The lovely whitewashed town of Gioia del Colle is known for being a few things: a production center of fresh cow’s-milk mozzarella the birthplace of Sylvester Stallone’s father The grape’s origins are Croatian (where it is known as Tribidrag or Crljenak Kastelanski) but it was here in Gioia del Colle that 18th-century monk and botanist Don Francesco Filippo Indellicati selected the variety for its early ripening and called it “Primativo.” The grape spread to Puglia’s other regions It took a completely separate path (possibly via Austria) to the United States where its identity was the subject of debate until the 1990s when DNA profiling confirmed that Primitivo and Zinfandel are genetically identical Yet here’s the twist: Gioia del Colle Primitivos are distinct from those in the rest of Puglia “It’s a different biotype,” says Marianna Annio I hadn’t drunk a glass of Primitivo for more than a dozen years Yet after a few days eating and drinking my way across Gioia The particularity of the tiny Gioia del Colle appellation—which includes 15 producers who make Primitivo to fill less than 60,000 cases—is in its limestone-rich soils and altitude It sprawls over the Murge Plateau between the Adriatic and Ionian seas at altitudes that can top 1,200 feet Harvests begin in early September as Puglia’s lowland appellations The resulting wines can be a couple of degrees lower in alcohol than their lowland counterparts due to the region's tradition of providing ripe blending wines for northern Europe some Gioia producers found the freshness of their wines was an impediment to sales we were criticized because our wines were different from other Primitivo,’ says Mariangela Plantamura a Gioia del Colle native who created Plantamura from her family's vineyards 16 years ago These days, a handful of small Gioia producers like Plantamura, Pietraventosa and Cristiano Guttarolo (whose lineup includes an amphora-aged Primitivo) create mouthwatering Primitivos They were all inspired to a degree by Manduria wine star Gianfranco Fino. While his reds retail for $50 and up in the United States, prices from Gioia’s new-wave wineries represent bargains—usually at well under $20. But here’s the rub: They are not easy to find. Guttarolo is one of the few to have a New York importer. Pietraventosa’s Primitivo Allegoria, which retails for about $17, is imported in Virginia and distributed in the Washington, D.C., area. Plantamura wines are found in exactly one state: North Carolina. “I don’t know why, but people don’t seem to know about Gioia,” says Jay Murrie, owner of Piedmont Wine Imports in Durham, N.C., who stumbled on Plantamura wines on a trip to Puglia six years ago. “It’s a puzzle.” “It has history and terroir on its side, and it’s the style of Primitivo I like to drink,” he adds. The Gioia versions “are more vibrant and fresh than Primitivos people are used to. They are also lower alcohol and more food-friendly, which seems to be where the market is going.” Murrie’s job is, of course, to sell wine. But I agree: It is a puzzle. When it comes to wine, Italy is infinite and lopsided. Lopsided because we wine lovers might debate the nuances of every hillside and producer in some wine regions, while leaving other meritorious areas (often in southern Italy) in their wilderness. Sure, very often in our hyper-connected cosmopolitan world, wine comes to you. But sometimes you just have to go to it. The first family of Sicilian wine teams with French investors to make biodynamic, bi-cultur… As CEO of Houston’s Goodnight Hospitality—the group behind restaurants March, Rosie … Winemaker Jared Etzel moves on from Domaine Roy & Fils to success with a new Pinot Noir … Winemakers bringing the region’s terroir to the fore Top wine pros share the sweet wines they think deserve more love, from Pedro Ximénez Sherry … Castello Solicchiata is the volcano’s most historic noble winery. Why is it hidden away? Mafia clans planned to assassinate an Italian prosecutor with 550g of TNT that police found hidden underneath a tree outside a crime lord's villa as they searched an estate in the small town of Gioia del Colle The plot involved the collaboration of two separate mafia clans, the Sacra Corona Unita (active in Bari's Apulia region) and the Camorra (which operates in the Naples area) Colangelo has investigated the latter but is a native of Gioia del Colle and often returns to his hometown Detectives said mob affiliates had monitored the his movements and decided that the quiet commune with origins dating back to the 7th century BC was the ideal place to set off a deadly explosion Il Riccio (The Hedgehog) is a pavilion where books are shared the pavilion functions as an urban landmark where it provides a sheltered space to exchange books a book peddler who played an important role in promoting a culture of reading books within the mid-size town of Gioia Del Colle (Bari) in southern Italy entertained his customers with stories and advised them on the right choice of book the local community decided to keep his cultural activity alive with a book sharing facility in the main garden of Gioia del Colle exactly in the same place as Michele’s stall Project description PROFFERLO was given the opportunity to design this facility in memory of Michele Il Riccio builds upon Michele’s legacy as a highly engaging architectural intervention where it invites the visitors to experience new activities and encounters by being an open and public platform The pavilion activates the existing space with the help of a local company who aided the realization of this project The zoomorphic form plays on the ambiguous field of the reference attached to an architectural object (hedgehog and so on) that lands like a meteorite on a lawn Il Riccio was prefabricated offsite in two pieces of bent sheet metal mounted on a three- dimensional frame that served as a structure and shelving the façade shows a circular and a rectangular opening where they become the eyes of the hedgehog These were laser cut on the sheet metal and overlapped with a dark grey metal grating module the sawtooth roof allows an unexpected uniform light where the sky blue colour of the interior glows within Il Riccio becomes a lantern where the blue interior shines out of the “eyes” of the hedgehog This reversal of light from inside to outside becomes an attraction amongst the dim landscape of the garden Gutters are bent to follow the roofline of the pavilion and conceals their presence The integrated structure of the shelves allows the users to organize the collection of books The shelving elements uses wooden boxes and boards and they can be used separately or together providing the user with different ways to store the books Starting from next spring at the lawn next to Il Riccio authors will be given the opportunity to launch their books As each author presents their book they would also donate to the collection allowing Il Riccio to be fed with knowledge and stories Michele’s legacy of promoting reading to the people lives on This project demonstrated how administration local community and entrepreneurs could work together on a project that would benefit the future of the area Project Status: BuiltMain Use: Booksharing PavilionTotal Floor Area: 6 m²Structure: IronDate: October 2019Institutions: Comune di Gioia del ColleContractors: Emmegi Grigliati Spa Gianfranco VerricoPhotographers: Massimiliano Cafagna Fabiana DicuonzoSpecial Thanks To: Livio Addabbo He sold second-hand books for a few Euros,.. The yearly joint exercise is among the Alliance’s most critical missions intended to foster cooperation and facilitate the sharing of training experiences between NATO’s Air Forces The 2023 edition took off on Tuesday at the Gioia del Colle Air Base in Apulia This training session (technically known as a Large Force Employment) will run from October 2 to 13 and involve roughly 70 fixed-wing and ten rotary-wing aircraft which will focus on perfecting asset interoperability in air defence and interdiction missions and recovery of personnel in a hostile environment Image: Italian Defence Francesco Corvaro spent last week in Washington engaging US Department of Energy officials on nuclear fission and fusion Rome has sent two Canadair water‑bombers to assist Israel in battling forest fires acting swiftly under the EU’s rescEU mechanism Decode39 is a spin-off project stemming from Formiche a leading geopolitical and analytical news outlet that has been informing Italian decision-makers since 2004 We provide authoritative content and geopolitical insights taking advantage of Italy’s unique perspective as a global crossroads to reach English and Arab-speaking readers around the world authoritative content and geopolitical insights from Italy to Arabic readers around the world DECODE39 IN ARABIC> It is a very quiet morning when the alarm goes off in the Control Room: immediate take-off order The two pilots on alert are already wearing their anti-G suits They rush towards the shelters housing the "pre-flighted" Eurofighters This is what happened a few months ago during an exercise which took place in Puglia at the Gioia del Colle Air Base home of the 36th Wing of the Italian Air Force Take-off with maximum engine thrust provided by afterburner The National Airspace Surveillance Service (Servizio di Sorveglianza dello Spazio Aereo nazionale “The Unit is engaged in seamless operational and training activities in Italy and abroad” explains “first and foremost to ensure alert response services from Gioia del Colle as well as to provide technical support for aircraft that are deployed to Trapani.” the Wing’s Eurofighters crossed the Atlantic to support the cross-ocean flight of the first Italian F-35B and they took part in the complex test and evaluation “Blazing Shield” campaign at China Lake in California which focused on the aircraft’s self-protection capabilities too this year the Wing was engaged in Operation “Baltic Eagle” to secure the airspace of the Baltic countries with aircraft deployed to the Amari air base in Estonia until April also in very difficult weather conditions” During the first few months of 2018 the Italian Air Force ensured air defence for 6 countries: in addition to Estonia the Eurofighters in fact also guarantee the coverage of the airspace of neighbouring Slovenia (permanent) and Albania (in rotation with Greece) as NATO members without autonomous air defence the fleet’s operational availability can reach 75%” thus reiterating that the Eurofighter has now reached an excellent level of maturity Leonardo has been awarded leadership of the Eurofighter business campaign in Poland This is an extremely interesting opportunity for the Company in view of recent successes in the trainer sector (M-346) and also in consideration of Leonardo’s well-established presence in the country the Polish Air Force expressed its need to replace the obsolete MiG-29 and Su-22 of Soviet production with modern multi-role aircraft Leonardo will be able to offer Poland industrial cooperation work packages and participation in development programs Poland would also benefit from the continuing evolution and constant updates provided by the current 9 Eurofighter customers The over 540 Eurofighters in service - out of the 623 ordered - have now logged almost 500,000 flight hours and they regularly take part in real operations Within the work-sharing framework of the complex European collaboration program Leonardo is in charge of producing all the left wings all the rear sections of the fuselage - designed together with BAE Systems some mobile surfaces and underwing pylons for loads Leonardo also designed and integrated important on-board systems (loads management cockpit displays) and worked to integrate the aircraft with the entire weapon and propulsion system.  “The aircraft cockpit is very comfortable” an expert instructor pilot of the 36th Wing confirms “indeed there are no limitations on mission duration and this is a very important factor the Eurofighter allows you to fuse mission data automatically providing the pilot with full situational awareness so that the pilot can focus better on the mission” Leonardo’s Airborne & Space Systems Division contributed significantly to the development and production of the aircraft’s avionics and main sensors - with the support of the various production sites in Italy and the UK - in particular of the Captor-E radar, the passive infrared PIRATE system the DASS auto-protection system (Defensive Aids Sub-System) and the communication and IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) systems.  The M-346 constantly supports Eurofighter pilot training; thanks to its on-board tactical simulation system it allows to simulate beyond visual range intercepts It can work via data link with Eurofighters thanks to specialized pods which record and monitor all flight parameters in real time With a fleet of 18 aircraft based at the 61st Wing of Lecce and consolidated syllabuses for advanced and pre-operational training, the M-346s are perfectly integrated with the Eurofighter units effectively covering the role of simulated “adversary” By logging a good number of flight hours on the M-346s training efficiency is maximized and costs are significantly reduced Expert instructor pilots of the 61st Wing in Lecce employ the M-346 for the role of opponent With Poland’s renewed trust thanks to the second order for the M-346 which entered into service at the Training Academy based in Déblin the integration between the two aircraft produced by Leonardo will certainly represent an important element in support of a possible choice by Poland in favour of the Eurofighter There are two FMS ASTA simulators (Full Mission Simulator - Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids) with data link connection at Gioia del Colle and further E-ACPT trainers (Enhanced Aircrew Cockpit Procedure Trainer) where it is possible to simulate every emergency procedure and much more This is where the Italian Air Force and Leonardo personnel work closely together.  Eurofighter Simulator (copyright Eurofighter/Geoffrey Lee) Spigolon explains “We have started to 'federate' flight simulators: it is therefore possible to fly joint missions using the simulators located at Gioia del Colle Grosseto (Eurofighter) and Lecce (M-346) with simultaneous data link connection in order to achieve maximum training results as during the recent NATO exercise Spartan Alliance 2018” Wanted in RomeMagazine Sylvester Stallone received a hero's welcome in the southern Puglia region of Italy this week after travelling there to embrace his family's Italian heritage The Hollywood legend and his brother Frank were conferred with honorary citizenship of Gioia del Colle during an open-air ceremony on Wednesday evening "100 years ago my grandfather left this city and this was the key to his barbershop" - Stallone told the crowd as he held aloft a large rusty key - "he was brave enough to make that journey and because of that I am here today with my family." who can trace his family's roots in Puglia back four centuries, is accompanied in Italy by his wife Jennifer Flavin and their three adult daughters Sophia and his family travelled to Rome where they were received in a private audience by Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday morning Wanted in Rome ™ is member of the Wanted World Wide Ltd network.Click here to find out more about our Network or Follow us on social networks © 2025 / 2026 Wanted World Wide LTD Network The version 2.0 includes significant improvements for the VC and the external model in terms of display quality and animations Please read the release history documentation inside the zip file for more information The aircraft has been developed for FSX Flight Simulator SP1 or SP2 under Windows 7 It has also been tested with Microsoft FSX Acceleration and P3D simulator but full compatibility is not guaranteed by the author This package includes the aircraft model (Single-Seater All three parts have been designed and developed according to a large number of technical documents Changes and additional functions have been made for simplification or gameplay reasons weapon simulation and indicators give a good impression on how the real Eurofighter cockpit looks inside A significant effort has been made to test update and improve the flight dynamics of the model The model includes and supports the following additional payloads : Please take your time to read the included documentation carefully Do not skip chapters because you may think and installation instructions look at the PDF documentation inside the ZIP file In order to install this package some basic knowledge of handling files and folders in FSX/Windows and on how to edit existing .cfg files with a text editor are required The installation is described in detail in the pdf document inside the zip file View important Copyright © information related to freeware files here The archive mefttyphoon_2_0.zip has 390 files and directories contained within it This list displays the first 500 files in the package The content of the comments below are entirely the opinions of the individual posting the comment and do not always reflect the views of Fly Away Simulation We moderate all comments manually before they are approved They are controlled by the Flight Control System alone The pilot doesn't manipulate flaps and slats The control is automatic depending on the speed A superb aircraft everything functions and works great i don't think typhoons aircrafts have flaps because of delta wings It s a fine aircraft with a lot of functions that work Signing-up for PRO gives you super fast, unrestricted speed to the thousands of MSFS, FSX, P3D & X-Plane downloads which include aircraft, scenery, and more - 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You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports have travelled the equivalent distance of eight times around the world and transported 1,680 tonnes of kit down to the airfield at Gioia del Colle to support 906 Expeditionary Air Wing In the hours following the passing of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 2 MT Squadron personnel who had been deployed to support Operation Southern Mistral (a flying exercise in Nancy involving Tornados and French Mirage fighter jets) were rerouted A second convoy of 21 articulated lorries was rapidly readied back in the UK with kit collected from RAF Coningsby and RAF Marham and the convoy left from 2 MT Squadron’s base of RAF Wittering on 20 March 2011 six days after the first convoy left Nancy The high-value equipment being transported included generators hydraulic rigs and weapon loaders for the Typhoon and Tornado aircraft that are policing the no-fly zone over Libya in a bid to protect the country’s civilian population from attacks by Colonel Gaddafi Fitters from 5001 Squadron who deployed to Italy in support of the air strikes in Libya [Picture: Senior Aircraftman Adam Fletcher The squadron does a lot of convoys of this nature but mainly to support the defence exercise programme We went from supporting an exercise in France to supporting a operation Everything changed and the speed and the tempo went up Usually we would have months to prepare for an exercise but for this [ELLAMY] it was a matter of hours It was a big undertaking but there was a real buzz around the station as the guys were prepping the vehicles getting jabs at the med centre and convoy commanders were getting their briefings Taking so many trucks on the road at any one time also had to be meticulously planned out taking rests and refuelling - that would take anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour-and-a-half The convoys were escorted through Italy by the Italian Carabinieri (police) The trip from the UK to Gioia del Colle took four days from 5001 Support Engineering Flight (SEF) performed one of the quickest battery changes of his service career during one convoy We had just entered Italy and the lead vehicle’s battery had packed up It was a single carriage slip road and cars were backing up behind the convoy Usually a battery change would take about 15 minutes; we did it in under five Fortunately we had a spare battery that had been put on as spares at the last minute The 5001 SEF fitters would work through the night repairing any vehicles to ensure they were ready for the next day’s drive During the peak of getting equipment down to Gioia del Colle at one point only 30 were left at RAF Wittering Some are still deployed in Italy and France maintaining the sustainment supply convoys that continue to leave RAF Wittering on a regular basis Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details RAF Tornado and Typhoon aircraft on an armed reconnaissance patrol located an ammunition lorry near to the heavily damaged central ordnance depot at Waddan a further RAF patrol successfully targeted three buildings near Bani Walid which NATO surveillance analysis had shown were in use by Gaddafi’s forces for command and control purposes and ammunition storage Paveway precision guided bombs destroyed all three RAF Tornado GR4 jets spotted some of Colonel Gaddafi’s artillery in action near Sidra A combination of Paveway guided bombs and Brimstone missiles destroyed a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher a heavy artillery piece in a gun emplacement and a pick-up truck armed with a heavy weapon an armed reconnaissance patrol over Tripoli by RAF Tornado and Typhoon aircraft was tasked by NATO to prosecute a FROG-7 ballistic missile launch vehicle RAF Tornado GR4 aircraft takes off from Gioia del Colle air base in southern Italy (stock image) [Picture: Sergeant Pete Mobbs RAF This had been spotted in the hands of Gaddafi’s forces near the former regime’s rocket artillery depot south of the capital the weapon represented a significant potential threat to the population of Tripoli The RAF aircraft successfully engaged the missile launcher with a Paveway guided bomb The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced yesterday that a small FCO-led team consisting of diplomatic and technical staff is now on the ground in Tripoli as part of the preparations for a wider diplomatic presence reflecting the recent military progress which means that some members of Libya’s National Transitional Council have already moved to Tripoli Without the specialist communications expertise provided by the members of 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron the RAF’s dealings with NATO commanders leading the operation would be slowed dramatically 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron is equipped with NATO’s advanced Richelieu digital communications systems primarily used to support the NATO ARRC (Allied Rapid Reaction Corps) Headquarters Officer in Charge of the 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron detachment at Gioia del Colle We are working in support of the RAF; the RAF provide the majority of the communications systems through the Tactical Communications Wing NATO personnel based at Headquarters in Poggio use a unique NATO communications network which is something the RAF do not usually cater for; that’s where we fill the gap Personnel based at Gioia del Colle and Trapani receive Air Tasking Orders (ATOs) containing classified information from the Command Allied Operations Centre based in Poggio Members of the Queen's Gurkha Signals celebrate the regiment's 62nd birthday at Gioia del Colle air base in southern Italy [Picture: Crown Copyright/MOD 2011] 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron personnel ensure the ATOs are received by those that need them facilitating the free flow of essential ‘comms’ kit and experience - gathered over more than 60 years in the British Army - allow for a highly focused and efficient operation We’re here to do a job; our training ensures that we’re very focused on the task and we just get on with what we need to do Working with the RAF is a great privilege for us and we’re enjoying working together in a friendly environment One of the soldiers from the squadron in Italy at the moment is Lance Corporal Agnesh Rai who joined the British Army in 2005 and relishes the opportunities it presents: I wanted to see the world and maintain my family tradition as my uncle was in the Gurkhas too,” he said I get to deploy to lots of different places My family in Nepal are very proud that I’m in the British Gurkhas Operating under the aegis of NATO’s UNIFIED PROTECTOR following a series of successful missions on Friday and Saturday against former regime forces in and around the city of Sirte NATO taskings saw the RAF continue to focus its efforts on the city for the rest of the weekend RAF aircraft struck a command and control installation Paveway and Brimstone precision guided weapons were used; in one case with concrete replacing the high-explosive charge was successfully used to destroy one particular target without risking collateral damage known from NATO surveillance analysis to be used by mercenary forces was attacked by a formation of Tornado GR4s British aircraft struck targets in Sirte and Bani Walid and in both locations Royal Air Force aircraft saw action against former regime forces RAF armourers load Enhanced Paveway III bombs onto aircraft at Gioia del Colle air base in southern Italy [Picture: Senior Aircraftwoman Sally Raimondo a formation of Tornado GR4s attacked ammunition stores destroying their targets with Paveway guided bombs NATO reconnaissance had identified a psychological warfare centre and a firing position used by those of Gaddafi’s troops who continue to dominate areas of the town These were also subjected to precision strikes by GR4s It has also been announced that HMS Ocean and her helicopter detachment have now been released from Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Communications Officer NATO has agreed with the UK that HMS Ocean and her helicopter detachment can be released from Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR The vessel is offloading equipment in Souda Bay and in due course will proceed through the Suez Canal en route to the Red Sea Since the start of military operations on 19 March Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps strikes have damaged or destroyed some 1,000 former regime targets that presented a threat to the Libyan people mark a significant increase in the RAF’s reconnaissance capabilities as part of Operation ELLAMY over Libya One of the jets arrived fitted with a RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado) device which enables the aircraft to provide detailed reconnaissance imagery over large areas the Tornado GR4 jets will also be available to boost the strike capability of NATO operations over Libya One of the four additional RAF Tornado GR4 jets touches down at Gioia del Colle air base in southern Italy [Picture: Corporal Pete Devine Officer Commanding 2 (Army Cooperation) Squadron The arrival of the additional GR4s will be a considerable boost to the already potent combat intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capability that the Tornado GR Force already brings to Operation ELLAMY 2 (AC) Squadron have had huge success with the precise engagement of hundreds of targets and the collection of thousands of images which have provided valuable intelligence for NATO These additional aircraft will allow us to further increase our presence over the skies of Libya and ensure that we continue to protect Libyan civilians have been operating the 12 Tornado GR4 aircraft already based at Gioia del Colle since May 2011 There are also six Typhoon jets deployed alongside the Tornado GR4s currently operated by personnel from 3 (Fighter) Squadron In the next few days the aircraft will be prepped for operations by the personnel of 906 Expeditionary Air Wing and take to the skies over Libya as part of Operation ELLAMY a member of No 2 (Mechanical Transport) Squadron [2 (MT) Sqn] within No 85 (Expeditionary Logistics) Wing He was part of a 10-vehicle convoy delivering vital equipment to UK Forces at Gioia del Colle in support of Operation ELLAMY SAC Smart was involved in a fatal road-traffic incident near Vasto Senior Aircraftman James Smart [Picture: via MOD] SAC Smart was born on 18 August 1988 in Chester Prior to joining the Royal Air Force in 2008 he was a member of the Territorial Army He completed his Phase 1 airman training at RAF Halton between April and August 2008 he progressed to his Phase 2 driver trade training at the Defence School of Transport and was posted to 2 (MT) Sqn in November 2008 SAC Smart undertook numerous tasks around the UK and in Europe as an MT driver within the Joint Support Unit MT Section and effortlessly assumed the acting rank of corporal in the busy MT section SAC Smart was due to receive his Operation HERRICK medal from the Station Commander at RAF Wittering at a medal ceremony to be held on 1 August 2011 SAC Smart was quick to volunteer to deploy to Mount Pleasant Airfield in the Falkland Islands between October 2010 and January 2011 SAC Smart had been heavily involved with Operation ELLAMY since it began in March this year He was on the initial convoy of 20 vehicles that deployed from the UK to Nancy Air Base this convoy was diverted in order to equip Gioia del Colle to become the deployed operating base for the RAF Tornado and Typhoon aircraft and he remained in Gioia del Colle until May 2011 SAC Smart took part in further sustainment runs in support of Operation ELLAMY SAC Smart was undertaking his fifth sustainment run in support of the operation when he died SAC Smart will be sorely missed by all those personnel with whom he worked on 2 (MT) Sqn and the Squadron’s thoughts are with his family at this very tragic time The family of Senior Aircraftman James Smart have made the following statement: James (Smarty) was a small man with a big heart He brought joy and happiness to everyone who met him He was proud to serve his country and died doing something he loved He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends and he has left a big hole in all of our lives Officer Commanding Royal Air Force Wittering or ‘Smarty’ as he was affectionately known to his colleagues was a dedicated and exceptionally hard-working airman whilst continually wishing to advance his trade skills There is no doubt that he had a promising career ahead of him in the Royal Air Force he was always keen to compete in team competitions and represented both his squadron and station He was also blessed with a warm heart and a great sense of humour he was extremely well liked amongst his peers and popular with all those with whom he worked a great ambassador for not only his squadron but also for RAF Wittering and for the Royal Air Force as a whole Officer Commanding No 2 Mechanical Transport Squadron SAC Smart was quite simply larger than life in every conceivable way infectious cheek that often got him out of the most difficult situations Smarty as he was known - was able to combine a tough competitive streak with a startling physical strength which he cultivated to surprise many opponents in sporting contests He epitomised the term ‘team-player’ and consistently put others needs before his own His approachable and permanently cheerful attitude ensured that he was widely liked across the Station Smarty was typically at the forefront of everything he did even to the extent of parading next to people a foot taller than him to ensure he was the lead man it was all about how he could benefit the team for Smarty and again this selfless characteristic contributed to his overwhelming popularity despite his recent return from Afghanistan he was determined to support the wider RAF effort to supply equipment to Gioia Del Colle would have fulfilled his wish for a swift return to operational employment Determined to quickly gain a wide experience of his trade the whole senior management of my squadron is adamant that he would have deservedly and swiftly advanced in rank a true ambassador for his profession and No 2 (MT) Squadron is an emptier place without him Members of the No 2 (MT) Sqn detachment attached to 904 Expeditionary Air Wing currently deployed on Op HERRICK in southern Afghanistan When I think of Smarty I think of a wide and contented grin Then I realise with a terrible and awful jolt that it’s a grin that we won’t see any more It’s a happy grin that I first saw as he burst into LAC Flight It’s a grin that became even wider whenever he was involved in banter (particularly when we presented him with a small child’s booster seat in Italy) It’s a grin that we saw whenever he was driving with his beloved Squadron It’s an infectious grin that accompanied him wherever he went and it’s a grin that we will always remember Smarty was an airman who I would like to have carried around in my pocket and get out in times of dire straits - a deployable ‘super-airman’ completely dependable and utterly devoted to the Service that he loved so much Smarty was without doubt someone to keep an eye on in the future and he would have rapidly made his way through the ranks mindset and outlook were of the highest calibre The standard he set for his peers was quite simply too hard to follow and keep up with - he left them choking in his dust hugely popular and ambitious are but a few words to describe SAC Smart Our proud Squadron will be all the weaker for this tragic loss and the pain of his passing will remain as an open wound until time My memories of Smarty will never completely fade though - he will always pop up in a happy memory and undoubtedly elicit a Smarty-esque wide grin he was always smiling and he could brighten up any room he walked into he was a very keen worker and he would always be the first to volunteer for any job that came up He will always be remembered and will be deeply missed SAC Smart was one of the most dedicated lads I ever had the pleasure of working with Smarty always did that job with the biggest smile on his face He is a true legend of 2 MT Sqn and will deeply be missed and be remembered as one of our finest My heart goes out to you and your family during this hard time I deployed with the convoy taking kit on Ex SOUTHERN MISTRAL to France which in turn was redeployed toItaly in support of Op ELLAMY SAC Smart was on that convoy and was an airman that made a great impression for all the right reasons from the ‘get-go.’ Quick to volunteer and get fully involved with a task he was also a guy who had a great sense of humour; a guy who could even laugh at himself (even if it was about a booster-seat!) The hardest grafter and always wore a smile ‘Smarty’ Smart you will be missed by everyone You’re a true record of 2(MT) Sqn and the whole MT Trade It has been an absolute pleasure and honour to have known you and worked with you No words could ever describe what a top lad and true friend you were John Smart was the best man I have ever worked with and will be greatly missed by everyone It was an honour to work with you and be your friend Like the elephant on our sleeves that united us We have so many good memories of you that we will all cherish at 2MT No one ever had a bad word to say about him He was a little man with a big personality and a massive heart You would have been proud of our night out that we had for you They say the best things come in small packages I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Senior Aircraftman James Smart in an accident in Italy He was deployed in support of Operation ELLAMY and was providing a vital supply link for the RAF in their role protecting the civilian population of Libya My thoughts go to his family and friends at this extremely sad time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. News stories, speeches, letters and notices Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports The aircraft are in addition to 12 RAF Tornados already deployed at Gioia del Colle. This latest deployment is intended to bolster NATO’s reconnaissance capability. Equipped with RAPTOR (Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado) pods, RAF Tornados can provide extremely detailed reconnaissance imagery over large areas. The deployment will have no effect on operations in Afghanistan. In an update on Libya operations, Major General Nick Pope, the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Communications Officer, said: British forces have again been in action over Libya, protecting civilians from the depredations of Colonel Gaddafi’s regime. Yesterday morning [Thursday 14 July 2011], a Royal Air Force patrol located a BMP armoured personnel carrier near Zlitan, to the west of Misurata. A precision attack by a Typhoon multi-role fighter, using a Paveway guided bomb, successfully destroyed the vehicle. The precision, accuracy and weight of NATO’s air strikes have caused significant damage to Gaddafi’s regime forces attacking Libyan people - the RAF alone has to date damaged or destroyed more than 500 military targets including command and control sites. But, as the campaign has progressed, the regime is increasingly attempting to conceal troops, equipment and headquarters, often in populated areas. Gathering the intelligence needed to precisely target these forces remains a key part of NATO’s efforts in prosecuting this campaign. That is why in the coming days the UK will deploy an additional four RAF Tornado GR4s to Gioia del Colle, primarily in the reconnaissance role to further support this effort. As a formidable attack aircraft this deployment will also provide a useful secondary increase to NATO’s overall strike capability. NATO already benefits from the twelve RAF Tornados already deployed at Gioia del Colle. This latest deployment will bolster NATO’s reconnaissance capability. The deployment will have no effect on operations in Afghanistan. Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. The honor was presented in the evening by Mayor Giovanni Mastrangelo during a public ceremony in Piazza Plebiscito to the two artists who were visiting the places where their paternal family lived before moving to the United States of America: Present at the ceremony were the president of the Puglia Region Michele Emiliano and the president Anna Maria Tosto and the general manager Antonio Parente President Emiliano brought the famous actor the greetings of all the people of Puglia: ” The presence of Sylvester Stallone in Gioia del Colle excites all the Gioiesi and all the Apulians The search for lost time is always one of the most moving and interesting things in the life of each of us Gioia del Colle is my mother’s hometown We are honored by the presence of such an important person capable of making cinema a moment of revolution they are seen continuously and are seen again even when they are known by heart and it is the sign of success and humility of a determination and ability to work that is typically Apulian” “It is a historic day for all of us – declares the mayor of Gioia del Colle Giovanni Mastrangelo – The beautiful thing is that despite having reached the pinnacle of success Sylvester and his brother have never denied their Gioia origins This strong bond is a source of pride for all of Puglia and for all those immigrants who left our country in search of fortune in the 1930s and therefore they represent a positive model of those who were able to achieve fame and celebrity.” the comment of the Puglia Region Michele Emiliano – video link: the Mayor’s comment – video link: