The first Italian pressure suit was used during 1934/37 by the "Regia Aeronautica" (Royal Air Force) to break altitude records with the Caproni 161, 161bis and 113 aircraft. The suit was made of several layers of canvas and rubber, with a metal collar to fit a cylindrical metal helmet with square view ports. The suit was worn by Colonel Mario Pezzi and Countess Carina Negroni in their attempts to reach altitudes over 6,000 m. The Italian suit was worn on a record altitude flight to 15,500 m in 1937.

Pezzi remains the official holder of the record for the maximum altitude reached by a propeller-driven aircraft. He achieved a height of 17.004 meters in a specially-configured Caproni Ca 161bis (extended chord wings, huge four blade propeller, supercharged engine). The suit was not used on this record since Pezzi was in a special pressurized hull within the biplane aircraft. The suit was electrically heated and even had metal alloy restraint devices to prevent ballooning.

• Sears, William J, A Historical Review of Partial and Full Pressure Suits, . Accessed at: http://webpages.charter.net/mcelwain/PSUITS-Chronology.htm.