1. Franco Bordoni-Bisleri was an Italian aviator and racing car driver.
20 Facts About Franco Bordoni
1. 2.
Franco Bordoni is one of the top-scoring aces of the Regia Aeronautica, with 19 air victories.
3.
Franco Bordoni's nickname was "Robur" and was painted on most of his aircraft and racing cars.
4.
Franco Bordoni's grandfather was Felice Bisleri who had started and owned the family-run Ferro-China-Bisleri amaro business.
5.
The young Franco Bordoni was attracted to flying by the lure of the speed.
6.
Franco Bordoni became a civil pilot but failed in his efforts to join the Italian Royal Air Force, due to a minor nasal problem.
7.
Franco Bordoni finally succeeded in entering the service as a temporary Sottotenente in 1937 and got a military aviation license that allowed him to fly combat missions in World War II.
8.
Franco Bordoni, who had his nickname "Robur" painted on his plane, obtained his first air victory on 10 March 1941: flying a Fiat CR.
9.
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri claimed one of the Kittyhawks, which crash-landed about 15 kilometres southeast of Fuka but according to some sources the same kill was claimed by Tenente Vittorio Squarcia.
10.
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri shot down two P-40s and Caetani claimed a third.
11.
Franco Bordoni went on to become one of Europe's leading amateur drivers during the 1950s.
12.
Franco Bordoni continued to use the "Robur" logo and slogan seen on the liquor bottles.
13.
Franco Bordoni took further wins later the same year and the following, driving a Dagrada-Fiat Sport 750 at Modena, Circuito del Castello in Teramo and in the Coppa Ascoli at Circuito delle Caldaie.
14.
Franco Bordoni drove a Maserati 300S in the 10 Hours of Messina, the RAC Tourist Trophy at Dundrod and won his second Trieste-Opicina hillclimb with it.
15.
Franco Bordoni had more luck with a Maserati A6GCS, that brought him his third victory in the Pergusa Grand Prix.
16.
Franco Bordoni continued to drive for Maserati during the following years.
17.
Franco Bordoni retired from racing in 1959 at the age of 46.
18.
Franco Bordoni-Bisleri died in a plane crash on 15 September 1975.
19.
Franco Bordoni was coming back from Rome after a commemoration of parachutists, attended by Pope Paul VI and organized by the Aero Club of Milan, of which he was President.
20.
Franco Bordoni's death had considerable press coverage at the time, although little was mentioned of his past with the Regia Aeronautica.