“Balilla” is the name of a Genoese folk hero who played a key role in the revolt against the Hapsburgs in 1746.įrustrated by the lack of a suitable fighter aircraft, the Ansaldo company designed one around their SPA 6A six piston engine, a powerhouse delivering 220 horsepower. Italy’s only domestically designed fighter of the Great War, the Ansaldo A.1 Balilla is the source of much national pride for Italians. It ceased production just as the First Wold War was starting, but it saw action in 1914 as a reconnaissance aircraft. The XI was widely used for its day, appearing in the arsenals of Mexico, the UK, France, and the Ottoman Empire. It also was one of the first vehicles to incorporate elasticized cords into the control system, probably the first use of bungees in an aircraft. The monoplane construction reinforced with flying wires was also a first, as was the unique tail rudder design. This was a huge step in the history of aviation, and the XI in that moment cemented its place as a pioneering design. The Blériot XI made history when designer and pilot Louis Blériot used it to make the first powered flight across the English Channel.
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