WWII Italian Pilot Wing by Johnson Milano Possibly Worn by RSI Pilot & Parma Hero Vittorio Satta

ARTIFACT: This is quite an interesting wing here. It was purchased with no fanfare from a collector/accumulator at the ASMIC National Show this past September in Kansas City, KS. The collector was not someone who regularly set up at shows, but was getting older, and with the ASMIC show in his area, decided to bring some peripheral pieces of his collection to the show to deaccess. He told me he had owned the wing for some 20-25 years and had found it at a local flea market.

I paid a fair dealer price for a hallmarked Italian Pilot wing of the WWII period. I was intrigued by some scratched in information on the back of the wing, but thought little more of it as I went about my show. Today in getting ready for the update, pricing up a few more choice acquisitions for the "Latest Offerings" section. I came across this wing and decided to investigate. The wing reads on the reverse: V. Satta 1936 4-9-1941/2 with 1 scratched over the 2.

In Googling Vittorio (my first try, was going for Vincenzo next!) Satta Pilota (Italian for Pilot) I came across the fact that Lieutenant (Tenente) Vittorio Satta was a hero of the RSI and died in a fiery crash while defending Parma from a huge force of American Liberator Bombers, escorted by P-38 Lightnings. I may not have come across this story so readily, but for the fact that Satta's Macchi 205 fighter had been discovered in the fields of Parma in 2000. A frequent pilot of the Macchi C.202 "Folgore", Satta was flying a Macchi 205 "Veltro" on his last day.

Now, I don't know the meaning of the dates, 1936 could be when a young (16) Satta could have joined the Military/Air Force, or perhaps even the Fascist Party, and the other date could be when he graduated pilot school (not sure why there would be confusion over '41 or '42, except maybe the wing was purchased new and embellished in 1942, and the embellisher - perhaps Satta himself - had gotten used to writing 42 and had to go back to correct this with the proper date of 1941). Further research is due here, but until that can take place, I will offer this wing up for purchase to those who perhaps know a bit more than me of this hero of the Italian Socialist Republic who drew his last breath on 25 May, 1944.

Satta is third from the left in the group photo above (photo credits: blogdiaerostoria.blogspot.com and www.eaf51.org).

VINTAGE: Circa 1936 or 1941 (World War II).

SIZE: Approximately 15/16" in height and 2-31/32" in width.

MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION: Gilt brass.

ATTACHMENT: Horizontal pin with C catch.

MARKINGS: V. Satta 1936 4-9-1941/2 (with 1 scratched over the 2); S. JOHNSON NUOVA 15 MILANO.

ITEM NOTES: This is from a WWII Italian pilot wing collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. ebay MAEJX13 LABEJX11/13 SABEJX2/17

CONDITION: 8- (Very Fine-Excellent): The wing shows only some light wear and tarnish.