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This map outlines the route of the Decennial Aerial Cruise undertaken by Italian aviation from Rome to Chicago and New York, and back to Rome in 1933. Organized to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Italian Regia Aeronautica, the flight was commanded by General Italo Balbo and involved 25 Savoia-Marchetti S.55X double-hulled flying boats. The route is marked with lines connecting various cities including Amsterdam, Londonderry, Reykjavik, Cartwright, Shediac, and others. The map features an inset detailing the specific distances covered between each leg of the journey.
The expedition began on July 1, 1933, from Orbetello, Italy, and made stops in Amsterdam, Londonderry, Reykjavik, Cartwright, Shediac, Montreal, Chicago, and New York, before returning to Rome with stops in Newfoundland, the Azores, and Portugal. The flight was both a technical achievement and a propaganda success, enhancing the prestige of Fascist Italy on the international stage. The aviators were enthusiastically received at each stop, furthering Italy's diplomatic relations.
A printed inscription at the bottom of the map credits the increased prestige of the Italian nation to its aviation feats, signed by Mussolini on March 28, Year XI of the Fascist Era (1933).
