Balbo (aircraft formation) explained

Balbo was a common term in the late 1930s and early 1940s to describe any large formation of aircraft. It was named after the Italian fascist flying ace Italo Balbo who led a series of large aircraft formations in record-breaking flights to promote Italian aviation in the 1930s.^{[1] [2]} During the Battle of Britain the term was used for the Big Wings that were based at RAF Duxford.^{[3] [4] [5]} The term is used today in the UK for a mass fly-by at the end of an airshow.

Notes and References

1. Flight. Another Triumph for Hiduminium. advert. 14 September 1933. Flight, 14 September 1933, Balbo.
2. Book: Boyne, Walter J.. Air warfare: an international encyclopedia, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. 2002. 63. 978-1-57607-345-2.
3. Book: Lewin, Ronald. 1980. Ultra Goes to War. registration. 86. Pocket Books. New York. 9780671828448 .
4. Airwar. 1. Edward. Jablonski. 1971. Doubleday. Manhattan. 119.
5. Book: Robinson, Anthony. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aviation. Marshall Cavendish. London. 848. 1979.