This book is a highly detailed look at World War II era Italian flight gear. Much of the information appears here for the first time in English. Covering flight suits, flight helmets, goggles, parachutes, life vests, oxygen masks, boots, gloves, and more, in over 600 images, offering full coverage of this long overlooked topic. Color photography shows full views of actual period clothing and equipment, as well as close-up details of manufacturers' marks and labels, zippers, buttons and snaps, and insignia. War era images, including rare period color, show Italian aircrews wearing a variety of Italian and German flight gear. AUTHOR: Alberto Spaziani was born in Rome, and where he still lives today. He has been collecting flight equipment, in particular Regia Aeronautica, for over twenty years, and has written many articles on the historical and technological evolution of flight equipment. He also works as a uniform and flight equipment advisor to the Italian Air Force Aviation Museum at Vigna di Valle in Rome. In 1991 he earned his private pilot's license, and flies many types of aircraft. 700 b/w and colour photographs