Mario Stoppani

Mario Stoppani
Mario Stoppani (left)
Born	24 May 1895 Lovere, Italy
Died	20 September 1959
Allegiance	Italy
Service/branch	Aviation
Rank	Sergente
Unit	76a Squadriglia, 3a Squadriglia
Awards	2 Silver awards of Medal for Military Valor, Russian Cross of St. George
Other work	Made 15 first flights and set 41 aviation records

Sergente Mario Stoppani was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.^[1]

World War I

Stoppani was an auto mechanic before World War I. He enlisted in aviation in 1913, but was prevented from flight training until 1915.^[2] He scored his first aerial victory on 9 July 1916, sharing it with Luigi Olivari. By 1 December 1916, he had tallied five more, including a shared win with Luigi Olivi.^[3] He was twice awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor. He became a test pilot for Ansaldo Aviation in Genoa.^[4]

Postwar

Stoppani made a career of aviation. He became an instructor with SAI, first at Foggia, then at Passignano sul Trasimeno in 1925. He then resumed test piloting, for SISA Airline, for fifteen years. He then became the chief test pilot for CANT aircraft company. After World War II, he worked for Breda and SIAI Marchetti. During his career, he had fifteen first flights and held 41 flying records.^[5] He still holds the distance record for a seaplane in a closed circuit; in 1937, he covered 3,231 miles without landing, piloting a CRDA CANT Z.506.^[6]

Sources of information

1. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/italy/stoppani.php Retrieved 2 April 2010.
2. ^ Nieuport Aces of World War 1. p. 82. 
3. ^ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/italy/stoppani.php Retrieved 2 April 2010.
4. ^ Nieuport Aces of World War 1. p. 82. 
5. ^ Nieuport Aces of World War 1. p. 82. 
6. ^ http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/Ten_Most_Wanted.html Retrieved 2 April 2010.

Mario Stoppani Website

Reference

Nieuport Aces of World War 1. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1855329611, 9781855329614.

Persondata
Name	Stoppani, Mario
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	24 May 1895
Place of birth	Lovere, Italy
Date of death	20 September 1959
Place of death