The Italian Aerospace Information Web
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Italian Navy 5th Helicopter Group
30th Anniversary and Open-House
The 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Italian Navy 5th Helicopter Group was celebrated on October 28th at Maristaeli (Stazione Elicotteri della Marina) Luni, near La Spezia. In the same day, the Station was entitled to Adm. Giovanni Fiorini, who earned two medals during WW2 as naval observer and, after the war, was one of the founder of the reborn Italian naval aviation.
During the following three days, Maristaeli Luni remained open to the general public, thus offering a compehensive static display of the aircraft constituting the past, the present and the future of Italian naval aviation.
The static display included an Agusta/Bell AB 212ASW, one out of eighteen used by 5th Helicopter Group, and an Agusta/Sikorsky SH-3D/H serving with 1st Helicopter Group, the other Italian Navy flying unit based at Luni.
Also on exhibition there were the helicopter types formerly used by the Italian Navy and magnificently preserved at Luni: an Agusta/Bell AB 47G, an Agusta/Bell AB 47J, a Sikorsky SH-34J and an Agusta/Bell AB 204ASW. The future of the Service was represented by the three-engined multi-role EH 101 helicopter, in the form of PP6 Italian naval pre-production aircraft which is now withdrawn from use after completion of its test and operational evaluation activity.
The static display was completed by two aircraft of neighbour Italian Coast Guard base: a Piaggio P.166-DL3 of the 1st Nucleo Aereo and an AB 412 in service with 1st Sezione Volo Elicotteri, both units being resident at the same Luni airport.
In the picture: Agusta/Bell AB 212ASW 7-21 of Italian Navy 5th Helicopter Group, at Maristaeli Luni on October 28, 1999, wearing the special symbol for the 30th anniversary of the unit.
(Aeromedia, December 1999)
| Sikorsky SH-34J Seabat
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| Agusta/Sikorsky SH-3D/H Sea King
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| EH Industries (Agusta/Westland) EH 101
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