I just got back from a meeting in Lucca, Italy. Coming off the autostrada you go through a roundabout in the middle of which is a Piaggio PD-808. I was not able to take a picture, as I was fighting for survival in the complex Italian traffic system, but I found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Piaggio_Douglas_PD.808_Lucca.JPG
and
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Italy—Air/Piaggio-PD-808SE/1040591/L/
Anyone know its identity? The Air Force only had 22, and I assume this is one of the ECM versions ???
Laurence
By: Newforest - 2nd July 2010 at 18:46
That plane just looks sweet in general… I wonder if there are any available on the civilian market (sold off by the AMI)?.
I-PIAL, c/n 504 was the only civilian I could find and that belongs/belonged to Piaggio. Cannot find any other reference to ‘German Air Express’. :confused:
Interesting that this plane was conceived by Douglas Aircraft and then the complete project was sold to Piaggio.
By: l.garey - 2nd July 2010 at 14:57
According to airliners.net in April 2006 it was the “new monument”.
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Italy…8SE/1040591/L/
Laurence
By: JDK - 2nd July 2010 at 04:50
Pretty sure it wasn’t there when I visited in 2002.
By: Bager1968 - 1st July 2010 at 20:59
Piaggio PD.808 RM MM62014, a radio-calibration version that is equipped for medium- and high-altitude calibration of navigation aids.
That plane just looks sweet in general… I wonder if there are any available on the civilian market (sold off by the AMI)?
I looked at http://www.vataware.com/aircraft.cfm?code=P808, and it listed 5 flights by a PD 808 last year, the last in June… three were “unknown” and two were listed as operated by German Air Express.
By: l.garey - 30th June 2010 at 18:19
Thanks Bager and Dave. Looks like that is the one!
Laurence
By: Thunderbird167 - 30th June 2010 at 17:38
MM62014 Piaggio PD.808 RM
According to those helpful chaps at
By: Bager1968 - 30th June 2010 at 16:19
That aircraft has 3 windows down the side, so I expect it is one of the transport or trainer versions.
The one in this pic only has one window, I expect it to be an ECM version. http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2816365800079267387zrTKjv
Only 24 examples of this type, with low-set wings and aft-mounted turbojet engines, were produced, and 22 of these went to the Italian Air Force. The first aircraft were configured for the utility role, but the last six aircraft were completed as electronic platforms with cabin accommodation for specialist electronic intelligence equipment and its three operators.
PD-808 VIP six-seater for government and military VIP transport duties;
PD-808 TA nine-seat transport and navigation trainer;
PD-808 ECM electronic-countermeasures version; and the
PD-808 RM radio-calibration version that is equipped for medium- and high-altitude calibration of navigation aids.
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June 30, 2010 at 10:56 am