More than 100,000 people attended the air show at Rivolto Air Base, northern Italy, on September 6 and 7

Frecce Tricolori 65th anniversary airshow

Frecce Tricolori take off from Rivolto Air Base to perform at the airshow celebrating their
65th anniversary.

The event attracted thousands of flight enthusiasts from Italy and abroad thanks to a rich program that included air and ground displays featuring Italian Air Force aircraft, top aerobatic teams from across Europe, and themed exhibition areas.

The skies above Rivolto were filled with breathtaking aerobatic displays for nearly eight hours. Performers included the Patrouille de France (France), the Patrouille Suisse (Switzerland), the Midnight Hawks (Finland), the Turkish Stars (Turkey), the Krila Oluje (Croatia), the Spanish F/A-18 Hornet, the Baltic Bees (Latvia), and the planes and helicopters of The Flying Bulls (Austria). Italian civilian aerobatic teams included the WeFly! Team and Yakitalia, while history buffs enjoyed the participation of the Caproni Ca.3 and SPAD XIII R aircraft from the Jonathan Collection Foundation.

The Italian Air Force captivated the crowd with stunning displays of the T-346A, Eurofighter, and C-27J Spartan by the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (RSV) and a Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstration with an HH-139A helicopter by the 15th Wing. Adding to the excitement were the flybys of two F-35s (both A and B variants), highlighting the capabilities of the two versions of the fifth-generation fighter assigned to the 32nd Wing, and two Eurofighters, which intercepted a historic SOKO G-2 Galeb aircraft. The public also greatly appreciated the display of the G-91R aircraft (the only G-91 still flying in the world), painted in the livery of the Frecce Tricolori.

The airshow culminated with the performance of the Frecce Tricolori, who closed the event by painting five kilometers of sky with the Italian flag. For the occasion, the elite aerobatic team of the Italian Air Force sported a special livery featuring tails alternating with one of the three colors of the Italian flag and the number 65 above. Furthermore, the upper fuselage of the jets was covered in white in honor of the new livery designed for the T-346 PAN, the team's future aircraft.

In addition to the flying display, visitors enjoyed a cultural and experiential journey through exhibition areas such as one dedicated to the history of the 2nd Wing, based in Rivolto, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. There was also an area dedicated to Space, where visitors could admire models and memorabilia from Italian companies, and a fun-for-the-experiencing trail with flight simulators and virtual reality headsets that allowed the public to experience the thrill of flight firsthand. The static display also included a 1:1 scale mockup of the T-346 PAN, a much-loved feature.