Sterling Silver Model Ww1 Airplane Ansaldo Balilla

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Hard to come by, this is the perfect gift for a plane or war enthusiast.

Made from solid sterling silver, … Read more Hard to come by, this is the perfect gift for a plane or war enthusiast.

Made from solid sterling silver, this model WW1 airplane is a replica of the Ansaldo A1 Balilla. At 4 ounces and measuring 4 x 4 x 1.5h, this detailed piece has spinning wheels and propeller.

"During World War I, Italy's Corpo Aeronautica Militare had relied heavily on French-designed combat aircraft, except bombers and naval types. The first Italian-designed fighter, the Ansaldo A1 Balilla (Hunter), did not enter service until 1918, and only a small number of the 108 aircraft built reached the front-line squadrons. The Balilla was a small, single-bay biplane with equal-chord, unstaggered wings, and a hexagonal cutout in the upper wing trailing edge, providing good forward and upward views. Pilots were enthusiastic about the aircraft's high top speed, but critical of its handling characteristics and manuvrability. The majority of Balillas served on home defense duties in mid-1918." See less