CNA PM.1
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Italy |
| Products | Aircraft |
The CNA PM.1 was a lightweight, single-engine aircraft intended for sport and training purposes, developed in Italy at the onset of World War II. Following prototype evaluations, a limited production series was initiated but ultimately lost due to bombing.
Design and development
Conceived by students from the Instituto di Construzioni Aeronautiche del Regio Politecnico di Milano during a 1938 contest aimed at creating a contemporary two-seat light aircraft for private training and sports use, the PM.1 derived its name from Polytechnic Milano. The prototype, constructed by CNA, completed its maiden flight on 25 October 1939.
The PM.1 featured a cantilever high-wing monoplane configuration. Its wings exhibited a straight-tapered shape with rounded tips and extended-span ailerons, constructed entirely from wood and covered with plywood. The tail assembly mirrored this planform, mounted atop the fuselage with the elevator trailing edges aligned with the rudder hinge line, enabling unrestricted rudder movement. The vertical stabilizer and rudder presented rounded, pointed profiles, with the rudder equipped with a trim tab.
The fuselage was of wooden construction with plywood skinning and had flat sides. Access to the cabin, which housed side-by-side seating positioned beneath the wing's leading edge, was provided via car-style doors. Power was supplied by a compactly cowled 40 kW (60 hp) CNA D.4 flat-four engine driving a two-blade propeller. The landing gear was conventional, featuring main wheels mounted on centrally located V-form half axles with streamlined fairings and vertical struts connected to the lower longerons, complemented by a tailskid.
Operational history
The onset of war and the prioritization of combat aircraft production postponed the manufacturing of the PM.1, although an order for 10 units was placed in August 1942. The incomplete aircraft were destroyed during an Allied air raid on Rome in July 1943; while the prototype escaped that attack, it was ultimately lost later in the conflict. The PM.1's design served as a foundation for the post-war Macchi MB.308, which featured a tricycle landing gear and a significantly redesigned tail section.
Specifications
References
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