Piaggio PD.808#Preserved aircraft

Originally named the PD.808 Vespa Jet the business jet was designed in a joint venture between Piaggio and the Douglas Aircraft Company.{{cite magazine|magazine=Flight International|date=8 March 1962|title=Vespa-Jet|page=367}} The basic design work was carried out by Douglas and the prototype was built at the Piaggio factory at Finale Ligure.Simpson 1991, pp. 232–233

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.

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.

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. The Italian Air Force aircraft were powered by Viper 526 turbojets.{{cite magazine|magazine=Flight International|date=8 August 1968|title=Vespa-Jet|page=367|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1968/1968%20-%201516.PDF}}

File:Piaggio-Douglas PD-808.JPG

• PD-808VIP: VIP transport.
• PD-808TA: navigation trainer.
• PD-808RM (radiomisure): radio calibration, four-built
• PD-808GE (guerra elettronica): aircraft modified for Electronic warfare, PD-808GE1 entered service in 1972, the PD-808GE2 in 1977.
• PD-808TF: Proposed turbofan-powered version. Not built.

;{{ITA}}

• Italian Air Force operated 22 Piaggio PD.808 from 1970 until 2003[http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/museo_storico_eng/collezione_aeromobili/hangarSkema/Pagine/PiaggioDouglasPD808.aspx "Piaggio PD.808"] Aeronautica Italiana

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.{{cite magazine|magazine=Flight International|date=4 July 1968|title=PD-808 Crash|page=27|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1968/1968%20-%201159.PDF}}

File:Piaggio Douglas PD.808 Lucca.JPG

;Italy

• MM62015 – PD-808GE on static display in Lucca, Tuscany. It was previously operated by the Italian Air Force.{{cite web|title=Airframe Dossier - DouglasPD-808, s/n MM62015 AMI, c/r I-PIAY|url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=90478|website=Aerial Visuals|publisher=AerialVisuals.ca|access-date=30 May 2017}}
• MM61961 - PD-808GE on static display outside the Museo Storico dell'Aeronautica Militare di Vigna di Valle (Italian Air Force Museum in Vigna di Valle), with "Ultimo Volo 17.5.03 (Final Flight 17-5-'03)" titles.{{cite web|title=Vigna di Valle - Museum, Italy|url=https://www.spottingmode.com/wro/location/4823/|website=Spottingmode|access-date=28 July 2021}}

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=,{{cite book|editor1-last=Taylor|editor1-first=John W.R.|title=Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1975–76|date=1975|publisher=Franklin Watts Inc.|location=New York|isbn=978-0531032503|edition=66th annual|pages=137–138}} Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide{{cite book|title=Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide|last=Rendall|first=David|year=1995|isbn=0-00-470980-2|publisher=HarperCollinsPublishers|location=Glasgow, UK|page=[https://archive.org/details/janesaircraftrec0000rend/page/505 505]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/janesaircraftrec0000rend/page/505}}

|prime units?=met

|genhide=

|crew=1/2

|capacity=6-10 pax

|length m=12.85

|span m=13.2

|span note=over tip tanks

|height m=4.8

|wing area sqm=20.9

|aspect ratio=6.25

|airfoil=root:DES 0010-1·1-40/11° (modified) ;DES 0008-1·1-40/9° (modified)

|empty weight kg=4830

|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight kg=8165

|fuel capacity={{convert|1935|L|USgal impgal|abbr=on}} in wing integral tanks plus {{convert|1792|L|USgal impgal|abbr=on}} in 2 wing-tip tanks

|more general=

|eng1 number=2

|eng1 name=Rolls-Royce Viper Mk526

|eng1 type=turbojet engines at 3,330lb/f each

|eng1 shp=

|max speed kmh=852

|max speed note=at {{convert|5945|m|abbr=on}}

|max speed mach=0.85

|cruise speed kmh=722

|cruise speed note=at {{convert|1250|m|abbr=on}}

|stall speed kmh=167

|stall speed note=at {{convert|5902|kg|abbr=on}} landing weight

|never exceed speed kmh=788

|never exceed speed note=(0.85M above {{convert|4260|m|abbr=on}})

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed mph=

|minimum control speed kts=

|minimum control speed note=

|range km=2128

|range note=with max fuel, {{convert|381|kg|abbr=on}} payload and 45 min fuel reserve

|combat range km=

|combat range miles=

|combat range nmi=

|combat range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range nmi=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling m=13715

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|climb rate ms=27.5

|climb rate note=at sea level and {{convert|7176|kg|abbr=on}}

|time to altitude=

|wing loading kg/m2=390.6

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|thrust/weight=0.0036 kN/kg (0.37 lbf/lb)

|more performance=

|avionics=

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Piaggio PD.808}}

{{cite journal |last1=Gaillard|first1=Pierre|title=Piaggio-Douglas PD-808|journal=Le Fana de l'Aviation |date=March 1989 |issue=232 |pages=14–18 |issn=0757-4169 |lang=fr}}

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PD.808

Category:Douglas aircraft

Category:1960s Italian business aircraft

Category:1960s Italian military utility aircraft

Category:Twinjets

Category:Low-wing aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1964

Category:Cruciform tail aircraft

Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear