Moses03
December 29th, 2010, 15:47
Note: Time permitting, will spotlight aircraft that interest me a great deal. Please feel free to contribute anything you might have or correct any factual errors. Thanks- Moses
Piaggio P.50-I
Piaggio's entry into the heavy bomber category showed up in 1937 as the sleek P.50-I. This was the first design from Giovanni Casiraghi for the Regia Aeronautica.
http://i55.tinypic.com/fmih3q.jpg
Driven by four 730 h.p. Isotta-Fraschini Asso XI R.C. 12-cylinder engines in a push-pull configuration close to the center line, the layout was a little unusual for a heavy bomber prototype. The tandem layout was not a new idea however. Many period French and German Dornier designs had explored this layout with varying success. In fact, Piaggio had experimented already with the tandem push-pull design on their P.23M transport of 1935.
http://i55.tinypic.com/fapzy8.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/976137.jpg
The contruction was typical of the era with welded steel framing covered by fabric. The control surfaces were wood. For armament, the P.50-I had three 12.7mm machine gun positions (dorsal and ventral), including a nose turret.
With a crew up to five, the bomber had a max speed of 270 mph and a range of 1863 miles. It could carry a 15432 lb. payload of which 5500 lbs. was for bombs. It was said to climb to 13,120 ft. in 22 minutes.
The prototype MM369 was rolled out circa October 1937, with the first flight taking place on November 16th piloted by Angelo Tondi.
http://i52.tinypic.com/33o4ks1.jpg
Not much is known about the test flights for MM369. Prototype number two, MM370 came along shortly thereafter, with continued testing but was written off in a landing accident at Malpesa Airfield sometime in early 1938. By May 1938, further test flights were cancelled due to lack of performance.
http://i52.tinypic.com/22x5d.jpg
Piaggio engineers looking over the heavy landing of MM370. Note the prop spinner. The only photo I can find showing (at least one) in place.
At this point Piaggio moved on to the P.50-II which used the same airframe but had a more conventional four tractor engine layout. Both bomber prototypes paved the way for the more familiar P.108 which came along in 1939.
Nothing is known of the fate of both MM369 & MM370. I am assuming they were both scrapped by 1940.
Specs-
Span: 84 ft. 7.5 in.
Length: 64 ft. 11.33 in.
Height: 15 ft. 7 in.
Wing area: 1076.4 sq. ft.
Weight (empty): 28,600 lb.
Weight (loaded): 44,000 lb.
http://i55.tinypic.com/zof31i.jpg
A nice "what if" model showing the P.50-I in full Regia Aeronautica camouflage. Note in the first attached photo below
that the scheme had apparently been applied at some point to one of the bombers.
Sources:
Italian Civil And Military Aircraft 1930-1945, J. Thompson, Aero Publishers, Inc. 1963
Wikipedia entry on the P.50-I: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_P.50
http://www.aerei-italiani.net
http://www.airwar.ru
Several photos collected from various internet trolls over the years.
Piaggio P.50-I
Piaggio's entry into the heavy bomber category showed up in 1937 as the sleek P.50-I. This was the first design from Giovanni Casiraghi for the Regia Aeronautica.
http://i55.tinypic.com/fmih3q.jpg
Driven by four 730 h.p. Isotta-Fraschini Asso XI R.C. 12-cylinder engines in a push-pull configuration close to the center line, the layout was a little unusual for a heavy bomber prototype. The tandem layout was not a new idea however. Many period French and German Dornier designs had explored this layout with varying success. In fact, Piaggio had experimented already with the tandem push-pull design on their P.23M transport of 1935.
http://i55.tinypic.com/fapzy8.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/976137.jpg
The contruction was typical of the era with welded steel framing covered by fabric. The control surfaces were wood. For armament, the P.50-I had three 12.7mm machine gun positions (dorsal and ventral), including a nose turret.
With a crew up to five, the bomber had a max speed of 270 mph and a range of 1863 miles. It could carry a 15432 lb. payload of which 5500 lbs. was for bombs. It was said to climb to 13,120 ft. in 22 minutes.
The prototype MM369 was rolled out circa October 1937, with the first flight taking place on November 16th piloted by Angelo Tondi.
http://i52.tinypic.com/33o4ks1.jpg
Not much is known about the test flights for MM369. Prototype number two, MM370 came along shortly thereafter, with continued testing but was written off in a landing accident at Malpesa Airfield sometime in early 1938. By May 1938, further test flights were cancelled due to lack of performance.
http://i52.tinypic.com/22x5d.jpg
Piaggio engineers looking over the heavy landing of MM370. Note the prop spinner. The only photo I can find showing (at least one) in place.
At this point Piaggio moved on to the P.50-II which used the same airframe but had a more conventional four tractor engine layout. Both bomber prototypes paved the way for the more familiar P.108 which came along in 1939.
Nothing is known of the fate of both MM369 & MM370. I am assuming they were both scrapped by 1940.
Specs-
Span: 84 ft. 7.5 in.
Length: 64 ft. 11.33 in.
Height: 15 ft. 7 in.
Wing area: 1076.4 sq. ft.
Weight (empty): 28,600 lb.
Weight (loaded): 44,000 lb.
http://i55.tinypic.com/zof31i.jpg
A nice "what if" model showing the P.50-I in full Regia Aeronautica camouflage. Note in the first attached photo below
that the scheme had apparently been applied at some point to one of the bombers.
Sources:
Italian Civil And Military Aircraft 1930-1945, J. Thompson, Aero Publishers, Inc. 1963
Wikipedia entry on the P.50-I: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piaggio_P.50
http://www.aerei-italiani.net
http://www.airwar.ru
Several photos collected from various internet trolls over the years.