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A prototype helicopter is currently undergoing flight trials by the Piaggio company. Styled P.D.4, it is a tandem-rotor design, powered, apparently, by an inverted-vee, eight-cylinder engine at the rear. There appears to be a large space behind the pilot's seat where cargo could be stowed in the vicinity of the e.g. "Flight", 10 April 1953
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The P.D.4 was a four-seat helicopter with two rotors placed in tandem. Initially it had to be equipped with 450hp Alpha Romeo engine but then a 215hp Franklin was adopted.
The helicopter flew in the first half of 1952, demonstrating good handling characteristics although being seriously underpowered. In a wrong maneuver during a landing with lateral wind it was seriously damaged and wasn't repaired.
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| Technical data for PD.4
Engine: 1 x Franklin, 215hp,
rotor diameter: 9.0m,
loaded weight: 1400kg
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| Pierre Terrail, e-mail, 22.04.2007 | reply |
Thanks Gordon, i'm gone a see what i can do... | | Pierre Terrail, e-mail, 02.04.2007 | reply |
Has anyone, any more info on this helo???
Thanks.
Pierre | | Gordon Dale, e-mail, 08.04.2007 | reply |
I have recently visited several helo museums in Italy and do not recall seeing the PD4, however Italy has a very rich aviation history and contacting perhaps someone at ENAC or Agusta or perhaps one of the many Italian aviation magazines may help. |
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Do you have any comments ?
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Virtual Aircraft Museum
All the World's Rotorcraft
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