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Features

Aft Cabin: The Rome-Tokyo raid

Ben SampsonBy Ben Sampson9th July 20203 Mins Read
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Rome-Tokyo raid biplanes
Biplanes prepare for the Rome-Tokyo raid in February 1920 (Image: Ranza Gordesco)

A hundred years ago on May 31, Arturo Ferrarin and Guido Masiero arrived at Tokyo in two Ansaldo SVA 9 biplanes after a gruelling 106-day journey from Rome. They were met by crowds reported to be as large as 200,000 people. Ferrarin was subsequently invested as a samurai, Japan’s highest honour.

The pilots had left Centocelle airfield, Rome in fabric and wood biplanes on February 14, 1920. They were part of a company of 11 aircraft and airmen, all intent on impressing the world by flying the 18,000km (11,120 miles) journey to East Asia for the first time.

The 1920s was an era when Italian aircraft and pilots were at the forefront of aviation – setting records by flying farther, faster and higher than anyone else. The “Rome to Tokyo Raid” was conceived as a patriotic gesture between Italy and Japan and is one of the earliest achievements of Italian aviation.

SVA cockpit
The open cockpit made the 112-hour flight tough for the crew

The SVA biplane piloted by Ferrarin on the Raid was developed during WWI to be a fighter, although it was eventually used for various roles, including as a reconnaissance aircraft and bomber. The SVA was one of the fastest aircraft of its time with a large range and high operational ceiling. Italian engineers innovated in its design by performing calculations relating to its structure and aerodynamics to improve its performance, instead of using just empirical observations.

Despite the SVA’s class-leading credentials and the strengths of the Caproni biplanes also used, the extraordinary flight over the Middle East and Asia was largely an ill-fated attempt. The journey was hampered by poor weather, which the aircrews were exposed to because of the open cockpits of the aircraft. The biplanes were not designed for use in high tropical temperatures and humidity and had no radio or airspeed indicators.

Navigation required a watch and compass, while technical issues forced the engineers on board to continuously carry out repairs. The journey was also expensive logisticaly, with multiple stop overs, supplies and spares required, including four additional SVAs placed throughout the route.

The rest of the company failed in different places along the route. One crash in Persia during the take off of a SVA 9 proved fatal for its crew. Furthermore, only Ferrarin managed to complete the entire raid in 112 flight hours. Masiero was disqualified because he had been forced to make the leg between Delhi and Calcutta by train and the journey between Canton and Shanghai by ship.

Ferrarin has been regularly honored for his achievement as the first person to fly from Europe to Japan over the decades. On February 14 this year, the Italian Air Force celebrated the centenary of the Raid with an event at Thiene Airfield. A similar event planned for May 31 was cancelled because of the virus. For the events, Air Force aircraft including a F-104 Starfighter and S.208Ms were decorated with Ferrarin’s face and a special livery on their tails.

Rome Tokyo raid
The Italian Air Force marked the centenary of the raid by decorating aircraft tails

 


SVA biplane key statistics

First flight:  Mar 3, 1917

Wingspan: 29ft 10in

Length: 26ft 7in

Gross weight: 2,315 lb

Top speed: 140mph

Range: 430 miles

Ceiling: 20,000ft

Output of the SPA 6A water-cooled piston engine: 200hp

Crew (SVA 9): 2

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Ben Sampson

Ben has worked as a journalist and editor, covering technology, engineering and industry for the last 20 years. Initially writing about subjects from nuclear submarines to autonomous cars to future design and manufacturing technologies, he was editor of a leading UK-based engineering magazine before becoming editor of Aerospace Testing in 2017.

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