| PD.808 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The prototype Piaggio PD.808 at the 1966 Hanover Air Show wearing Italian Air Force markings | |
| Role | Business & military jet |
| Manufacturer | Piaggio Aero |
| Designer | Douglas Aircraft Company |
| First flight | 29 August 1964 |
| Introduction | November 1966 |
| Primary user | Italian Air Force |
| Number built | 24 |
The Piaggio PD.808 was an Italian business jet built by Piaggio. It was designed as a joint venture between Piaggio and Douglas Aircraft Company of Long Beach, California, United States. [1]
Originally named the PD.808 Vespa Jet the business jet was designed in a joint venture between Piaggio and the Douglas Aircraft Company. [1] The basic design work was carried out by Douglas and the prototype was built at the Piaggio factory at Finale Ligure. [2]
The PD.808 was a low-wing cantilever cabin-monoplane with tip-tanks and powered by two rear-mounted Bristol Siddeley Viper 525 turbojets. It has retractable tricycle landing gear and was originally designed with a cabin for a pilot and six-passengers. [1]
The first Viper 525-powered prototype (with Italian Serial Number MM577) first flew on 29 August 1965, this was followed by a second Viper 525 powered prototype and two civil demonstrators. [2]
The company tried to interest commercial operators (including offering a General Electric CJ610 variant) but the only interest was from the Italian Air Force as a liaison, training and radar calibration aircraft with an order for 25. [2] The Italian Air Force aircraft were powered by Viper 526 turbojets. [3]
Italy On 18 June 1968 one of the demonstration aircraft I-PIAI crashed in bad-weather when it flew into the side of Mount Jaizkibel, near San Sebastian, Spain, all six on-board including the Italian businessman Lino Zanussi and the Piaggio chief test pilot Davide Albertazzi were killed. [5]
Data from , [8] Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide [9]
General characteristics
Performance
The HFB 320 Hansa Jet is a twin-engine, ten-seat business jet that was designed and produced by German aircraft manufacturer Hamburger Flugzeugbau between 1964 and 1973. The most recognisable and unconventional feature of the aircraft is its forward-swept wing.
The Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket is a rocket and jet-powered research supersonic aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the United States Navy. On 20 November 1953, shortly before the 50th anniversary of powered flight, Scott Crossfield piloted the Skyrocket to Mach 2, or more than 1,290 mph (2076 km/h), the first time an aircraft had exceeded twice the speed of sound.
The Douglas F5D Skylancer is a development of the F4D Skyray jet fighter for the United States Navy. Starting out as the F4D-2N, an all-weather version of the Skyray, the design was soon modified to take full advantage of the extra thrust of the Pratt & Whitney J57 eventually fitted to the Skyray instead of the Westinghouse J40 originally planned.
The North American T-2 Buckeye was the United States Navy's intermediate training aircraft, intended to introduce U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps student naval aviators and student naval flight officers to jets. It entered service in 1959, beginning the replacement process of the Lockheed T2V SeaStar, and was itself replaced by the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk in 2008.
The IAI Westwind is a business jet initially produced by Aero Commander as the 1121 Jet Commander. Powered by twin GE CJ610 turbojets, it first flew on January 27, 1963, and received its type certification on November 4, 1964, before the first delivery. The program was bought by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) in 1968, which stretched it slightly into the 1123 Westwind, and then re-engined it with Garrett TFE731 turbofans into the 1124 Westwind. The 16,800–23,500 lb (7.6–10.7 t) MTOW aircraft can carry up to 8 or 10 passengers, and 442 were produced until 1987.
The Douglas Skystreak was an American single-engine jet research aircraft of the 1940s. It was designed in 1945 by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, in conjunction with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The Skystreaks were turbojet-powered aircraft that took off from the ground under their own power and had unswept flying surfaces.
The BAC 167 Strikemaster is a British jet-powered training and light attack aircraft. It was a development of the Hunting Jet Provost trainer, itself a jet engined version of the Percival Provost, which originally flew in 1950 with a radial piston engine.
The Piaggio P.166 is an Italian twin-engine pusher-type utility aircraft developed by Piaggio Aero. The aircraft model name was Portofino, and is also known as Albatross in South African military service.
The Soko J-21 Jastreb, referred to as the J-1 Jastreb in some sources, is a Yugoslav single-seat, single-engine, light attack aircraft, designed by the Aeronautical Technical Institute (ATI) and Vojnotehnički Institut Beograd (VTI), in Belgrade and manufactured by SOKO in Mostar. Derived from the G-2 Galeb advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft, it was designed in single-seat ground-attack and two-seat advanced flying / weapon training versions.
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 Savoia-Marchetti SM.78 was an Italian bomber/reconnaissance biplane flying boat of the early 1930s.
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 Piaggio P.148 was a 1950s Italian two-seat primary or aerobatic training monoplane designed and built by Piaggio Aero.
The Piaggio P.150 was a 1950s Italian two-seat trainer designed and built by Piaggio to meet an Italian Air Force requirement to replace the North American T-6.
The Fiat G.80 was a military jet trainer designed and produced by the Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat. It has the distinction of being the first true jet-powered indigenous aircraft to be flown by Italy.
The Viper Aircraft ViperJet is a small homebuilt jet aircraft by Viper Aircraft Corporation. It is a conventional, low-wing monoplane with swept wings and tail and two seats in tandem under a bubble canopy. The jet intakes are located at the sides of the fuselage and the tricycle undercarriage is retractable. Construction throughout is of composite materials.
The FiatG.91Y is an Italian ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft which first flew in 1966. Although resembling its predecessor, the Fiat G.91, the aircraft was in fact a complete redesign, a major difference being that it was equipped with a new twin-engine configuration, replacing the original single engine.
The Procaer Cobra was a two-seat turbojet powered light aircraft designed and built in Italy and flown in the early 1960s. Only one was completed.
The Eurofly Viper is an Italian ultralight trike, designed and produced by Eurofly Srl of Galliera Veneta. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.
The Viper Aircraft Viperfan was an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed and produced by Viper Aircraft of Kennewick, Washington, introduced in the late 1990s. The aircraft was intended to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction, but only one was ever built.
Gaillard, Pierre (March 1989). "Piaggio-Douglas PD-808". Le Fana de l'Aviation (in French) (232): 14–18. ISSN 0757-4169.
