Franco Lucchini

Who was Franco Lucchini?

Franco Lucchini, MOVM, was an Italian World War II fighter pilot in the Aviazione Legionaria and in the Regia Aeronautica. During World War II he achieved 21 individual air victories, plus 52 shared, to add to the five kills in Spain, during the Civil War.

He was born in Rome, the son of a railway official. When he was sixteen, he got a glider pilot's license. In 1935, he enrolled in Regia Aeronautica as a Reserve Officer, with the rank of Sottotenente Pilota di Complemento. In July 1936 he gained his military flight license at Foggia flying school. He was then commissioned on 13 August 1936 and in the same month was assigned to the 91ᵃ Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo, 4° Stormo C.T. in Gorizia.