Top speed 310 km/h Length 8.75 m First flight September 3, 1953 | Wingspan 10 m Introduced 1956 Manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft | |
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Pilatus p 3 with capt freeman
The Pilatus P-3 was a military training aircraft built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland.
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Old swiss air force pilatus p 3 r c airplane sm 2014 interlaken
Design and development
The Pilatus P-3 was designed for primary and advanced training (including night flying, aerobatics and instrument flying). The military version was designated P-3-03. It was of all-metal construction with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and tandem seating. There was provision for underwing racks for light practice bombs or rockets and a machine gun in a pod below the port wing.
Operational history
The first prototype was built in 1953 and flew on 3 September, the same year. The Swiss Air Force received 72 examples of this aircraft while the Brazilian Navy acquired six. The Swiss Air Force used the P-3 as a training aircraft until 1983, although it continued to be used as a liaison aircraft for another decade. In 1993–1995, 65 ex-Swiss Air Force aircraft were sold on the private market.
Operators
The P-3 Flyers is an independent air display team based in Switzerland. Formed in 1996. it currently operates five ex-Swiss Air Force P3 aircraft.
Specifications (Pilatus P-3-03)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1956–57
General characteristics
Performance
