| Piaggio P.111 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | High-altitude research aircraft |
| National origin | Italy |
| Manufacturer | Piaggio |
| First flight | 9 April 1941 |
| Introduction | 1941 |
| Retired | Early 1943 |
| Primary user | Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) |
| Number built | 1 |
The Piaggio P.111 was an Italian high-altitude research aircraft designed and built by Piaggio for the Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force).
The genesis of the P.111 was in 1938, when the Regia Aeronautica awarded a contract to Piaggio to construct the prototype of a three-seat, twin-engine, high-speed, high-altitude bomber with a pressurized cabin. Piaggio constructed a new radial engine especially for the P.111, the 745 kW (999 hp) 18-cylinder double-row air-cooled Piaggio P.XII R.C.l00/2v, which was fitted with a two-stage supercharger. [1]
While the P.111 prototype was under construction, the Regia Aeronatica decided to use it as a high-altitude research aircraft rather than a bomber prototype. [1]
The P.111 first flew on 9 April 1941. Employed in research related to pressurization of the cabin of the Piaggio P.108 heavy bomber, it made 110 test and research flights before being retired and scrapped early in 1943. [1]
Kingdom of Italy 
Data fromItalian Civil & Military Aircraft 1930–1945 [2]
General characteristics
Performance
Related lists
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello was the first three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian Regia Aeronautica. When it appeared in 1935, it represented a real step ahead in Italian military aviation: it was fast, well armed and had a long range. It proved effective during the war with Ethiopia and the Spanish Civil War. Despite being too slow to remain competitive as a bomber in the later years of World War II, it was one of the most flexible, reliable and important aircraft of the Regia Aeronautica from 1935 to 1944, and adapted to second-line duties in a wide range of tasks.
The Piaggio P.108 Bombardiere was an Italian four-engine heavy bomber that saw service with the Regia Aeronautica during World War II. The prototype first flew on 24 November 1939 and it entered service in 1941. It was one of a handful of Italian combat aircraft that could match the best manufactured by the Allies. Four versions of the P.108 were designed, but only one, the P.108B bomber, was produced in any quantity before the armistice. The other variants included the P.108A anti-ship aircraft with a 102 mm (4 in) gun, the P.108C, an airliner with an extended wingspan and re-modelled fuselage capable of carrying 32 passengers, and the P.108T transport version designed specifically for military use. Only one P.108A and 24 P.108Bs were built. The combined total number of all versions was at least 39, almost certainly more than 44. Most of the P.108Cs were subsequently modified for use as military transport aircraft and could accommodate up to sixty passengers. Nine P.108 Ts were used by Luftwaffe transport units until the end of the war.
The Savoia-Marchetti S.74 was a four-engine airliner developed by Savoia-Marchetti for Ala Littoria.
The Fiat CR.25 was an Italian twin-engine reconnaissance-fighter aircraft which served in small numbers for the Regia Aeronautica during World War II.
The Breda Ba.25 was an Italian two-seat biplane trainer designed and built by the Breda company. It was the most widely used Italian basic trainer of the 1930s.
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.85 was an Italian monoplane dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft that served in small numbers in the Regia Aeronautica at the beginning of World War II. They were soon replaced in service by the Junkers Ju 87.
The Reggiane Re.2002 Ariete ("Ram") was an Italian fighter-bomber developed during World War II. The aircraft was a further development of the Re.2000, with some of the modifications that already had been introduced in the Re.2001. The aircraft was mainly used by the Regia Aeronautica, but it also saw limited use with the German Luftwaffe, who used it against the French resistance.
The CRDA CANT Z.1018 Leone (Lion) was an Italian medium bomber of the 1940s.
The Caproni Ca.135 was an Italian medium bomber designed in Bergamo in Italy by Cesare Pallavicino. It flew for the first time in 1935, and entered service with the Peruvian Air Force in 1937, and with the Regia Aeronautica in January 1938.
The Breda Ba.201 was an Italian dive bomber designed during World War II, that never entered production.
The Piaggio P.119 was an Italian experimental fighter of World War II. It had a relatively novel layout, with a "buried" radial engine mounted mid-fuselage. Only a single prototype was built before the Armistice between Italy and the allied armed forces, which ended the project.
The Piaggio P.32 was an Italian medium bomber of the late 1930s, produced by Piaggio, and designed by Giovanni Pegna. It was a modern design for its time, but was a failure due to lack of powerplants commensurate with its high wing loading.
The Caproni Ca.132 was a prototype for a large aircraft built in Italy in 1934, intended for use as either a bomber or airliner. It was a conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane, powered by a radial engine on each wing and in the nose. The main undercarriage was housed within large streamlined spats. Configured as an airliner, it would have seated 20 passengers.
The Macchi M.C.94 was a 1930s Italian commercial flying boat built by Macchi.
The Caproni CH.1 was a single-seat biplane fighter, a single example of which was produced as a prototype in Italy in 1935.
The Piaggio P.16 was an Italian heavy bomber designed and built by Piaggio for the Regia Aeronautica.
The Piaggio P.23R, also known as the Piaggio P.123 for propaganda purposes, was an Italian commercial transport aircraft prototype designed and built by Piaggio.
The Piaggio P.50 was an Italian prototype heavy bomber designed and built by Piaggio for the Regia Aeronautica.
The Breda A.14 was a prototype three-engined biplane, designed by Società Italiana Ernesto Breda as a night bomber in 1928.
The Caproni Ca.131 was a prototype for a large aircraft built in Italy in 1934, intended for use as either a bomber or airliner. It was a conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane, powered by a radial engine on each wing and in the nose. The main undercarriage was housed within large streamlined spats. Configured as an airliner, it would have seated 17 passengers.
