Alessandro Resch
Encyclopedia
Sottotenente Alessandro Resch was an Italian World War I flying ace
credited with five aerial victories. He is unique among Italian aces of the war because he managed to score an aerial victory while flying a two-seater reconnaissance plane.
. He was promoted to caporale and became a truck driver carrying messages to the front. On 9 June 1916, Resch evacuated a wounded officer in his truck during the fighting for Monfalcone
. After a promotion to sergente, Resch requested and received pilot's training as an officer cadet.
Railway Station when his Voisin came under attack over Komen
. Resch's observer, Sottotenente Lioy, emptied two magazines of machine gun fire at one of two enemy Fokker E.III
s as they closed in on a stern assault. Resch dove on the second Fokker while Lioy emptied two more magazines. One Fokker's wing came off. The other one retreated. The Italian crew returned to base with 30 bullet holes in their Voisin. Unknown to them, both Fokkers had crashed; the Austro-Hungarians believed they had been lost in a midair collision. The Italians, in a rare bit of under-claiming, filed for a single victory. On 22 August, Resch was nicked by a shell splinter. Shortly afterwards, he received a Silver award of the Medal for Military Valor.
In May 1917, he reported for training as a fighter pilot. He was commissioned and assigned to 70a Squadriglia in October. When German airplanes attacked Istrana
, Resch tried to launch to counter them, but his airplane was hit while he taxied on the runway and he had to abort the attempt.
On 17 April 1918, he used a Hanriot HD.1
to share in a triple night victory over Valdobbiadene
. Just five days later, the fuel tank in Hanriot HD.I No. 6252 ruptured while Resch was flying it. Drenched in fuel, the Italian pilot could only shut down the engine and try for the nearest airfield. His dead stick landing of his winged Molotov cocktail
was foiled by unfavorable wind, and he capsized upon setting down short of the runway. No fire resulted.
On 12 July 1918, Resch repeatedly fired into an Albatros D.III
, which fell in a flutter emitting puffs of smoke. Alessandro Resch was officially an ace, two years after his first victory.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with five aerial victories. He is unique among Italian aces of the war because he managed to score an aerial victory while flying a two-seater reconnaissance plane.
Early life and service
Alessandro Resch was the son of a businessman. He was interested in cycling as a youth. When he was conscripted, he went into a cyclist battalion of BersaglieriBersaglieri
The Bersaglieri are a corps of the Italian Army originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Piedmontese Army, later to become the Royal Italian Army...
. He was promoted to caporale and became a truck driver carrying messages to the front. On 9 June 1916, Resch evacuated a wounded officer in his truck during the fighting for Monfalcone
Monfalcone
Monfalcone is a town and comune of the province of Gorizia , located on the coast of the Gulf of Trieste. Monfalcone means "Mount of Falcon" in Italian....
. After a promotion to sergente, Resch requested and received pilot's training as an officer cadet.
Aerial service
On 8 July 1916, he joined 26a Squadriglia. On 15 August, he was on a bombing mission to ReifenbergReifenberg
Reifenberg is a municipality in Südwestpfalz district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....
Railway Station when his Voisin came under attack over Komen
Komen
Komen is a settlement and a municipality in Slovenia. It is located on the Kras plateau in the Slovenian Littoral.-History:In the Middle Ages, it was first part of the Duchy of Friuli and in the 13th century it was included in the County of Gorizia. Komen was first mentioned in a document from 1247...
. Resch's observer, Sottotenente Lioy, emptied two magazines of machine gun fire at one of two enemy Fokker E.III
Fokker E.III
|-See also:...
s as they closed in on a stern assault. Resch dove on the second Fokker while Lioy emptied two more magazines. One Fokker's wing came off. The other one retreated. The Italian crew returned to base with 30 bullet holes in their Voisin. Unknown to them, both Fokkers had crashed; the Austro-Hungarians believed they had been lost in a midair collision. The Italians, in a rare bit of under-claiming, filed for a single victory. On 22 August, Resch was nicked by a shell splinter. Shortly afterwards, he received a Silver award of the Medal for Military Valor.
In May 1917, he reported for training as a fighter pilot. He was commissioned and assigned to 70a Squadriglia in October. When German airplanes attacked Istrana
Istrana
Istrana is a comune in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about 35 km northwest of Venice and about 12 km west of Treviso...
, Resch tried to launch to counter them, but his airplane was hit while he taxied on the runway and he had to abort the attempt.
On 17 April 1918, he used a Hanriot HD.1
Hanriot HD.1
|-References:* Bruce, J.M. The Hanriot HD 1 Leatherhead: Profile Publications* Cheesman E.F. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War Letchworth, Harletford Publications, 1960 pp. 82-83- External links :*...
to share in a triple night victory over Valdobbiadene
Valdobbiadene
Valdobbiadene is a town in the province of Treviso, Veneto, Italy. Valdobbiadene is a picturesque wine growing area. Just below the Alpine areas of Veneto, it provides a climate for cool varieties of grape. This area is the home of ProseccoConegliano-Valdobbiadene a dry sparkling white wine....
. Just five days later, the fuel tank in Hanriot HD.I No. 6252 ruptured while Resch was flying it. Drenched in fuel, the Italian pilot could only shut down the engine and try for the nearest airfield. His dead stick landing of his winged Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
was foiled by unfavorable wind, and he capsized upon setting down short of the runway. No fire resulted.
On 12 July 1918, Resch repeatedly fired into an Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
, which fell in a flutter emitting puffs of smoke. Alessandro Resch was officially an ace, two years after his first victory.
Post World War I career
Resch returned to military service in 1927. Afterwards, he went to work for Aviolinee Italian. He may have returned once more to military service in 1935. It is known that he continued to fly civil aircraft right through World War II, logging half a million miles as an airline pilot.Reference
- Italian Aces of World War 1. Paolo Varriale. Osprey Pub Co, 2009. ISBN 97818460341268.