Francesco Agello

Francesco Agello (27 December 1902 – 26 November 1942) was an Italian test pilot. Born at Casalpusterlengo, Lombardy, Agello graduated from pilot school in 1924 and soon became a test pilot. He was the fourth of four test pilots who tried to set a speed record with the Macchi M.C.72. However, one after the other, the test pilots ahead of Agello died (first Monti and then Bellini flying the M.C. 72, Neri died flying a CR-20 in 1933). Agello became famous when he succeeded in piloting the plane to a new speed record (over water) on 10 April 1933. He attained an average speed of 683 km/h (424 mph). More than a year later he flew the M.C. 72 to a new speed record of more than 700 km/h (709 km/h or 440 mph) on 23 October 1934. Both records,...