J.Davilla Italian Aviation in the First World War. Vol.2: Aircraft A-H (A Centennial Perspective on Great War Airplanes 74)

Castellani-Bernasconi

  In 1912, the first “Bernasconi” monoplane crashed at Mocafico. It was patiently rebuilt and in the meantime the long-given a new 50-hp Gnome 50 rotary engine.
  The manufacturers of the new aircraft had taken care to enter it as a competitor in the first Military Aviation Competition which was to take place in Mirafiori in 1913.
  It had to be entrusted to the expert hands of a good pilot, and Stefano Amerigo was chosen.
  Amerigo came to Rome and, over the Campo di Centocelle, managed to make several interesting flights with the new monoplane, which had taken the name of “Bernasconi aircraft”.
  At the beginning of April he was present in Mirafiori for the military competition, but he could not take an active part in it, due to the fact that in many races it was necessary to compete by carrying a passenger.
  The aircraft performed well during testing and its builders, Achille Castellani and Bernasconi, were complimented by the Military Commission for the construction of the monoplane.
  It was established that on their return to Rome the construction of a new two-seater aircraft would begin, to be able to compete in future military competitions, but the new aircraft was never built.