Sylvio Scaroni

Tenente Silvio Scaroni (12 May 1893 – 16 February 1977) was an Italian World War I fighter pilot credited with 26 victories. He was the second ranking Italian ace of the war. On 3 November 1917, Scaroni filed his first claim for an aerial victory, but it went unconfirmed and uncredited. On 14 November, Scaroni scored his first official victory, while flying a Nieuport 17. For the remainder of his victories, Scaroni would fly a Hanriot HD.1. He doubled his firepower by installing a second machine gun on his plane.
On 12 July 1918 he took part in fight with enemy fighters shooting down two of them ( however only one victory is confirmed ) but that was his last fight during First War. During that fight Scaroni, having been severely wounded in the stomach, regained consciousness at about 2400 ft after hitting his head against the struts of his aircraft. He was able to muster sufficient strength to cross the River Piave, at which point the engine of his fighter blew up and destroyed the cowling. Scaroni hastily crashlanded the Hanriot in the only spot available - a dry river bed near Monte Grappa. The wheels hit a hole in the ground, causing the tail to lift and throwing Scaroni from the cockpit. Rushed to hospital, he was fortunate to survive.
Scaroni stayed in the air force post-war, rising through the ranks of the Regia Aeronautica.