Desenzano del Garda Seaplane Base

The closure was primarily due to technological obsolescence and a shift in military strategy. The 'golden age' of racing seaplanes ended in the mid-1930s. After World War II, the global aviation industry, both military and civilian, overwhelmingly favored more versatile and efficient land-based aircraft, making large, dedicated seaplane bases strategically and economically unviable.

The site is no longer an airport. The main historical hangar building has been beautifully preserved and restored. It now serves as a prestigious public venue used for cultural events, art exhibitions, conferences, and private functions like weddings. The area surrounding the hangar is a public park and a lakeside promenade, featuring monuments that commemorate the pilots of the RAV and Francesco Agello's world speed record. The location is a popular tourist spot and a testament to its glorious aviation past.

The Desenzano del Garda Seaplane Base holds a legendary status in aviation history. It was the headquarters of the Italian Royal Air Force's elite 'Reparto Alta Velocità' (RAV), a unit created specifically to develop high-speed aircraft and compete for the prestigious Schneider Trophy. The base was a hub of cutting-edge aeronautical engineering in the 1920s and 1930s. Its most significant achievement occurred on October 23, 1934, when Marshal Francesco Agello, piloting the iconic red Macchi-Castoldi M.C.72 seaplane powered by a Fiat AS.6 engine, took off from this base and set the absolute world speed record for a piston-engine seaplane. He reached a speed of 709.209 km/h (440.681 mph), a record that remains unbeaten for that specific category to this day. The base was therefore the site of one of the greatest achievements of the propeller era.

There are no known plans or credible prospects for reopening the site as an active seaplane base. The location is now a highly valued public, cultural, and recreational space in the heart of a major tourist town. The significant environmental, noise, and safety challenges of reintroducing aviation operations in such a densely populated and popular area make any potential reopening extremely unlikely.