Editing Piaggio PD.808 (section)

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

The PD.808 was a low-wing cantilever cabin-monoplane with tip-tanks and powered by two rear-mounted [[Armstrong Siddeley Viper|Bristol Siddeley Viper 525]] turbojets. It has retractable [[tricycle landing gear]] and was originally designed with a cabin for a pilot and six-passengers.<ref name="vespa" />

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.<ref name="simpson" />

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.<ref name="simpson" /> The Italian Air Force aircraft were powered by Viper 526 turbojets.<ref name="mas">{{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}}</ref>