Which World War I pilot’s aircraft inspired Ferrari’s prancing horse emblem?

Francesco Baracca’s aircraft inspired Ferrari’s prancing horse emblem.

Baracca was Italy’s leading fighter ace in the First World War and displayed a black prancing horse on the fuselage of his aircraft. After his death in 1918, his mother, Countess Paolina Baracca, reportedly suggested that Enzo Ferrari use the horse for good luck.

Ferrari added a yellow background, the color associated with Modena, Enzo Ferrari’s birthplace. The emblem was first used by Scuderia Ferrari in 1932 and later became the defining badge of Ferrari road and racing cars.

The horse is often confused with the Porsche crest because both marques use a horse. Their origins are different: Ferrari’s horse comes from a wartime pilot’s aircraft, while Porsche’s horse comes from Stuttgart’s coat of arms. The Ferrari badge also includes the letters “SF” on many historic versions.