Piaggio P.146

[Nico]

Hi friends:
one of the fascinating aspect of the matter of our interest is the... infinity: we find continuously new themes.
In the ever appealing folder labelled "Piaggio" in my archives I found a bad quality photostat of an undesignated sketch. I tried to fit it in one of my scanners then I subimitted it to a friend familiar with the Piaggio history. In fact, I already had an idea and he confirmed it: surely is a preliminary side view of the P.146.
As we know, in 1948, Eng. Giovanni P. Casiraghi (chief engineer and technical director of the aeronautical branch of Piaggio) was part of an Italian team the visited the British aircraft engine industry. Italian aircraft industry expected a requirement for a new fighter aircraft for Aeronautica Militare (eventually the Vampire was the choice) and there were some sketches and projects, including the Piaggio P.146.
The Casiraghi's idea appeared as a sort of Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star but with a swept wing and tail (about 40°). The engine probably would be the deHavilland H.1 Goblin, rated at 1,500 kg/st, and the only "hard data" that we have is a fuselage length of 11.24 m.
That's another little step in the puzzle of the Piaggio designs of postwar era. About that matter I have also some other information that we will deal with in future posts
Nico

 

[Maveric]

What a great find. Nico, you made my day.

Thanks

 

[Hammer Birchgrove]

This was news to me; thanks. Didn't know there were plans for domestic designs in Italy so soon after the war. After all, Piaggio started to produce its famous scooter Vespa because of restraints on the aircraft industry.

 

[hesham]

I heard also an info,but I am not sure if it was true or not,that IMAM
company submitted a proposal to this request,but the DH Vampire was
the winner,is that right ?.

 

[archipeppe]

I remember of an old AEREI article about it with a Marsan's drawing....

 

[Nico]

...replying to Hesham:
in the immediate after war period near every Italian design bureau studied fighters and trainers, foreseeing requiremets from Aeronautica Militare. I don't know the real situation of IMAM in 1948-1949; I think Eng. Giuseppe Galasso already had resigned form his post and the merge with Aerfer (with Eng. Amilcare Porro as technical director) zas around 1950. Surely after that Aerfer developed the family of Stefanutti fighters, started at SAI Ambrosini with the Sagittario 2°...

...replying to Archipeppe:
yes. A first rough sketch designed according to some suggestions appeared on an old issue of 'Aerospazio-mese'. Basing on it, Michele 'extracted' an artist impression for 'Aerei' but the side view I enclosed in my post is totally unpublished.

...and I already told you, I'm looking for other interesting matters (naturally, I'm really happy for the interest about)

Nico

 

[Nico]

Hi boys:
more on the theme. I found the old drawing my friend Max Zorelli (not a draftsman but an airline captain) made several years ago by harth, following some indications from me.
I would submit to your attention some others interesting projects but my publishers 'mobilized' me for some articles about Odissey Dawn, the Lbian crisis...

Nico

 

[hesham]

From Aerei Nella Storia 61,

here is an artist drawing,but what was P.145 ?.

 

[dan_inbox]

A sinistra means "on the left". It is the P.146.

 

[Apophenia]

here is an artist drawing,but what was P.145 ?.

If your query was about the Piaggio P.145 designation, it was an unbuilt airliner project with Armstrong-Siddeley Double-Mamba turboprops. The P.146 designation was reapplied to a VIP variant of that P.145 airliner.