Linea dell'Impero facts for kids
The Linea dell'Impero (say "LEE-nay-ah dell Im-PEH-roh") was a very important flight route in Italy before World War II. Its name means "Flight of the Empire" or "Empire Line." It was the longest route flown by an Italian airline called "Ala Littoria," which later became Alitalia. This special route connected Rome, the capital of Italy, all the way to Mogadishu in Italian East Africa. It was a big deal because it linked Italy to its colonies far away.
Contents
History of the Empire Line
A New Route for the Empire
The "Empire Line" started in 1936, after Italy took control of Ethiopia. This flight route helped connect Italy to its new colonies in Italian East Africa. Before this, there had been some test flights to these areas since 1934.
The route was very long, about 6,379 kilometers (nearly 4,000 miles). It first connected Rome to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Along the way, planes stopped in cities like Syracuse, Benghazi, Cairo, Khartoum, and Asmara. At first, passengers had to change planes in Benghazi (or sometimes Tripoli).
Faster Flights and New Planes
The journey usually took about three and a half days of flying during the daytime. There were four flights each week in both directions. From Addis Ababa, three flights a week continued all the way to Mogadishu, which was the capital of Italian Somalia.
Flying to places like Asmara, which is very high up (about 4,572 meters or 15,000 feet above sea level), was a big challenge for planes in the 1930s. But the airline worked hard to make these long flights possible.
In 1939, travel time got much shorter. This was thanks to a new plane called the Savoia-Marchetti "Marsupiale." With this plane, passengers no longer had to change aircraft during the trip. The flight from Rome to Mogadishu now took only two days. It stopped in places like Tripoli, Cairo, Kassala, Asmara, and Addis Ababa. By early 1940, this was the fastest and longest flight route in Africa. It was the most impressive civilian flight line for Italy.
The End of the Line
In the summer of 1940, World War II began. The "Empire Line" then became a military route. It was controlled by a special air service command. In early 1941, the route was completely shut down. This happened when Italy lost control of its colonies in Italian East Africa.
Aircraft Used
When the Empire Line first opened, it used two types of planes. For the first part of the journey, from Rome to Benghazi or Tripoli, they used a three-engined seaplane called the CANT Z.506. A seaplane can land on water.
For the rest of the journey, from Benghazi or Tripoli to Addis Ababa and Italian East Africa, they used a three-engined land-based plane called the Savoia-Marchetti SM-73.
In 1938, a faster plane, the Savoia-Marchetti SM-75, started to be used. This plane could fly longer distances without refueling. It could carry almost 5,000 kilograms (about 11,000 pounds) of mail and up to twenty-four passengers. From early 1939, this new plane made a big difference. Because it could fly faster (up to 370 km/h or 230 mph) and longer, it removed the need to change planes. It also reduced the number of stops and cut the total travel time by a whole day.
Related pages
Images for kids
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The Imperial Line from Rome to Addis Ababa, from a 1937 promotional map by Ala Littoria
See also
In Spanish: Línea del Imperio para niños
