Tugnoli served in the Spanish Civil War were he claimed 1 victory while serving in the VI Gruppo C.T.

In November 1940, he belonged to the 153^a Squadriglia, 3^o Gruppo Autonomo CT which was equipped with Fiat CR.42s.

At around midday on 27 November, the British and Italian fleets clashed in what was later called the Battle of Cape Spartivento. Eleven Swordfishes from 810 Squadron of HMS Ark Royal led by Lieutenant Commander M. Johnstone attacked at around 12:40, claiming a hit on the battleship Vittorio Veneto (in fact, they all missed).
In the early afternoon, nine Swordfishes from 820 Squadron of HMS Ark Royal led by Lieutenant Commander J. A. Stuart-Moore attacked the Italian cruisers, claiming two hits (none achieved). Three CR.42s of 154^a Squadriglia piloted by Capitano Tovazzi, Tenente Giannini and Sergente Maggiore Bortolani intercepted a British plane identified as a “Blackburn” during a cruise over the Italian fleet and Giannini claimed it shot down. Ten SM 79s of the 32^o Stormo, escorted by CR.42s of the 3^o Gruppo Autonomo then arrived over Force “H” and seven Fulmars of 808 Squadron, which were up, intercepted at 14:30 claiming two or three victories without being able to stop them. Green Section’s Lieutenant Rupert Tillard claimed one SM 79 shot down but then he and the men of his section were bounced by the CR.42s. A formation of five CR.42s of the 153^a Squadriglia led by Capitano Tugnoli and including Tenente Alfonso Mattei, Sottotenente Ciapetti (154^a Squadriglia), Sergente Maggiore Visconti and Sergente Lucato (154^a Squadriglia) reported a combat against seven British fighters probably “Hurricanes” over the sea 200 km south-west of Cagliari. They claimed five victories with the use of 1080 rounds, one of the victories was claimed individually by Ciapetti while Lucato failed to return. In fact, unable to fight back because low on ammunitions and after having mistaken the Fiats for Sea Gladiators, Fulmar N1941 (pilot Sub Lieutenant Richard Maurice Scott Martin and TAG L/A Alexander Laird Milne Noble (FAA/FX 79397)) was shot down into the sea with the loss of the crew. The FAA pilots were unable to claim anything and the missing CR.42 probably run out of fuel after the combat and disappeared in the sea with its pilot.
All the SM 79s from the 32^o Stormo returned to base, even if eight out of ten were damaged by the Fulmars and the AA, two of them seriously. However, a transit Vichy French Farman 223 was involved in the combat and shot down, most likely by the Fulmars.
One hour later, seven Skuas of 800 Squadron led by Lieutenant Smeeton dive bombed the Italian ships without success but while coming back to HMS Ark Royal they run across the Ro.43 seaplane spotter of Vittorio Veneto (piloted by Capitano Violante with observer Sottotenente di Vascello Davide Sovrano). Four of the Skuas shot it down into the sea (Lieutenant Rooper/Sub Lieutenant Woolston in L3015, Pilot Officer (A) Sabey/L/A Cooles in L2009, Pilot Officer (A) Burston/N/A Holmes in L3007 and Pilot Officer (A) Jopling/N/A Glen in L3017).

In the beginning of May 1941, a convoy of five fast freighters steamed for Alexandria (Operation Tiger) together with Force H from Gibraltar. To meet this convoy the Mediterranean Fleet left Alexandria on 6 May to rendezvous with it south of Malta. The Tiger convoy escaped discovery until 8 May due to bad weather and poor visibility but was then on to became the focus for the air battles for the next four days.
The first incoming raid was reported at about 13:45, still 32 miles from the ships. HMS Ark Royal of Force H had embarked a second squadron of Fulmars to replace the low-performance Skuas of 800 Squadron. This was 807 Squadron under Lieutenant Commander J. Sholto Douglas who was to assist the resident Fulmars of 808 Squadron under Lieutenant Commander Rupert Tillard. Only twelve aircraft were serviceable this morning but two sections (four aircraft) of 807 Squadron were scrambled to join the four Fulmars of 808 Squadron on patrol.
The four Fulmars of 808 Squadron intercepted sixteen SM 79s of 38^o Gruppo from Sardinia, but as Lieutenant Commander Tillard led the attack they were themselves attacked by a dozen escorting CR.42s of the 3^o Gruppo C.T. Almost immediately Tillard’s Fulmar was shoot down after having ignored the advice he had been given to not get involved in a turning ‘dogfight’ with the CR.42s. He and his observer, Lieutenant Mark Somerville, were killed. The three other Fulmars were also hit, the aircraft of both Lieutenant G. C. McE. Guthrie and Pilot Officer (A) R. E. Dubber sustaining damage to their tail units, while in Lieutenant Taylour’s aircraft the TAG, Pilot Officer (A) L. G. J. Howard received a severe leg wound, an explosive bullet shattering both tibia and fibula. One CR.42 overshot their aircraft and Taylour managed to score hits on it, forcing it into a spin from which he considered it would not be able to recover. Having evaded the other CR.42s, Taylour headed for the carrier with his wounded TAG, where only prompt and skilful action by HMS Ark Royal’s surgeon prevented the loss of Howard’s leg.
The Italian pilots claimed five Fulmars shot down, one of these being credited to Capitano Tugnoli. This was the only combat with biplane fighters over the convoy during the day but the battle continued all day. The protecting Fulmars nevertheless managed to protect the fleet and no ships were sunk.
34-year-old Lieutenant Commander Rupert Tillard was credited with 6 and 1 shared destroyed enemy aircraft at the time of his death.

Later in the war Tugnoli was transferred first to the 74^o Gruppo (which he commanded) and later to the 23^o Gruppo C.T., which he also commanded.

On 31 July 1942 a formation of 12 MC.202s from 70^a and 74^a Squadriglias surprised a squadron of Kittyhawks, who were attacking German lines at Bir Mukeisin with a squadron of Spitfires as escort. Totally was the allied group twice as big as the Italian was.
Despite this the Italian fighters attacked and during the following dogfight five of the enemy fighters were claimed as destroyed. In this combat enemy aircraft were claimed by Capitano Tugnoli, Capitano Claudio Solaro, Sergente Maggiore Celso Zemella, Sergente Maggiore Mantelli. The fifth was claimed jointly by Tenente Moruzzi, Tenente Spinelli, Sottotenente Sprinelli Barrile and Sottotenente Carlo Brigante Colonna. Tugnoli and Sergente Maggiore Stefani claimed two more aircraft as probables. Eleven more of the enemy aircraft was shot at.
All the Italian aircraft returned to base.

At dawn on 4 September 1942 the Italian pilots of 23^o Gruppo were in the air. Led by Maggiore Luigi Filippi and Capitano Tugnoli the 20 MC.202s were led by radar to intercept a large formation of Boston bombers escorted by Kittyhawks. The English aircraft were on their way back to their bases after an attack when the Italian aircraft intercepted them. In the ensuing fierce combat three Allied aircraft were claimed by Tugnoli, Sergente Maggiore Pappini and Sergente Dusi.

On 11 March 1943 Capitano Tugnoli of 23^o Gruppo spotted 20 twin-engined bombers escorted by 25 Spitfires over Tunisia. In the ensuing combat one bomber was claimed shot down and Maresciallo Felice Longhi claimed one of the fighters.
MC.202s from 6^o Gruppo also participated in this combat.

Tugnoli ended the war with 2 biplane victories and a total of 6 destroyed.
During the war he was decorated with three Medaglie d’argento and three Medaglie di bronzo.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	193?
1	??/??/3?		1	Enemy aircraft	Destroyed	Fiat CR.32		Spain	VIo Gruppo
	1940
	27/11/40	p.m.	1/5	’Hurricane’ (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		200km SW Cagliari	153a Squadriglia
	27/11/40	p.m.	1/5	’Hurricane’ (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		200km SW Cagliari	153a Squadriglia
	27/11/40	p.m.	1/5	’Hurricane’ (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		200km SW Cagliari	153a Squadriglia
	27/11/40	p.m.	1/5	’Hurricane’ (a)	Shared destroyed	Fiat CR.42		200km SW Cagliari	153a Squadriglia
	1941
?	08/05/41	13:45-	1	Fulmar (b)	Destroyed	Fiat CR.42		off Sardinia	153a Squadriglia
	1942
?	31/07/42		1	Enemy aircraft (c)	Destroyed	MC.202		Bir Mukeisin area	74a Squadriglia
	31/07/42		1	Enemy aircraft (c)	Probable	MC.202		Bir Mukeisin area	74a Squadriglia
?	04/09/42		1	Enemy aircraft (d)	Destroyed	MC.202		North Africa	74a Squadriglia

Biplane victories: 2 and 4 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 6 and 4 shared destroyed, 1 probable.
(a) Probably claimed in combat with Fulmars from 808 Squadron. The 3^o Gruppo claimed five shot down without losses. 808 Squadron didn’t claim anything and lost Fulmar N1941 and the crew was KIA.
(b) Regia Aeronautica made claims for five destroyed; FAA lost squadron commander Lieutenant Commander Tillard DSC and his observer Lieutenant Somerville DSC of 808 Squadron which both were killed. Three additional Fulmars were damaged.
(c) Claimed in combat with P-40 Kittyhawks and Spitfires.
(d) Claimed in combat with Boston bombers escorted by P-40 Kittyhawks.

Sources:
3^o Stormo, storia fotografica - Dai biplani agli aviogetti - Carlo Lucchini and Leproni Enrico, 1990 Gino Rossato Editore
Assi Italiani Della Caccia 1936-1945 - 1999 Aerofan no. 69 apr.-giu. 1999 kindly provided by Jean Michel Cala
Diario Storico 153^a Squadriglia anno 1940.
Diario Storico 154^a Squadriglia anno 1940.
Malta: The Hurricane Years 1940-41 - Christopher Shores and Brian Cull with Nicola Malizia, 1987 Grub Street, London, ISBN 0-89747-207-1
Additional information kindly provided by Bruce Buchanan, Stefano Lazzaro and Ludovico Slongo.