JOHAN VISSCHEDIJK COLLECTION
No. 3993. Piaggio P.111 (MM465) Italian Air Force
Photographs from Piaggio, taken at Villanova d’Albenga, Savona, Italia, 1941

Grumman G-134 AO-1A Mohawk & AO-1B Mohawk

08/31/2007. In 1938, the Italian AF issued a specification for a high altitude high-speed twin-engine bomber. Piaggio was awarded the contract to built the three-seat prototype, that would be fitted with a pressurized cabin and powered by two specially built 1,000 hp Piaggio P.XII RC.100/2/V 14-cylinder double-row air cooled radials fitted with two-step superchargers.

Halfway the construction, the status of the aircraft changed from prototype to research aircraft and would be used to investigate pressurization systems for the planned P.108. The P.111 made its first flight on April 9, 1941. At the beginning of 1943, after making 110 test flights, the aircraft was grounded and subsequently scrapped. Additional photo (Dan Shumaker Collection).

Created March 5, 2005