Fratelli Pascale Story: from the 30s onward - Tecnam.com
Fratelli Pascale Story: from the 30s onward - Tecnam.com
Fratelli Pascale Story: from the 30s onward - Tecnam.com
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<strong>Fratelli</strong> <strong>Pascale</strong> <strong>Story</strong>: <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>30s</strong> <strong>onward</strong><br />
The problem was solved by Gino that called a friend of his, Captain of <strong>the</strong> Army Aviation Renato Tango in<br />
Bracciano. After <strong>the</strong> call, Gino left immediately for Bracciano where Tango, who became some years after Director<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Naples’s RAI, gave us a Piper L21 radiator that was perfect.<br />
The 15 th of April <strong>the</strong> aircraft was still in <strong>the</strong> garage of Via Tasso but by <strong>the</strong>n everything was ready. During <strong>the</strong> last<br />
days we worked also at night, <strong>the</strong> atmosphere was heated. The plane was <strong>com</strong>pletely assembled in <strong>the</strong> garage, except<br />
<strong>the</strong> direction rudder; o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>the</strong>re was no place for <strong>the</strong> length. The undercarriages were <strong>com</strong>pletely assembled and<br />
<strong>the</strong> retraction was working. The propeller was missing as it had to be built in wood. The problem was serious. On<br />
such a speedy aircraft it was not possible to suit an existing propeller so it was <strong>com</strong>pulsory to draw it and built it.<br />
The last parts were finished in a few days. The engine covering was realized in aluminum with <strong>the</strong> help of a good<br />
hammer plate of <strong>the</strong> 5°RTA, Mr. Cammarota.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> 26 th of April <strong>the</strong> P55 Tornado was transferred at <strong>the</strong> airport‘s Aero Club hangar ready to be assembled. In less<br />
than one week <strong>the</strong> assembly was <strong>com</strong>pleted. Finally we could see <strong>the</strong> aircraft fully assembled, which had been<br />
impossible in <strong>the</strong> garage of Via Tasso. The P55 was very beautiful; everybody admired it and congratulated us.<br />
Everybody liked his unique style in his kind.<br />
The assembly <strong>com</strong>pleted and <strong>the</strong> undercarriage retraction tried, we left <strong>the</strong> hangar for <strong>the</strong> engine test. Unfortunately<br />
<strong>the</strong> propellers that we built were not good so we decided to inform Ceschina who in a few days gave us a metal<br />
propeller installed on <strong>the</strong> engine A54 or <strong>the</strong> aircraft Caproncino. Obviously <strong>the</strong> propeller was not usable <strong>the</strong> way it<br />
was. We had to fully modify <strong>the</strong> blades, job that we made in <strong>the</strong> garage of Via Tasso. The diameter had been reduced<br />
of many centimeters and <strong>the</strong> base and <strong>the</strong> profile of <strong>the</strong> blades modified. This job was enormous. We bought some<br />
cutter files and in turn Gino and Salvatore Montuoro <strong>com</strong>pleted <strong>the</strong> blades in two days time. For <strong>the</strong> propeller boss,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Cav. Di Maglie of <strong>the</strong> 5°RTA helped us and managed to adapt it to <strong>the</strong> Ly<strong>com</strong>ing engine. Ano<strong>the</strong>r miracle was<br />
done: <strong>the</strong> propeller went perfectly well during <strong>the</strong> ground test and <strong>the</strong> aircraft was ready for <strong>the</strong> flight.<br />
The 4 th of May <strong>the</strong> P55 took off <strong>the</strong> wheels <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> ground. Giordano Serena, a good friend of Ceschina, took <strong>the</strong><br />
lead. The first flight had <strong>the</strong> duration of 30 minutes, <strong>the</strong> results were satisfying. The second flight was planned for <strong>the</strong><br />
day after, but for an inexplicable quarrel between Serena and Ceschina, <strong>the</strong> flights were interrupted. They started<br />
again after a few days and De Bernardi took <strong>the</strong> lead of <strong>the</strong> P55, once again, our very good friend and yet test pilot of<br />
our planes. Within a few days he <strong>com</strong>pleted all <strong>the</strong> tests also showing off with fantastic aerobatic figures.<br />
Unfortunately an upsetting fact occurred. While we were working at <strong>the</strong> airport, <strong>the</strong>y informed us that our fa<strong>the</strong>r had<br />
died. The pain was enormous; we left everything and hurried at home. The day after <strong>the</strong> funerals and <strong>the</strong> body<br />
transportation in Faicchio, we stayed with our mo<strong>the</strong>r full of sadness.<br />
The interruption of our activity <strong>com</strong>promised <strong>the</strong> <strong>com</strong>pletion of <strong>the</strong> planning to obtain <strong>the</strong> Certification of<br />
navigability and so we lost <strong>the</strong> possibility of participating to <strong>the</strong> Sicilian tour. Ceschina discouraged left for Sicily<br />
with his Aero 45, disappointed for <strong>the</strong> missing result. Only on <strong>the</strong> 6 th of July (1955) he participated for <strong>the</strong> first time<br />
to an airplane race, <strong>the</strong> Pescara Circuit, D’Annunzio Trophy, where <strong>the</strong> P55 with De Bernardi pilot and Gino copilot,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y won with a remarkable gap.<br />
The 30 th of July, De Bernardi and I we left with <strong>the</strong> Tornado for Venice to participate to <strong>the</strong> International Exhibition.<br />
Departure at 9.00 o’ clock, <strong>the</strong> aircraft was very fast, we got to Venice Lido in one hour and a half and speeded on<br />
<strong>the</strong> Lido hotels at 350 km/h, making a series of tonnaux at a very low height. We stayed in Venice for six days, guest<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Hotel des Bains, making daily demonstrative flights and ending <strong>the</strong> exhibition with an aerobatic demonstration<br />
made by De Bernardi: absolutely fantastic. The name Partenavia was imposing itself and was by now well known.<br />
The Tornado was <strong>the</strong> symbol of this little big <strong>com</strong>pany.<br />
I profited of this presence in Venice to start calming down Ceschina, convincing him that we had to head to <strong>the</strong> next<br />
Sicilian Tour and that we had to make some tuning up works and improvements on <strong>the</strong> aircraft that <strong>the</strong> flights had<br />
pointed out. At <strong>the</strong> end he convinced himself. He would have sponsored <strong>the</strong> necessary works that began after <strong>the</strong><br />
summer. We dismantled <strong>the</strong> aircraft for <strong>the</strong> transportation in Via Tasso. The most important modifications were<br />
concerning <strong>the</strong> undercarriage to improve his retraction, <strong>the</strong> gas exhaust ejector improvement, <strong>the</strong> engine nosing up<br />
and wing paneling, so much that during <strong>the</strong> test we went over <strong>the</strong> previous speed of more than 20 km/h.<br />
In those days Capodichino’s airport was closed to <strong>the</strong> traffic for some works on <strong>the</strong> ground, so we had to move on<br />
<strong>the</strong> Capua’s airport with inconvenience for everyone.<br />
We stayed in a military hangar that <strong>the</strong> <strong>com</strong>mand luckily gave us and <strong>the</strong>re we made <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r works of tuning up.<br />
Three days before <strong>the</strong> departure <strong>the</strong> Ing. Mossa <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> RAI came <strong>from</strong> Rome. After having made <strong>the</strong> first test<br />
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