Mauro Antonellini

Mauro Antonellini has produced after probably years of research his study of the Italian Navy base for seaplanes (Hydroplanes) in Porto Corsini. It covers the war period 1915 - 1918 (Italy entered later in WW1). The book covers the seaplane station (geography and installations) and the development of Italian designed flying boats, the first models were strongly modelled on the outstanding Austro-Hungarian flying boats of Lohner and other firms. The foremost Italian firm was Macchi, which developed a host of different types. In 1917 the base was inhibated by US personnel flying also mostly Macchi flying boats. Commander was Willis Bradley Haviland whose complete scrapbook can be found on the internet, published by his grandson. Look at http://wbhaviland.org/.

Extra to the great number of excellent pictures (superbly reproduced in print) are a few pages of colour drawings of Macchi and F.B.A. flying boats which were based in Porto Corsini. The markings of these machines (in colour) is stunning. Probably they hired some artists to paint their machines.… (meer)