Costantini Bartolomeo

Hi all, I'm an italian student and I would like to know more about the italian ace Bartolomeo Costantini, because I couldn't find many info on the net.
Thanks
Enrico

[stevedrew]

Are you certain of the pilot's name? I have short biography on an Italian ace named Bortolo Constantini, born at Vittorio Veneto in the province of Treviso in North Eastern Italy on February 14th, 1889.

Steve Drew

Probably the name you have is not correct, because the name Bortolo does not exist in italian,I think, but it's not impossible,what's the name of the book you have?
Thanks anyway,
Enrico

Anyway, Bortolo Costantini e Bartolomeo Costantini are the same person, it's obvious.
Does your book concern only Costantini? if yes, it's really strange, because he's not so famous, but anyway, I was interested about Costantini because I was born in Vittorio veneto and I lived there too (it's a very nice city) but I never knew nothing about him before.
Have you got any photograph of Costantini? if yes, could you send me it? because I have got none, and have you got also a list of his victories?
Thanks very much
Enrico

Anyway, Bortolo Costantini e Bartolomeo Costantini are the same person, it's obvious.
Does your book concern only Costantini? if yes, it's really strange, because he's not so famous, but anyway, I was interested about Costantini because I was born in Vittorio veneto and I lived there too (it's a very nice city) but I never knew nothing about him before.
Have you got any photograph of Costantini? if yes, could you send me it? because I have got none, and have you got also a list of his victories?
Thanks very much
Enrico

Anyway, Bortolo Costantini e Bartolomeo Costantini are the same person, it's obvious.
Does your book concern only Costantini? if yes, it's really strange, because he's not so famous, but anyway, I was interested about Costantini because I was born in Vittorio veneto and I lived there too (it's a very nice city) but I never knew nothing about him before.
Have you got any photograph of Costantini? if yes, could you send me it? because I have got none, and have you got also a list of his victories?
Thanks very much
Enrico

Air aces of the 14/18 war lists him as Bortolo
Constantini born in Vittorio Veneto 14-2-1889.
Survived the war with six victories. Flew with
Baracca. Flew Spads.

andy

There is also a photo of him in the same book.

andy

[stevedrew]

The reference book I found this pilot in was "Air Aces of the 1914-1918 War", Edited by Bruce Robertson, published by Aero Publishers, Inc.
The text concerning your compatriot follows:

"Bortolo Costantini was born at Vittorio Veneto in the province of Treviso in North-Eastern Italy on February 14th, 1889. He joined the Regular Army and reached the rank of Tenente in the 5th Engineers before taking an interest in aviation.

He trained at the Campo Scuola Militare D'Aviazione at Aviano near Udine, one of the busiest of the flying schools after the declaration of war between Turkey and Italy over North Africa. The school was commanded by Capitano Cuzzo Crea, previously Commander of the Second Air Flotilla of Bengazi, and the instructor was Tenente Carlo Graziani. Constantini flew here throughout 1912, mostly on Bleriots, and passed the tests for his brevet (No. 177) on September 13th. During September, too, he and four other military pilots, Bongiovanni, Alvisi, Buzzi and Clerici, carried out the first experimental sessions of night flying which were completely successful.

On January 28th, 1914 a new association was formed, the Associazione Aviatori Aeronauti d'Italia, whose object was to provide a single organisation for all pilots, civil as well as military. Bortolo Constantini was elected one of the vice-presidents of the organisation.

In common with the other Italian military pilots, Constantini occupied the nine months of uneasy neutrality that followed the outbreak of the European war with intensive training for the action which all knew to lie ahead. He joined the 70th Squadriglia with Baracca, and was one of those who formed the new 91st Squadriglia in May 1917.

It was not until the later part of 1917 that he was at last able to record the first of his victories, however. On the afternoon of that field day for the Italian Air Service, October 25th, 1917, Tenente Constantini was on patrol with Baracca and Parvis when they attacked a large German aeroplane which retaliated most vigorously, damaging all the Italian machines. Baracca dived down out of the fight with a recurrence of his gun stoppage trouble, leaving Parvis and Constantini to continue the fight alone. Now more wary, the two Italians attacked as a pair from different directions, splitting the fire of the German gunners, and thus were able to shoot down their opponent.

The next day, again flying with Baracca, Constantini became involved in a combat with a formation of German aircraft flying over Cividale. Baracca had his machine so badly shot up that he had to crash-land, but Constantini continued the fight, and, watched by Baracca from the ground, shot down one of the enemy machines. On November 23rd, Constantini, now promoted to Capitano, scored his third victory when with Sergente Magistrini he intercepted a German Aviatik and shot it down near Cornuda. There were no survivors from the crew. A week later, on November 30th, while Piccio and Baracca were busily balloon hunting, Constantini was leading a patrol of the 91st Squadriglia when he attacked and destroyed his fourth victim.

On June 19th, 1918 he was one of the trio of Spads of '91' which responded to the urgent call for help from the 48th Division near Montello, the other two being Osnaghi and Baracca. Baracca never returned. Two more enemy machines fell to Capitano Constantini before the war ended, bringing his total to six confirmed victories."

I will send an email to you with the photograph of Constantini attached. This is all the infromation I have on this pilot. There are other sources available due to the fact he was an ace. I wish you luck in your search for further information.


Steve Drew