"In dirigibile al Polo Nord. Storia di Renato Alessandrini, dalla prima trasvolata dell’Artide col “Norge” all’ultimo volo con l’ “Italia.”

The book entitled "In dirigibile al Polo Nord. Storia di Renato Alessandrini,  dalla  prima  trasvolata  dell’Artide  col  “Norge” all’ultimo volo con l’ “Italia.” (By airship to the North Pole. The story of Renato Alessandrini, from the first transarctic flight by the airship Norge to the last flight of the Italia.) has recently been published. This is an accurate biography of RENATO ALESSANDRINI (Rome, 11 August 1890 - Arctic Ocean, 25 May 1928) who was an Italian Royal Air Force airship rigger and helmsman, that participated in the following famous polar expeditions:

 

"Amundsen-Ellsworth-Nobile Transpolar Flight" with the NORGE airship, the first aircraft to cross the Arctic from Svalbard to Alaska and probably also the first to fly over the North Pole on 12 May 1926;

 

"Italian Expedition for the Aerial Exploration of the Arctic Regions" with the airship ITALIA, which accomplished 3 arctic exploration flights and reached the North Pole during the last one; however, on the returning flight to the base at the Svalbard islands, because of the airship crash on 25 May 1928, Alessandrini disappeared in the Arctic Ocean aboard the airship with 5 other crew members. The wreck of ITALIA has never been found.

 

The book traces the entire life of Renato Alessandrini, presenting all the fundamental passages: the first work assignment at the age of 15, the serving in the Royal Navy during the Italo-Turkish War (1911-12), the hiring in January 1914 at the Aeronautical Construction Establishment (the Italian state airship factory in Rome), the ceaseless activity during the Great War at the military aero yards and also at the Officine Caproni (famous Italian aircraft manufacturer) and finally the participation in both Umberto Nobile's airship polar expeditions, in which he played a minor role, although undisputed and also well known in official history.

 

In addition to original documents and interesting photographs concerning both expeditions, the book also displays the diary of the successful NORGE adventure. It is a manuscript that obviously Alessandrini had not intended for publication and therefore it appears more like a travel story in the form of a letter, intended for family members, in which he outlines his experiences.

 

The author of the book is Renato Alessandrini's grandson, dr Sergio Alessandrini, MD, forensic doctor and member of the Operating Committee of the GREAL, European University of Rome.

 

The volume is published by the Italian Geographical Society in its "Memorie" series and can be purchased online on its website: http://societageografica.net/wp/it/pubblicazioni/memorie-della-societa-geografica-italiana/