Mario Pezzi (1898-1968)

Mario Pezzi (1898-1968) was an Italian aviator known worldwide for his flight in which he achieved greater height than any other pilot in a propeller-powered airplane.

The future lieutenant general was born November 9, 1898. He had one brother, Enrico, who also grew up to be a General in the Italian Air Force. Mario joined the Infantry in October 1917, and the next year earned the rank of second lieutenant. He received his pilot's license in 1926. The next year he became part of the General Staff, rising to Cabinet of the Defense Ministry in 1931.  

On May 7, 1937, Maj. Mario Pezzi took off from the Guidonia-Montecelio base on a Caproni Ca161 aircraft powered by a 14 cyl. double stellar engine supercharged by a double centrifugal 750 hp compressor. Piloting this aircraft he climbed to 15,655 m. Pezzi wore a special electrically heated pressurized suit and an airtight helmet, just like a modern astronaut. In the Caproni hangars in the meantime work went on ceaselessly to produce a new version of the aircraft, the Ca161bis designed by engineer Verduzio. Its cockpit embedded an air-tight shell, the first one to be built in the history of flight. The great expectations on this machine were soon fulfilled: on October 22, 1938, Pezzi attained a new world record of altitude in a propeller-driven, piston-engined aircraft (17,083 m), record still unbeaten today.

Transferred to the command of the East African Air Force, he commanded the base of Dire Dawa in 1941 and was appointed Chief of Staff of East Africa. He was taken prisoner at Amba Alagi on 20 May 1941. After the Sept. 8 switch to the south and in December 1943 assumed command of Unity Air operate until February 1945. In September 1948 he was appointed Director General of the staff Military Air Force. From June 1950 to February 1955 he was head of Cabinet Minister and then Secretary General of the Air. Pezzi is rightly considered an aeronautics and astronautics pioneer in Italy not only for his altitude records: he was the man who chose Luigi Broglio to lead the ITAF Ammunition Research Unit, responsible for rockets and missiles research, leading the way to future space exploration in Italy. He died in Rome on August 26, 1967.