After a two-year suspension due to the COVID 19 pandemic, a "Family Day" was organised for the relatives of the personnel of the 34th Distaccamento Permanente AVES Toro. This aviation unit of the Italian Army is based at Venaria airfield not far from Turin. Once again, the main event of the day began with an AB 205A-1 bringing the "Befana". This figure (a witch-like parody of the Three Wise Men) brings sweets to good children and coal to the naughty ones. At the same time another helicopter of the same type was towed out from a nearby hangar. It was a "special colours" admirably painted on both sides by Warrant Officer Gaetano Prudente on a plastic film covering the entire aircraft. The drawing depicted the characters of two cartoon TV series, Bing Rabbit of 2014 and George Monkey of 2015. Administration representatives and local voluntary associations took part in the event, underlining the liaisons between the 34th Distaccamento Permanente AVES Toro and the surrounding territory.
In the picture: Agusta/Bell AB 205A-1 MM80713 / E.I.342 (n/c 4278) “Bing Rabbit special colours” at the Venaria Family Day on January 5, 2023. (Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, January 2023)
