The Breda-Zappata B.Z.308 was an Italian four-engined airliner produced by Breda.
Design and development
The B.Z.308 was a four-engined civil transport developed in the late 1940s for operation over both European and transatlantic routes. A large low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, it was powered by four Bristol Centaurus radial engines driving five-bladed propellers. It had a large tailplane with endplate fins and rudders, and had retractable landing gear. The fuselage, oval in cross-section, accommodated a flight crew of five and 55 passengers in two cabins; a high-density model was planned with seats for 80.
Construction began during 1946, under aircraft designer Filippo Zappata at Breda's Sesto San Giovanni works. The Allied Commission halted the work, which was not resumed until January 1947. Further delays in the delivery of Bristol Centaurus engines delayed the first flight, which was on 27 August 1948, piloted by Mario Stoppani. Although flight testing went well, the project was abandoned as a result of financial problems, and anticipated competition from American airliners in the postwar market. Breda subsequently stopped producing aircraft entirely.
Operational history The prototype B.Z.308 was acquired by the Italian Air Force in 1949 as a transport aircraft (MM61802). Despite orders in 1950 from India, Argentina and Persia, only the prototype was built, allegedly also due to pressure from the allies for Italy to refrain from competing in civilian aircraft manufacture after the war.
On 27 August 1948 the B.Z.308 made its maiden flight in front of civil and military authorities, politicians and the Italian President. The prototype, which passed to the Italian Air Force in 1950, was used to fly between Rome and Mogadishu until 21 February 1954, when it was damaged beyond repair by a collision with a cement truck, and was abandoned in a field in Somalia before being broken up."Breda-Zappata BZ.308" Aviation Safety
It was also the first Italian transatlantic aircraft, and the first aircraft to fly into the new Malpensa airport in 1948.
Variants
B.Z.308 The base variant of the aircraft; a single prototype was constructed.
B.Z.308bis A pressurized variant of the BZ.308; this design never left the drawing board due to its complexity and Breda's financial difficulties.
B.Z.408 A proposed floatplane variant of the BZ.308. Unlike most heavy seaplanes of the time, the BZ.408 did not have a seaplane hull, but rather a conventional fuselage with two underwing floats. Filippo Zappata already had experience with such aircraft designs from his work on the CANT Z.511. This earlier project had considerable influence on the BZ.408 design.
Operators
Italian Air Force
Specifications (B.Z.308)
Appearances in media The aircraft is briefly featured in the 1953 film Roman Holiday which was Audrey Hepburn's Hollywood debut."Roman Holiday" (around 1:12:50)
See also Filippo Zappata
References
Sources