Defense Culture: The Dragon of the Federico Martinengo

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What connects a dragon to the Italian Navy’s Federico Martinengo frigate?

The answer takes us back more than a century.

The Federico Martinengo frigate is named after the admiral who was one of the leading figures of the Italian Naval Aviation during World War I, credited with five aerial victories.

At the time, it was common to paint symbols and figures related to pilots and their exploits on airplanes.

A dragon also appeared on Martinengo’s plane—an iconic image that accompanied him throughout his career as a pilot.

Over a hundred years later, that symbol continues to evoke the history of the admiral after whom the frigate is named.

A history that stretches from the skies of the Great War all the way to the Federico Martinengo.