(alternatively 262 missions). He was also credited with 52 shared claims. It should be remembered that the Regia Aeronautica was unwilling to recognise individual "kill" claims from 1940 well into 1942, favouring "collective" victories. This makes it very difficult accurately to state Lucchini's final number of kills. Awards Medaglia commemorativa della campagna di Spagna Medaglia di benemerenza per i volontari della guerra Spagna Gold Medal of Military Valour (Medaglia d’Oro al Valor Militare, posthumously, 1952) - "Young commander of a fighter group, inspiring pilot and a capable, enthusiastic and confident leader. An Italian fighter ace of pure ideals, who as a war volunteer suffered the severe regime of captivity without allowing it to weaken his indomitable spirit. He faced pilots from all around the world in the skies of all war fronts, and in his duels, always fought gallantly, he brilliantly proved his superb qualities of pilot and combatant. His numerous victories did not cloud his judgement with vanity: convinced of his mission, he continued to carry out his task with unchanged concentration and will, a constant example to all in the performance of his duty. He returned to combat with wounds still open: always first where the combat was at its hardest and at its more violent, he would transmit to others the pure love for his country that animated him. In an epic battle fought over on the sacred soil of Italy against an overwhelming number of foes, he was defeated by adverse fortune and not by the skill of an opponent to whom he had always clearly been superior. He fell as gallantly as he had lived, and following the luminous trail left by Baracca, he continues with him to point to the pilots of his group the heroic path to be followed.- Skys of North Africa, the Mediterranean and Sicily, June 1940 - July 1943" Silver Medal of Military Valour (Medaglie d'argento al valore militare), 5 times (1939, 1940, 1941 and 2 others) Bronze Medal of Military Valour (Medaglia di bronzo al valore militare) War Merit Cross (Croce di guerra al valor militare), 3 times Iron Cross of 1939, 2nd class (1942) Mentioned in the Bollettino di Guerra (War Bulletin) on 5 September 1942 and 6 July 1943 References Notes Bibliography Gustavsson, Håkan. URL "Italy Capitano Franco Lucchini Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militareconsultato." Biplane fighter aces on Håkan's aviation page. Retrieved: 10 August 2010. Massimello, Giovanni