La Tenda Rossa: Memorie Di Neve e Di Fuoco: The Red Tent: Memories of Snow and Fire

Italy: Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, 1970. Classic detailed biography by the Italian explorer Umberto Nobile (1885-1978) who was a pioneer in Arctic aviation. Nobile was an aeronautical engineer and aeronautical science professor; designer of semi-rigid airships including the Norge and Italia. Promoted from Colonel to General in the Italian air force following the Norge north pole flight, forced to resign following the Italia disaster. Spent five years in the USSR in the 1930s developing Soviet airship program; lived in the US for several years during WW II; returned to Italy in 1944 where he remained until his death in 1978 at age 92. Not only did he make the first transpolar flight, increasing knowledge of Arctic geography, but he also demonstrated the feasibility of using aircraft in the Arctic for both exploration and transport. In this text, Nobile gives a factual authentic account of the failed flight in 1926 of the airship Norge, and the disasterous flight in 1928 of the airship Italia. Both the Norge and Italia flights flew over the North Pole but did not land. Well-publicized plans to land and leave a scientific team from the Italia at the North Pole were vague at best and failed to materialize. Text in Italian. 452 pgs. Prior ownership name stamp on front endpaper. Dustjacket has a few tiny closed edge tears and minimal rubbing; in mylar. Minimal shelfwear to text. Scarce.. Third Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.