Call for Papers

Request for historical contributions relating to the Italian Air Force to mark the centenary of its establishment

Goals

On the occasion of the centenary of the establishment of the Royal Italian Air Force as an independent Armed Force on March 28th 1923, the Italian Air Force General Staff intends to take an initiative to publish a series of historical works analyzing the main events which have had an impact on the Royal Italian Air Force and the Italian Air Force over these hundred years, both in relation to Italy’s national history and the global evolution of military aviation.

Thematic Approaches

The proposed editorial projects, strictly original in content, free from intellectual property or other constraints, set with historical rigor and free from any propaganda or purely celebratory approach, should cover one or more of the following periods of time, with the aim of creating a work intended to be a reference of the period of time considered, giving priority to scientific rigor over disclosure aspect:

- The birth of the Italian Royal Air Force (1919-1926);

- The Seven Years of Italo Balbo (1927 – 1933);

- The 1930s;

- World War II, broken down by year between 1940 and 1943 inclusive. Therefore, the project should cover a single year (1940, 1941, 1942, 1943), aiming to have, at the end, the coverage of the entire time span, even with the contribution of several authors;

- From the Armistice (September 8th 1943) to the end of WWII conflict (1945);

- The Rebirth (1945-1949);

- NATO and the Cold War Years (1949 – 1989);

- Operations outside national borders, starting with the UN mission in Congo.

The following topics should be covered within the abovementioned individual periods of time, where possible:

  1. the Italian contribution to the development of aeronautical thought and aeronautical sciences in the area of history of flight and air operations and in relation to experience abroad, highlighting reciprocal influences and the role the Italian Air Force as well as, more generally, Italy, has played in the development of aviation;

  2. the way in which the organization of the Armed Force has evolved in the context of ordering, training, operations, logistics, telecommunications and flight assistance as well as the experience of other air forces in these areas;

  3. the planning and execution of air operations, taking into account the range of relevant aspects not only of a purely operational nature, but also doctrinal and technical-logistical considerations;

  4. the history and role of the corps and specialties of the Armed Force – not only flight operation departments, but all their components, including, therefore, technical-operational and technical- logistic services, as well as ground defence units and special forces;

  5. the technical evolution of aircraft, equipment and armaments, as well as ground equipment and aviation infrastructure;

  6. research, development and experimental activities conducted by the Armed Force or under the aegis of the Armed Force, including means strategy and the relationship with industry, both nationally and internationally, as well as the field of Meteorology, Aerospace and Astronautics;

  7. the role and activities of the Armed Force in the context of joint and international cooperation, including aspects of “aeronautical diplomacy”;

  8. the evolution of international legal rules governing air warfare and the discipline of flight safety.

The assessment Commission reserves the right to revise the proposal or to better define its contents through a discussion with the Author.

Eligibility

All Italian and foreign citizens are eligible to respond to the call for papers individually, provided that they have achieved the age of majority at the time their contributions are submitted.

How to Participate

To participate in the call for papers proposals must be submitted to the Italian Air Force General Staff – 5th Department, Viale dell’Università 4, 00185, Rome, by 28 February 2021, under cover of an e-mail sent to cfp100am@aeronautica.difesa.it, with the subject line specifying “Call for papers 100 anni AM”.

In addition, the following documents must be attached:

  1. applicant’s CV;

  2. copy of a valid Identity document;

  3. a summary of no more than 2.500 characters;

  4. a work scheme in the form of a rough index and a work programme aimed at delivering the final draft by 30 March 2022;

  5. participation form (Annex A);

  6. copyright transfer form (Annex B) duly completed;

  7. privacy policy form along with consent to the processing of personal data (Annex C).

Selection Process

The proposed editorial projects, in Italian or in English, will be assessed by a Commission appointed by the Chief of the Italian Air Force General Staff under the leadership of the Centenary Project Group, which has the sole and unchallengeable right to submit to the Chief of the Italian Air Force General Staff a list of the works to be published.

The Commission will assess the proposal and assign a definitive title to the work. It will determine the limits to which the subject matter may be covered and set relative obligations, all of which the author must respect (the so-called “agreed editorial proposal”).

The assessment Commission will contact the authors of proposals considered to be of particular interest by 30 April 2021.Up until that date the Commission has the right to seek clarifications and further information.

In cases where the author accepts the “agreed editorial proposal” the Commission will provide the name of a tutor in service with the Italian Air Force whose role will be to support the author as he or she revises the various drafts, according to the editorial rules provided by the Commission, and, where necessary, adjust the direction of the work if it departs in any way from the initially agreed subject matter.

The first draft of the project must be ready and sent to the Commission by 31 December 2021. After that date the editorial project can only be refined to ensure the final draft is delivered no longer than 30 March 2022. The Commission reserves the right to make any amendments or to approve it with the consequent change in designation to “Approved editorial proposal”.

The papers submitted must comply with European copyright rules, be unedited and not published on websites or social networks.

Questions

Questions may be asked or clarifications sought by referral to the Italian Air Force Public Relations Office (P.R.O.), tel. +390649866626, e-mail: urp@aeronautica.difesa.it. The P.R.O. staff will respond to such requests through the relevant offices.

Properties and Rights

The approved editorial proposal must be delivered free of copyright. The authors of the selected papers will be paid a minimum amount of 1,500 euros gross, which may be increased in the light of the type of work carried out, for the purchase of copyright.

The assignment of the copyright for the selected works will be governed by a specific administrative act. The Promoter will therefore be able to have copyright for all uses permitted by law, for institutional sites and for any promotional and disclosure purpose on an exclusive basis and in whatever form deemed most appropriate.

Privacy

Under D. Lgs. n.196/2003 supplemented by D. Lgs. n.101/2018 for the purposes of adaptation to the G.D.P.R. (General Data Protection Regulation – EU Regulation 679/2016) note that the personal data provided and collected, as well as the works submitted, will be used appropriately and only for the purposes provided by this call for papers and they may be disclosed in the course of the initiatives related to the project, subject to the guarantee and protection of copyright from copying and reproducibility without prior consent of the author. In accordance with the provisions of art.13 of the EU Regulation n.679/2016 each participant must declare that he or she has been informed in relation to the communication and dissemination of the personal data provided and collected for the above-mentioned purposes. The signature of a waiver of the right to use the works and the acceptance of the provisions included in this call of papers constitute the regulation of this matter.

Summary of deadlines

By 28 February 2021:

Send application by e-mail

By 30 April 2021:

The Commission contacts the authors of the papers deemed of interest

By 31 December 2021:

Deadline for delivery of first draft

By 30 March 2022:

Deadline for delivery of final draft