Editing Piaggio PD.808

<!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. -->
{{short description|Business jet aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name= PD.808
 |image= File:Piaggio PD-808 MM577 HAN 07.05.66 edited-2.jpg
 |caption= The prototype Piaggio PD.808 at the 1966 Hanover Air Show wearing Italian Air Force markings
 |type= Business & military jet
 |manufacturer= [[Piaggio Aero]]
 |designer= [[Douglas Aircraft Company]]
 |first_flight= 29 August 1964
 |introduction= November 1966
 |retired=
 |status=
 |primary_user= [[Italian Air Force]]
 |more_users=
 |produced=
 |number_built= 24
 |program cost=
 |unit cost=$350,000-$400,000 in 1961<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sweeney |first=Richard L. |date=August 1961 |title=Douglas Aircraft Wings for Transport Supersonic and Space |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UVJTRxhEEo4C&q=piaggio |magazine=Flying Magazine |location=Chicago, Ill. |publisher=Ziff-Davis Pub. Co.|page=24 }}</ref>
 |variants=
}}

The '''Piaggio PD.808''' was an Italian business jet built by Piaggio. It was designed as a joint venture between Piaggio and [[Douglas Aircraft Company]] of [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], [[California]], United States.<ref name="vespa" />

==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>

==Variants==
[[File:Piaggio-Douglas PD-808.JPG|thumb|PD.808 in a special commemorative colour scheme at the aircraft show ''Giornata Azzurra'' 2006]]
*'''PD-808VIP''': VIP transport.
*'''PD-808TA''': navigation [[Trainer (aircraft)|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.

==Operators==
;{{ITA}}
* [[Italian Air Force]] operated 22 Piaggio PD.808 from 1970 until 2003<ref>[http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/museo_storico_eng/collezione_aeromobili/hangarSkema/Pagine/PiaggioDouglasPD808.aspx "Piaggio PD.808"] ''Aeronautica Italiana''</ref>

==Accidents and incidents==
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.<ref name="crash">{{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}}</ref>

==Aircraft on display==
[[File:Piaggio Douglas PD.808 Lucca.JPG|thumb|right|A PD.808 preserved at Lucca, Italy]]
;Italy
* MM62015 – PD-808GE on static display in [[Lucca|Lucca, Tuscany]]. It was previously operated by the Italian Air Force.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
* 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vigna di Valle - Museum, Italy|url=https://www.spottingmode.com/wro/location/4823/|website=Spottingmode|access-date=28 July 2021}}</ref>

==Specifications (PD.808)==
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=,<ref name=JAWA75-76>{{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}}</ref> Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide<ref name="Jane'srecguide">{{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}}</ref>
|prime units?=met
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
|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=<!-- sailplanes -->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=
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 name=[[Armstrong Siddeley Viper|Rolls-Royce Viper Mk526]]
|eng1 type=turbojet engines at 3,330lb/f each
|eng1 shp=<!-- prop engines -->

<!--
        Performance
-->
|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=<!-- if range unknown -->
|ceiling m=13715
|g limits=<!-- aerobatic -->
|roll rate=<!-- aerobatic -->
|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=
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{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}}

{{Piaggio aircraft}}
{{Douglas aircraft}}
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[[Category:Piaggio aircraft|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]]