Flaminio Piana Canova

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Flaminio Piana Canova (* before 1908, † after 1936) was an Italian aircraft designer who had dedicated himself to the development of aircraft with extremely low aspect ratios in the 1930s .

Flying wing FPC

Piana Canova FPC, 1932

Piana Canova had already built three more conventional aircraft in Brazil between 1908 and 1914, about which little is known.

After the First World War he returned to Italy. Canova's first tailless design was a backward-swept flying wing . With the help of F. Piatelli, the sailor FPC was created in 1932 . This was flown in by Ettore Cattaneo. Piana-Canova then had a patent for a glider with swept wings granted in 1934 .

Data Piana Canova FPC

  • Span: 14.35 m
  • Takeoff weight: around 250 kg

School glider PC 100

Just one year later, Canova had another patent granted, this time for a glider with a rhombus-shaped wing. This wing shape, reminiscent of a simple children's kite, was to become Canova's trademark. He was of the opinion that such a wing could be produced with the least amount of construction effort and weight. After model measurements in the wind tunnel at angles of attack of up to 35 °, Canova decided to build a school glider with a rhombus wing. It made sense to develop an aircraft that remained airworthy even at very high angles of attack. On September 21, 1934, Ettore Cattaneo flew in the glider in winch launch and confirmed that it had good flight characteristics. It turned out that the considerations were correct and that the PC 100 actually tolerated an angle of attack of up to 35 °.

The elevator was at the rear of the wing, the ailerons near the side tips. Otherwise, the structure of conventional school gliders corresponded to those days.

PC 100, Italy 1934

Data PC 100

  • Length: 5.40 m
  • Span: 5.90 m
  • Wing area: 17.80 m²
  • Elongation: 1.94
  • Empty weight: 100 kg
  • Payload: 75 kg

Aerobatic glider PC500

Encouraged by this success, an improved version was created in 1936, the aerobatic PC 500, which had a closed teardrop-shaped fuselage. Otherwise the wing layout corresponded to that of the school glider. In 1937 the unique piece was taken to a test center of the Italian army, where it was demonstrated and also flown by experts. However, the glider met with little enthusiasm from the committee to assess the novel concept.

PC 500, 1935

Data PC 500

  • Length: 6.40 m
  • Wingspan: 6.06 m
  • Wing area: 17.80 m²
  • Elongation: 1.94
  • Empty weight: 100 kg
  • Payload: 75 kg

PC 140 powered airplane

At the same time as the PC 500, Canova built the PC 140 powered aircraft, which was powered by a small 40 HP radial engine .

In contrast to the gliders, four control flaps were now attached as Junkers double wings along the trailing edge of the wing. The inner flaps served as elevators, while the outer ones served as ailerons. There was an accident with the PC140 in which the pilot S. Perego was killed. Canova then stopped working as a designer.

PC 140, Italy 1936

Data: PC 140

  • Span: 5.0 m
  • Length: 5.0 m
  • Wing area: 12.49 m²
  • Empty weight: 159 kg
  • Takeoff weight: 299 kg
  • Top speed: 177.03 km / h
  • Minimum speed 64.37 km / h

literature

  • Rudolf Storck among others: Flying Wings . The historical development of the world's tailless and flying wing aircraft. Bernard and Graefe, Bonn 2003, ISBN 3-7637-6242-6 .
  • Vincenzo Pedrielli, Francesco Camastra: Italian Vintage Sailplanes. EQIP Advertising & Publishing. Königswinter 2011. ISBN 978-3-9808838-9-4 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Canova, Flaminio Piana
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Italian aircraft designer
DATE OF BIRTH before 1908
DATE OF DEATH after 1936