Furio Niclot Doglio

Furio Niclot Doglio, MOVM (24 April 1908 – 27 July 1942) was an Italian test pilot and World War II fighter pilot in the Regia Aeronautica. Doglio set nine world aviation records in the 1930s during his time as a test pilot. During the war, he claimed seven kills (six of them Spitfires), flying FIAT G. 50s and Macchi C. 202s, establishing himself as one of Italy's aces. Doglio was killed in combat on 27 July 1942 during the Siege of Malta by George Beurling, who became Canada's top ace of the war. He was awarded a Medaglia d'oro al Valor Militare alla memoria (Memorial Golden medal for military valour).

Early life Furio Niclot Doglio was born in Turin, Piedmont. He qualified as a civil pilot in 1930, having previously been an aeronautical engineer. During the early to mid-1930s, he worked as a test pilot for Italian aircraft manufacturers Compagnia Nazionale Aeronautica (CNA) and Breda and was also a flying instructor at Littorio airport, Rome.

Records Doglio set nine official aviation world records (as recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale or FAI, the aviation world record adjudicating body).

Malta Macchi C.202 of Regia Aeronautica His first Spitfire was shot down on 2 July 1942. That day, while escorting three Savoia-Marchetti SM.84, leading 10 MC.202s of 151ª Squadriglia, Doglio fought with Spitfires from 249 and 185 Squadron. During a head-on attack, he hit the Spitfire BR377 of Flight Sergeant C.S.G. De Nancrede from Squadron 249, which had to crash-land on Ta 'Qali airfield, near Mdina.

On the 6th, Doglio encountered again the Spitfires of 249 Squadron, while escorting three Cant.Z.1007 bis, and he claimed another Supermarine fighter, confirmed by his wingman Tarantola to crash north of Valletta, but the 249 that day had no losses, even if the Squadron had two aircraft shot up, one of them was flown by Sgt. Beurling, who three weeks later would kill Doglio in combat over Gozo.

When he was killed, Doglio held the rank of Capitano and was the commanding officer of 151ª Squadriglia, 20° Gruppo, 51° Stormo, and was flying a Macchi C.202, aircraft number 151-1. In less than a month, July 1942, Niclot had flown 21 missions of war, over Malta, was involved in 18 air combats, claimed six aircraft shot down plus four more probable and two shared with his wingman, Tarantola.

Doglio left a wife and two sons, Stefano and Gian Francesco. In via Ravenna 7A, near piazza Bologna, Rome, the house where Niclot lived with his family on the first floor, is still standing.

Honors and tributes

In Rome, at the entrance of the building built by himself and his father, in via Bolzano 14, a plaque in the hall displays the citation from Doglio's . The citation of the is also on a plaque on the Bonaria cemetery of Cagliari, Sardinia, where the local section of Arma Aeronautica is dedicated to Furio Niclot Doglio. In Fiumicino, near Rome, a street in the area of Isola Sacra is named: "Niclot".

Awards In 1936, Doglio became one of the first recipients of the FAI's Louis Blériot medal. Doglio was awarded the Medaglia d'oro al Valore Militare (MOVM) (Gold Medal for Military Valor), a Silver medal of aeronautical valour, a Silver Medal of Military Valor "on the field", two and the Iron Cross, Second Class (EK II. Klasse).