The Nationalist pilots claimed six victories and three damaged for the loss of one CR.32 and a second force-landed.
(b) The Nationalist fighters and bombers claimed four enemy fighters. The Republicans claimed four aircraft destroyed with two more damaged Ju52s for the loss of two fighters (Fernando Roig Vaalta and Dimitryi I. Zedanov killed).
(c) This claim can’t be verified with certainty by either Republican and Nationalist records.
(d) Blenheim (L8406) of 8 Squadron; Sergeant J. C. Franks (pilot), Sergeant Thain (observer) and Leading Aircraftsman Cumner-Price (wireless operator/air gunner) becoming prisoners.
(e) Gladiator (N5778) of 94 Squadron destroyed on the ground.
(f) Blenheim (L8504) of 8 Squadron flown by Squadron Leader Hanlon; force-landed.

Sources:
Aircraft Losses during the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 - James B. Haycraft, 1991 Air Enterprise Publication, Newark kindly provided by Santiago Flores
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
Courage Alone - Chris Dunning, 1998 Hikoki Publications, Aldershot
Dust Clouds in the Middle East - Christopher Shores, 1996 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-37-X
Esa mezivalecneho obdobi - Tomas Polak, 1995 Plastic Kits Revue 43/95, Ostrava, Czech Republic kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.
La romantica Squadriglia – Corrado Ricci, Edizioni Cielo, Rome kindly provided by Stefano Lazzaro
Mussolini’s Eagles Over Guernica, April 26,1937 - Paul Whelan and Tom Sarbaugh, 1989 Skyways Vol.12, October 1989 kindly provided by Santiago Flores
The Bristol Blenheim: A complete history – Graham Warner, 2002 Crécy Publishing Limited, Manchester, ISBN 0-947554-92-0
The Legion Condor - Karl Ries and Hans Ring, 1992 Schiffer Publishing
Vita di Pilota - Corrado Ricci kindly provided by Santiago Flores
Additional info kindly provided by Eugenio Costigliolo, Stefano Lazzaro, Alfredo Logoluso, Giovanni Massimello and Mirek Wawrzynski.