On the occasion of the 2024 Epiphany, after a two-year suspension due to the COVID 19 pandemic, a second "Family Day" for the relatives of the personnel of 34th Distaccamento Permanente AVES Toro was repeated. 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 not one, but two helicopters of the same type in "special colours" versions were towed out from a nearby hangar. Both had been painted by Warrant Officer Vanzan on plastic films applied only on one side of each aircraft. The drawings on E.I.342 depicted two characters of the Peppa Pig cartoon TV series of 2004 and the drawings on E.I. 337 sported two stars of the Pokémon video game produced in 1996. Public administration representatives and local voluntary associations took part in the event, underlining the liaisons between the 34 th Distaccamento Permanente AVES Toro and the surrounding territory.
In the picture: Agusta/Bell AB 205A-1 MM80713 / E.I.342 (c/n 4278) with "Peppa Pig special colours" at the Venaria Family Day on January 4, 2024. (Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, January 2024)
