Frecce Tricolori
The Frecce Tricolori (Italian: [ˈfrettʃe trikoˈloːri]; lit. 'Tricolour Arrows'), officially known as the 313° Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico, Pattuglia Acrobatica Nazionale (PAN) Frecce Tricolori ("313th Acrobatic Training Group, National Aerobatic Team (PAN) Frecce Tricolori"), is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Italian Air Force. Based at Rivolto Air Base, province of Udine, it was created on 1 March 1961 as a permanent group for the training of Air Force pilots in air acrobatics.
| Frecce Tricolori | |
|---|---|
Frecce Tricolori insignia | |
| Active | 1 March 1961 – present |
| Country | Italy |
| Branch | Aeronautica Militare |
| Role | Aerobatic display team |
| Garrison/HQ | Rivolto Air Force Base, Codroipo, Udine, Italy |
| Colors | National colours of Italy |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | 1961–63 Canadair F-86E 1964–81 Fiat G.91 PAN |
| Trainer | 1982–present Aermacchi MB-339-A/PAN |
The Tricolour Arrows replaced unofficial teams that had been sponsored by various commands starting in the early 1930s. The team flies the Aermacchi MB-339-A/PAN, a two-seat fighter-trainer craft capable of 898 km/h at sea level. With ten aircraft, nine in close formation and a soloist, they are the world's largest acrobatics patrol, and their flight schedule, comprising about twenty acrobatics and about half an hour, makes them the most famous in the world. It is one of national symbols of Italy. On 28 August 1988 the Frecce Tricolori caused the Ramstein air show disaster, one of the worst air show disasters in history, in which 67 spectators and three pilots died and 346 spectators sustained serious injuries.