Mario De Bernardi

Infobox Person
name =Mario De Bernardi


image_size =
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birth_date =1893
birth_place =Venosa, Italy
death_date =1959
death_place =Rome, Italy
occupation =World War I fighter pilot Air racer Test pilot
spouse =
parents =

Mario De Bernardi (1893 - 1959) was an Italian fighter ace, seaplane air racer, and test pilot of early Italian experimental jets.

Flying achievements

After the First World War, Bernardi began racing seaplanes in the international races being held at the time. Perhaps his greatest success in these races came on November 13 1926, when Major Bernardi won the Schneider Trophy in Hampton Roads. He completed the course in a Macchi M.39 with an average speed of 396.7 km/h on a 350 km circuit. [cite web|url=http://www.hydroretro.net/coupeen/1926.htm|title=Schneider Trophy history site|accessdate=2007-06-10]

Death

Mario de Bernardi would die of a heart attack in Rome at the age of sixty-five. He had gone out to a Rome airport to see a German light plane demonstration, and went up in the air in his own light plane, showing off his aerobatic skills. While up in the air, he began to experience a heart attack and settled the plane down to land, only to die minutes later. [cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864612,00.html?iid=chix-sphere|title=Time Magazine archives|accessdate=2007-06-10]

Commemoration

De Bernardi's achievements led the Italian military to name their Rome center, Pratica di Mare Air Force Base, after him.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = De Bernardi, Mario
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Italian pilot
DATE OF BIRTH = 1893
PLACE OF BIRTH = Venosa, Italy
DATE OF DEATH = 1959
PLACE OF DEATH = Rome, Italy