Pippo (airplane)

Pippo was a mythical airplane, unique to Northern Italy, that flew during World War II.

It is suspected that the Italian government used Pippo as a propaganda tool to turn ordinary civilians against the Allies, though there is no doubt the plane was real.

It may have been a play on the Italian moniker for Disney’s Goofy character or alternatively was based on the pip-pip sounds it apparently made.

It was said to drop exploding pens, poisoned candy, or so-called butterfly bombs and to fire on farm workers in fields.

When the Allies gained a foothold in Italy in the later years of the war, pilots began flying tactical night missions to survey and intervene in German troop movements.