From 6 May it will be possible to visit the areas of what was once the Superior Studies and Experiences Department, one of the first and most advanced research and development centers for flight experiments and a testimony to the role of Guidonia airport since the dawn of Royal Air Force
Among the initiatives related to the celebrations for the Centenary of the Air Force, the Armed Forces wanted to make the historical heritage existing on the Guidonia airport grounds accessible to the public, recounting one of the symbolic places of the early days of the Regia Aeronautica, the Superior Direction for Studies and Experiences .
The DSSE, operational since 1 February 1928 under the guidance of the General of Aeronautical Engineers Alessandro Guidoni, was a world-class avant-garde center for the experimentation of new aircraft, armaments, equipment and everything in general that was related to flight , an enormous scientific heritage and human resources which was unfortunately not spared by the war events that took place after 1943.
The inauguration of the historical-museum itinerary was held today, Thursday 27 April, in the presence of the Commander of the Schools and of the 3rd Air Region, Air Squad General Silvano Frigerio, with the participation of the Chief Inspector General Basilio Di Martino, President of the "Centenary Committee of the Air Force", and numerous civil, religious and military authorities in the area. The special guest was Prof. Amalia Ercoli Finzi, the first woman to graduate in aeronautical engineering in Italy at the Milan Polytechnic, one of the most important personalities in the world in the field of aerospace science and technology, scientific consultant of NASA, of ASI and ESA.
The inauguration ceremony was opened by the Commander of the 60th Wing of Guidonia, Col. Michele Cesario who underlined in the course of his speech how much today is: "[...] full of meaning for the nation and for the Air Force Military who between the 20s and 40s had in the Superior Studies and Experiences Directorate the real flagship in the aeronautical research and experimentation sector and for the community of Guidonia, which experienced firsthand the birth, glories and decline of the DSSE extension. After years, many, in which the DSSE was left to its own devices, with the farsightedness of our top management and the passion of our staff, today finally what was a source of pride for everyone, becomes usable as a multimedia exhibition itinerary.”
Col. Cesario then went on to say: “For the first 50 years of the last century, the research and experimentation process envisaged, simplifying, study phases and then empirical experimentation. Precisely for this second phase, the various wind tunnels and the hydrodynamic tank were created, in order to be able to test and compare with balsa wood models what was theorized on paper, with exceptional results. Suffice it to say that here, using the ultrasonic stratospheric gallery, the foundations for supersonic flight were laid.” He then concluded by highlighting that: "today everything takes place in a digital environment, in some meanings defined as a metaverse and therefore, by borrowing current research and development techniques, it was decided not to restore in the strict sense but to create the so-called digital twin, i.e. a digital twin of the DSSE. In this way we can live the experience, without modifying what in fact represents a heritage of industrial archeology, it is no coincidence that the site becomes the object of attention both from a purely aeronautical point of view and from an architectural and building engineering point of view.”
This was followed by the inaugural address by Prof. Amalia Ercoli Finzi who highlighted “[…] How the DSSE represents the roots of our history. Italy is a great country: we were the first in aeronautics when we were world leaders in a dramatic but fascinating situation because aeronautics meant not only the construction of the aircraft of then and today. With aeronautical research we are boundless in many other disciplines. This center bears witness to how many things were done then, what results were obtained and how much Italy held a position of absolutely world prestige”. Prof. Ercoli Finzi then continued: "The fundamental concept was that here we wanted to create a study center: immediately after the pioneers it was understood that without in-depth studies for what were programs above all of physio-dynamics, aerodynamics and so on, one could not have achieved what later exploded and that is the passenger airplane, which then led to the conquest of the skies by humanity”. She then concluded her speech by stating that “in the solar system we are a speck and so we ask ourselves: how do we come up with these great ideas, thinking of exploring our solar system and maybe going beyond? Because we have brains and hearts, intelligence and feelings and we can go wherever we want”.
In closing, the Commander of the Schools and of the 3rd Air Region, General of the Air Squad Silvano Frigerio, commented: “We are here with emotion to see the DSSE that had gone into oblivion come back to light. Seeing her come back to life - if we can say so - is a remarkable result that the Armed Forces wanted to pursue with motivation". He continued: "I think it's an incredible result because it gives us back what I believe is the DNA of this base, of our Armed Forces and, I allow myself to say, also of the city of Guidonia: today finding the DNA of the DSSE is a gift what we do to us as the Armed Forces, but we believe it is also the same for all Guidonians who have seen the Air Force present in this area for over 100 years". General Frigerio then concluded: "The creation of this archaeological-museum itinerary is a viaticum to create even more synergy between the Air Force and the City of Guidonia Montecelio, it is a viaticum to know and understand our past, because only by knowing our past we can understand the present and above all always look towards the future.”
Among the artifacts still visible along the way are the three buildings of the Aerodynamics Section, which housed the wind tunnels, the double return tunnel and the supersonic one, the most advanced of the time in terms of power and size, also known as the "stratospheric tunnel ultrasound". Another important element is the Hydrodynamic Section, whose tank was among the largest and most innovative of that period. The impact with what remains of these imposing buildings, destroyed by the bombing of January 13, 1944 and finally freed, as far as possible, from the thick vegetation that covered them, is truly suggestive and recalls the charm of an archaeological site. The entire grounds of the DSSE have been virtually recreated and can be enjoyed through an immersive experience that enhances the activities and experimentation methodologies, to make the visitor relive the emotion of the beginning of the history of flight through scientific and technological research which allowed rapid progress in the aviation field.
The precious and valuable work carried out by the personnel of the Regia Aeronautica at the Directorate of Studies and Experiences brought Italy among the most scientifically advanced countries on the international scene, so much so that, after the war, various Guidonian engineers and scientists were hired by the NACA ( later NASA) in the United States.
The public interested in visiting the DSSE website will be able to do so free of charge on weekends starting from 06/05/2023 by booking online on the site of the centenary of the Air Force.
Guided tours can be booked up to 30 days in advance and will be available to visitors from May via the "BOOK" button at the bottom of the page. After booking, a QR code will be generated to be carried along to allow access to the 60th Wing of Guidonia, together with a valid identification document.