This year sees the start of a "Family Day" for the relatives of the personnel of 34° Gruppo Squadroni Toro. This aviation unit of the Italian Army is based at Venaria airfield not far from Turin. The main event of the day was the arrival of a figure, known as the "Befana" (a linguistic distorsion of "Epiphany") portrayed as a witch-like figure parodying the Three Wise Men who brings sweets to good children and coal to the naughty ones. The Agusta/Bell AB 205A-1 which brought the "Befana" bore "special colours" with the Minions of the "Despicable Me" film on the nose and a witch on a broomstick flanking a bat on the right side painted by Warrant Officer Vanzan. The same helicopter, painted with "Poker Fly special colours", was present on May 6, 2008 on the occasion of the official delivery of the new NH 90 helicopter to the Italian Army at Viterbo air base.
In the picture: Agusta/Bell AB 205A-1 MM80551 / E.I.299 (c/n 4216) "Minions special colours" at the Venaria Family Day on January 5, 2015. (Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, January 2015)
