CANT Z.506 Airone

The CANT Z.506 Airone was a three‑engine floatplane designed and built by the Italian company Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini (CANT) in the 1930s. First flown on 2 June 1935, the Z.506 entered service with the Regia Aeronautica as a maritime reconnaissance, bombing and transport aircraft. Its conventional low‑wing layout combined a wooden fuselage with a metal skin, and it was powered by three Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34 radial engines rated at 750 hp each, giving a top speed of about 350 km/h and a range exceeding 2,000 km, capabilities that made it well suited for long‑range over‑sea patrols. The aircraft featured retractable floats, a crew of four to five, and a versatile load capacity that allowed bombs, depth charges or up to 2,000 kg of cargo to be carried. During World War II the Z.506 saw extensive action in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Black Sea, proving reliable in anti‑submarine warfare and convoy escort duties. Its exceptional range and stability also earned it a post‑war role as a civilian airliner and mail plane. The Airone remains a notable example of interwar Italian engineering, illustrating how CANT’s naval‑aircraft expertise contributed to both military and commercial aviation progress.

Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini

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