Franco Bordoni
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri | |
---|---|
Croce al Merito di Guerra |
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri (10 January 1913 – 15 September 1975) was an Italian
Early life
Bordoni was born in Milan. His grandfather was Felice Bisleri (1851–1921) who had started and owned the family-run Ferro-China-Bisleri amaro business. Franco studied at the Collegio San Carlo, one of the most exclusive private schools in the city. By the time he had completed his studies, he had already shown himself to be a talented car driver. The young Franco was attracted to flying by the lure of the speed.[3]
He became a civil pilot (1936) but failed in his efforts to join the Italian Royal Air Force (
World War II
When Italy entered the war in June 1940, Bordoni rejoined the Regia Aeronautica. He was sent to 95a Squadriglia of 18° Gruppo, based at the Albenga airfield, during the fighting against France and was then assigned to the Italian Air Corps (Corpo Aereo Italiano). In October he arrived in Belgium for the last part of the Battle of Britain. He recalled: "My first visit to Libya was in August 1940... I returned on 29 January 1941 when I served with 18° Gruppo (3° Stormo) until 14 August 1941."[4]
Bordoni, who had his nickname "Robur" (related to the family brand) painted on his plane, obtained his first air victory on 10 March 1941: flying a
In May, while his unit was stationed in Benghazi, he was promoted to
Upon returning to Italy in August of the same year, 18° Gruppo was re-equipped with the
In the beginning of October 1942 the 3° Stormo pilots started to receive their first
Six days later, on 26 October, Bordoni-Bisleri (83a Squadriglia, 18° Gruppo) with eleven other pilots of 3° Stormo and seven from 4° (all flying 202s) attacked a wide formation of thirty
Three days later on 4 November, Bordoni-Bisleri, with Capitano Mario Pinna of 74a Squadriglia and Sergente Maggiore Francesco Cuscuna of 75a Squadriglia intercepted three P-40 Kittyhawks. Near their airfield at Abu Smeit, Bordoni-Bisleri shot down one of the Curtiss fighters that, moments before, had hit Pinna, forcing him to bale out badly wounded in his face and on his hands.[1]
On 30 July 1943 some Italian pilots attacked a
While flying one of the older MC.202s, on 19 August, he claimed a B-26 off the coast of Ostia, still near Rome. The following day he was promoted Comandante (flight commander) of 83a Squadriglia. On 21 August, still flying a C.202, he fired 630 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition at a B-17 that fell near the Pomigliano d' Arco railway station (Naples). Nine days later (30 August 1943), Bordoni, now flying again a C.205, destroyed a B-17 near Viterbo, with 430 rounds of 20 mm and 400 rounds of 12.7 mm ammunition.
He obtained his last air victory with 83a Squadriglia, in 3° Stormo, flying a
Bordoni-Bisleri ended the conflict "with 19 victories with CR.42s and C.202s. Twelve were over Libya and the final seven were American bombers."[6] Six were Curtiss P-40s and four were Blenheims.
Sports car racing
After the war, Bordoni became president of the family's liquor company and started a career in sports car racing. He went on to become one of Europe's leading amateur drivers during the 1950s. He continued to use the "Robur" logo and slogan (featuring a fighting lion) also seen on the liquor bottles.[2]
The debut came in 1949, driving a Fiat 1100 B in the Mille Miglia. In 1950 he scored his first victory in the Coppa Inter-Europa at
In 1952 he won the 1.1 liter class of the Bari Grand Prix in an O.S.C.A.[9]
In 1953 he became Italian Sportscar Champion,
The 1954 season saw him repeat his wins of the Trullo d'Oro and the Pergusa Grand Prix as well as winning the
In 1955 he was offered a position driving for the
Bordoni continued to drive for Maserati during the following years. His last victory came at the 1957 Grand Prix des Frontières. He retired from racing in 1959 at the age of 46.[2]
Death
Bordoni-Bisleri died in a plane crash on 15 September 1975. He was coming back from Rome after a commemoration of parachutists, attended by
Awards
- Silver Medal of Military Valor (three times during World War II)
- Iron Cross 2nd class (1939)
Formula One World Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | WDC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | Enrico Platé | Talbot-Lago 700 | L6
|
GBR |
MON |
500 |
SUI |
BEL |
FRA |
ITA DNA |
NC | 0 |
See also
Bibliography
- Lucas, Laddie (ed.). Wings of War: Airmen of All Nations Tell their Stories 1939–1945. London: Hutchinson, 1983. ISBN 0-09-154280-4.
- Malizia, Nicola. Fiat G-50 (Aviolibri Records No. 2) (in Italian/English). Roma Istituto Bibliografico Napoleone, 2005. ISBN 88-7565-002-0.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Håkan Gustavsson (20 February 2006). "Biplane fighter aces, Italy, Tenente Franco 'Robur' Bordoni-Bisleri". Håkans aviation page: Biplane Fighter Aces from the Second World War. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ a b c d Nanni Dietrich (24 June 2007). "Franco Bordoni". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ ]
- ^ a b c Lucas ed. 1983 p. 169.
- ^ Malizia 2004, p. 96.
- ]
- ^ "Non Championship Races 1950". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 25 April 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Non Championship Races 1951". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 26 June 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Non Championship Races 1952". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015. Retrieved 2009-06-24.
- ^ "Non Championship Races 1953". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Non Championship Races 1954". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ a b Darren Galpin. "Trieste-Opicina Hillclimb". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Archived from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ "Non Championship Races 1955". World Sports Racing Prototypes. Archived from the original on 22 June 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.