Piaggio P.6
The Piaggio P.6 was an Italian catapult-launched reconnaissance floatplane designed and built by Piaggio for the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy).
| Piaggio P.6 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Catapult-launched reconnaissance floatplane |
| Manufacturer | Piaggio |
| First flight | 1927 |
| Primary user | Regia Marina |
| Number built | 15 (P.6ter) |
Development
To meet a Regia Marina requirement for a two-seat catapult-launched seaplane, Piaggio produced two designs. The first, designated the P.6bis, was a small biplane flying boat powered by a 190 kW (260 hp) Isotta Fraschini V.6 engine driving a pusher propeller. The second design designated, the P.6, was a floatplane with one large central float and two stabilising floats at the wingtips and a nose-mounted A.20 engine. Both aircraft had the same biplane wing structure with rigid strut bracing and both were armed with a single machine gun (the flying-boat's in the bow and the floatplane's in the rear cockpit). In 1928, the P.6ter was produced based on the P.6 floatplane with the engine boosted to 306 kW (410 hp). A production run of 15 P-6ter aircraft was produced for the Italian Navy where it had an unremarkable career, being used on battleships and cruisers.
Variants
- P.6bis
- Prototype flying boat.
- P.6
- Prototype floatplane.
- P.6ter
- Production floatplane, 15 built.
_crowned.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Specifications (P.6ter)
General characteristics
- Crew: two
- Wingspan: 13.50 m (44 ft 3.5 in)
- Gross weight: 2,360 kg (5,203 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Fiat A.20 , 306 kW (410 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 195 km/h (121 mph, 105 kn)
Armament
- 1 × machine gun
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Piaggio P.6. |
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. p. 2700.