In addition to the Donnet-Lévêque “Flying Fish” Restoration on which we recently reported, another restoration project of Flygvapenmuseum and the Tullingebergsvägen Group is making progress; coincidentally it’s also a flying boat, a Macchi M.7.
(image credit: Bernt Olsson/Tullingebergsvägen Group)
Macchi M.7 #945 was one of four of the Italian aircraft obtained in 1921 by the Swedish “Armefälttygkåren” (the part of the army that handled their air forces before the formation of the Swedish Air Force in 1926), but the high ambient humidity of the northern climes made the plywood construction of the planes a maintenance headache and they were retired from service in 1927. 945, which is the only known survivor of it’s kind, was placed in the Flygvapenmuseum with a wooden mock-up of an engine in place of its original. In 1994, the museum traded some Fiat CR.42 parts to the Italian Air Force for an original Isotta Frascini engine which was displayed on a cart beside the plane until 2009 when both the plane and power-plant were placed in storage. Today the plane is being treated to a complete restoration that will also see the engine and plane at last united by the skilled volunteers at the Tullingebergsvägen Group and will be returned to display at Flygvapenmuseum upon completion of the project.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
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