PER FILIOLUS SANCTUS MUCRO

[thedarkmaster]

This is the first aircraft of my new timeline.


the year is 1933 and the Swiss guard squadron St Michael of the Papal States Air Force has just recieved it's new Aircraft, a licence built Benevento class heavy fighter.
















As the Papal States are not at war the aircraft is in peace time livery and like all Swiss Guard aircraft it carries the personal colours of His Holiness as Roundels.

[B777LR]

A Swiss AF plane!

[sequoiaranger]

No, that's got nothing to do with an expensive car, but rather the Latin motto of the University of California--"Let There Be Light".

I highly approve of your "Papal States" colors, as they are the light blue and gold of my alma mater, UCLA!

Plus, I had always wondered what the Swiss Guard of the Vatican had before it acquired the Macchi-Castoldi "Paloma" fighter aircraft shown below (an old whif of mine).

OOPS! I forgot the site is "down for maintenance" and we cannot upload pics (or at least **I** can't). I just realized that although I had meant to, I had not posted the Paloma pic in my gallery either. Sorry. I'll post the pic of the gold-plated, tandem-engined fighter (made from an MC-72 Schneider Trophy winner) when I can!

[sequoiaranger]

>A Swiss AF plane!<

Actually, no. The "Swiss Guard" was the traditional guardian of the Papistry(?), the "Secret Service" of sorts, and really had nothing to do with Switzerland, per se. They wear gaudy orange and blue striped pantaloons, polished armor, and "brushed" helmets something like the Romans had. I put such a fancily-dressed pilot in my "Paloma"--shame I can't show you.

[ChernayaAkula]

That looks pretty!  I like the idea of having so different peacetime and wartime paint schemes.

<...> The "Swiss Guard" <...> really had nothing to do with Switzerland, per se. <...>

I though they were Swiss mercenaries in medieval times (lots of Swiss mercenaries in those days) and even today, you have to be Swiss to apply for the Papal Swiss Guard.

[lancer]

I'm just wondering if someone is going to build a Lutheran Fokker DVII or a DR1 tripe??  How about sopwith Canels and SE5a's flown by the Church of England Air arm?? Just a thought, got to have something to oppose Rome in the air!

[thedarkmaster]

here they are the swiss guard



on guard duty




swearing in etc




I think this is almost all of them, in full combat gear.....




this is the flag of the period.






Not sure if they have to be Roman Catholic or not, i think the Pope trusts them more for money !!


I must admit i love this uniform , used to re-enact 16th centuary landsknecht so had something similar

tim

[sequoiaranger]

>I though they were Swiss mercenaries in medieval times (lots of Swiss mercenaries in those days) and even today, you have to be Swiss to apply for the Papal Swiss Guard.<

My bad. You are right. My understanding was that they USED to be all Swiss, but had been "mongrelized" in more modern times. I guess for awhile only the officers needed to be Swiss (there were French "swiss guards" of lesser status at one time). When I Googled the Swiss Guard, the recruitment was explained--Swiss nationality, graduates of the Swiss military academy, Roman Catholic in good standing, unmarried, and under 30.

OK, now that I am tuned in to Photobucket, I can post my "Paloma" Vatican fighter here:


You can't see it too clearly here, but the pilot has on shiny armor and his helmet has the red "brush". Below all that is his Blue-and-Gold-striped pants!