A flying ace with eight confirmed victories (in addition to twenty shared and seven probable) and a recipient of the Gold Medal of Military Valor, after the Armistice of Cassibile he became State Undersecretary for the Air Force of the Italian Social Republic and Chief of Staff of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana.

Born in Turin on November 8, 1907, Botto entered the Air Force Academy of Caserta in 1929, obtaining his pilot license in 1932 and graduating with the rank of second lieutenant in 1933.

Upon returning to Italy, he was acclaimed and awarded the Gold Medal of Military Valor with a solemn ceremony at the Altare della Patria; the 32nd Squadron was officially christened "Iron Leg".

[1][3][2][4] In 1939 he was promoted to major, and at the time of Italy's entrance into World War II he was in Libya, at the head of the 9th Group of the 4th Fighter Wing.

He went to Rome and discussed together with General Arrigo Tessari (commander of the 53rd Wing), Colonel Tito Falconi (commander of the 3rd Wing), Colonel Angelo Tondi (former personal pilot of Benito Mussolini) and other officers about the possibility of setting up an Italian "air foreign legion" alongside the Luftwaffe, in order to protect Italian cities from Allied air raids.

His choice was suggested by Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, Minister of National Defense of the RSI, who chose him over more senior officers due to the fame and high regard he enjoyed among the ranks of the Italian Air Force.