Piaggio P.136

P.136/Royal Gull
Piaggio P.136L-2 at Tamiami Airport near Miami in 1989
Role	amphibian
Manufacturer	Piaggio Aero
First flight	29 August 1948
Introduction	1949
Status	examples still flying in 2010
Produced	1948-1961
Number built	63

The Piaggio P.136 was an Italian twin-engine amphibian flying-boat, with an all-metal hull, pusher propellers, a gull wing, and retractable landing gear.

The prototype first flew in late 1948, and completed certification tests in spring 1949. The Italian air force contracted 14 P.136s for coastal patrol and air-sea rescue. The aircraft was marketed in the United States as the Royal Gull, by Kearney and Trecker. Trecker received three aircraft, and components for another 29, but they also built a few on their own, under license.

Variants

P.136F

Variant with Franklin engines mainly produced for the Italian Air Force, 18 built.

P.136L

Variant with Lycoming GO-435 engines, two built and one P.136F converted.

P.136L-1

Five-seat amphibian flying-boat, powered by two 201-kW (270-hp) Avco Lycoming GO-480-B engine, 18 built.

P.136L-2

Five-seat amphibian flying-boat, powered by two 254-kW (340-hp) Avco Lycoming GSO-480 piston engines, 24-assembled in the United States from Italian supplied kits.

Royal Gull

Both the P.136-L1 and P.136-L2 were marketed in the USA by the Kearney and Trecker Corporation.

Operators

Military operators

 Italy

• Italian Air Force - 22 aircraft (14 P-136F and eight P-136L-1s)

 Peru

• Peruvian Air Force - four aircraft (one P.136 and three P.136L-2s)

Specifications (variant)

Data from Donald, David, ed (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. pp. pg 733. ISBN 1-85605-375-X. 

General characteristics

• Capacity: 5
• Length: 10.80 m (35 ft 5.25 in)
• Wingspan: 13.53 m (44 ft 4.75 in)
• Height: 3.83 m (12 ft 6.75 in)
• Wing area: 25.10 m² (270.18 ft²)
• Empty weight: 2110 kg (4652 lb)
• Gross weight: 2995 kg (6603 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Avco Lycoming GSO-480 flat-six piston, 254 kW (340 hp) each each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 335 km/h (208 mph)
• Range: 1450 km (900 miles)
• Service ceiling: 7800 m (25590 ft)

References

• Callier, Ian (2010). The Piaggio P.136, an extended article in Air-Britain Aviation World, March 2010. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.  ISSN = 1742-996X
• Donald, David, ed (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Prospero Books. pp. pg 733. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.