Page 22 - World Airshow News Autumn 2024
P. 22
tHE ItALIAN WAy By Steve Serdikoff
The Frecce Tricolori
in North America
I n March 1961, six F-86E Sabres ar- country. Upon his death as a national
hero in 1918, his family would adopt the
rived at their new home base in Ri-
late ace’s emblem as the Baracca Coat of
volto, Italy to begin formation of
what would soon become one of the
Francesco’s mother, the Countess Pao-
preeminent jet demonstration teams Arms. At an automobile race in 1923,
in the world, the Frecce Tricolori. At the lina, told a young driver named Enzo to
time, their tails still bore the black pranc- race under Baracca’s prancing horse for
ing horse emblem of their former squad- luck. Enzo Ferrari would indeed adopt
ron. That logo, the “Cavallino Rampante” the prancing horse as the logo of his then
(little prancing horse), was the personal fledgling car company, allowing Frances-
emblem of the Italian World War I ace, co Barraca’s “Cavallino Rampante” em-
Count Francesco Baracca. blem to become one of the most recog-
Baracca achieved 34 combat kills and nized brand logos in the world.
an almost mythic status in his home While the modern-day Cavallino
www.airshowmag.com 22 Quarter 4, 2024
