Leonardo Ferrulli
Encyclopedia
Leonardo Ferrulli was an ace of the Regia Aeronautica
, and a recipient of the Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare (Gold Medal of Military Valor
). He was credited with 22 air victories, one during the Spanish civil war
and 21 during World War II
He shot down Hurricanes
, P-40s
, Lightnings, Spitfires
and B-17s, flying Fiat C.R.42 biplane
s and Macchi MC.200/202 monoplane
s.
His unit was 91a Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo, from 4° Stormo, one of the top-scoring fighter units of Regia Aeronautica
.
, Ferrulli shot down a Tupolev SB
on 7 October 1937, flying a Fiat CR.32
. The Republican plane fell into the sea off Palma de Mallorca
.
For this victory he was awarded the Medaglia d'Argento al Valore militare (Silver Medal of Military Valor
).
s attacked the bombers. In the dogfight that followed, Sergente Maggiore
Ferrulli was credited with a Hurricane destroyed (one of the rare individual victories assigned by 10° Gruppo) and another damaged, but his Fiat was hit in the engine and he had to make an emergency landing near Bardia
. Ferrulli was unhurt and returned to his unit on 22 December.
In North Africa he shot down five more Hurricanes and a Bristol Blenheim
, still flying the nimble Fiat biplane.
After the attack against Yugoslavia
, Ferrulli, along with 10° Gruppo (now equipped with the Macchi C.200s delivered by 54° Stormo), moved to Sicily
for operations against Malta
. On 11 July 1941, with fellow pilots of his Gruppo, Ferrulli took part to the attack against the Maltese base of Mqabba
. He was one of the Comandante Romagnoli's wing-men. Flying above the sea after strafing the airfield, Ferrulli saw fellow pilot Devoto being pursued by two Hurricanes. So he and Franco Lucchini
turned back to give help. But four or five more Hurricanes arrived on the scene and a violent dogfight ensued. The three Macchis were forced to disengage by flying very low over the sea waves, chased by the British fighters for about 30–40 km. Ferrulli's Macchi was hit many times and was heavily damaged, but he was unscathed. The attack on Mqabba was regarded as a success and mentioned in the Bollettino di Guerra (War Bulletin) n.402.
At the end of 1941, 4° Stormo was equipped with the new and more effective Macchi C.202. During 1942 Ferrulli shot down eight P-40s and a Spitfire, and on December of that year was promoted Sottotenente (Second Lieutenant
) for war merits.
. At 14:20, few hours after the death of his friend (and fellow "ace") Franco Lucchini
, Ferrulli, Tenente
Giorgio Bertolaso and Sergente
Giulio Fornalé, also from 91a Squadriglia, took off from Sigonella to intercept a squadron of B-17s escorted by P-38s and Spitfires. He was seen shooting down a four-engined American bomber from which three men baled out, and then a twin-engined P-38 fighter.
However, immediately thereafter Ferrulli was attacked by Spitfires. His Macchi was hit and he baled out. Too low for his parachute to open, he was killed hitting the ground near Scordia (Catania
).
The identity of the Allied pilot who shot down the then-top-scoring Italian ace is unknown; it was possibly Pilot Officer
Chandler (JK139/V-X), who claimed to have damaged a Macchi during that combat, or Flight Sergeant
F. K. Halcombe (JK368/V-J) from 1435 Squadron, who claimed to have hit a Messerschmitt Bf 109
(the two Axis fighters looked very similar to one another), or Flying Officer
Geoff White (JK611/MK-M) from 126 Squadron that shot down a Macchi, but his victim was more likely Sergente Maggiore
Corrado Patrizi from 84a Squadriglia that parachuted successfully from his damaged Macchi C.205
.
and three Silver medals
.
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
, and a recipient of the Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare (Gold Medal of Military Valor
Gold Medal of Military Valor
The Gold Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia "....per bassi ufficiali e soldati che avevano fatto azioni di segnalato valore in guerra" .The face of the medal displayed the profile of the king, and on its reverse was a flag...
). He was credited with 22 air victories, one during the Spanish civil war
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and 21 during World War II
He shot down Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
, P-40s
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
, Lightnings, Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
and B-17s, flying Fiat C.R.42 biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s and Macchi MC.200/202 monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
s.
His unit was 91a Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo, from 4° Stormo, one of the top-scoring fighter units of Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
.
Spain
During the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, Ferrulli shot down a Tupolev SB
Tupolev SB
The Tupolev ANT-40, also known by its service name Tupolev SB , and development co-name TsAGI-40, was a high speed twin-engined three-seat monoplane bomber, first flown in 1934....
on 7 October 1937, flying a Fiat CR.32
Fiat CR.32
The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. This nimble little Fiat was compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable and gave impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Pattuglie Acrobatiche. The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in...
. The Republican plane fell into the sea off Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
.
For this victory he was awarded the Medaglia d'Argento al Valore militare (Silver Medal of Military Valor
Silver Medal of Military Valor
The Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
).
World War II
In World War II, Ferrulli achieved his first air victory on 19 December 1940. That day his unit (10th Gruppo, flying a Fiat CR. 42s) was escorting some Savoia Marchetti SM 79s of 41o Stormo in the sky above Sollum, when a formation of Hawker HurricaneHawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s attacked the bombers. In the dogfight that followed, Sergente Maggiore
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Ferrulli was credited with a Hurricane destroyed (one of the rare individual victories assigned by 10° Gruppo) and another damaged, but his Fiat was hit in the engine and he had to make an emergency landing near Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
. Ferrulli was unhurt and returned to his unit on 22 December.
In North Africa he shot down five more Hurricanes and a Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
, still flying the nimble Fiat biplane.
After the attack against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Ferrulli, along with 10° Gruppo (now equipped with the Macchi C.200s delivered by 54° Stormo), moved to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
for operations against Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. On 11 July 1941, with fellow pilots of his Gruppo, Ferrulli took part to the attack against the Maltese base of Mqabba
Mqabba
Mqabba is a town in the south of Malta. Situated at the heart of a soft limestone area, the surrounding of the village is barren and stripped with quarries. Mqabba is renowned for the construction industry, and holds more than a quarter of the quarries in Malta...
. He was one of the Comandante Romagnoli's wing-men. Flying above the sea after strafing the airfield, Ferrulli saw fellow pilot Devoto being pursued by two Hurricanes. So he and Franco Lucchini
Franco Lucchini
Franco Lucchini, MOVM, was an Italian World War II fighter pilot in the Aviazione Legionaria and in the Regia Aeronautica. During World War II he achieved 21 individual air victories, plus 52 shared, to add to the five kills in Spain, during the Civil War.He was born in Rome, son of a railway...
turned back to give help. But four or five more Hurricanes arrived on the scene and a violent dogfight ensued. The three Macchis were forced to disengage by flying very low over the sea waves, chased by the British fighters for about 30–40 km. Ferrulli's Macchi was hit many times and was heavily damaged, but he was unscathed. The attack on Mqabba was regarded as a success and mentioned in the Bollettino di Guerra (War Bulletin) n.402.
At the end of 1941, 4° Stormo was equipped with the new and more effective Macchi C.202. During 1942 Ferrulli shot down eight P-40s and a Spitfire, and on December of that year was promoted Sottotenente (Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
) for war merits.
Death
Ferrulli made his two last kills on the very day of his demise, 5 July 1943, in the sky of SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. At 14:20, few hours after the death of his friend (and fellow "ace") Franco Lucchini
Franco Lucchini
Franco Lucchini, MOVM, was an Italian World War II fighter pilot in the Aviazione Legionaria and in the Regia Aeronautica. During World War II he achieved 21 individual air victories, plus 52 shared, to add to the five kills in Spain, during the Civil War.He was born in Rome, son of a railway...
, Ferrulli, Tenente
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
Giorgio Bertolaso and Sergente
Airman First Class
Airman first class is the third enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman and below senior airman. The rank of airman first class is considered a junior enlisted rank, with the non-commissioned officers and senior non-commissioned officers above it.Airman first class is a...
Giulio Fornalé, also from 91a Squadriglia, took off from Sigonella to intercept a squadron of B-17s escorted by P-38s and Spitfires. He was seen shooting down a four-engined American bomber from which three men baled out, and then a twin-engined P-38 fighter.
However, immediately thereafter Ferrulli was attacked by Spitfires. His Macchi was hit and he baled out. Too low for his parachute to open, he was killed hitting the ground near Scordia (Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
).
The identity of the Allied pilot who shot down the then-top-scoring Italian ace is unknown; it was possibly Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
Chandler (JK139/V-X), who claimed to have damaged a Macchi during that combat, or Flight Sergeant
Flight Sergeant
Flight sergeant is a senior non-commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and several other air forces which have adopted all or part of the RAF rank structure...
F. K. Halcombe (JK368/V-J) from 1435 Squadron, who claimed to have hit a Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
(the two Axis fighters looked very similar to one another), or Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
Geoff White (JK611/MK-M) from 126 Squadron that shot down a Macchi, but his victim was more likely Sergente Maggiore
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
Corrado Patrizi from 84a Squadriglia that parachuted successfully from his damaged Macchi C.205
Macchi C.205
The Macchi C.205 Veltro was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, the Macchi C.205 was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine...
.
Awards
Ferrulli was awarded a posthumous Medaglia d’oro al valor militareGold Medal of Military Valor
The Gold Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal established on 21 May 1793 by King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia "....per bassi ufficiali e soldati che avevano fatto azioni di segnalato valore in guerra" .The face of the medal displayed the profile of the king, and on its reverse was a flag...
and three Silver medals
Silver Medal of Military Valor
The Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
.