Aermacchi F-260F
The F.260 was Italian designer Stelio Frati's original prototype for what became one of the most successful post-war piston trainers, first flown for manufacturer Aviamilano on 15 July 1964. Its low-wing, all-metal airframe and docile handling impressed evaluators enough that SIAI-Marchetti bought the design soon afterward, refining and mass-producing it as the SF.260, of which nearly 900 were eventually built for air forces and civilian aerobatic pilots worldwide. Aermacchi later absorbed SIAI-Marchetti in 1997 and continued the type's manufacture and support. The F.260 prototype therefore represents the design's earliest form, before the changes that turned it into one of the world's most widely used two-seat military trainers.
Did you know?
This 1964 prototype is the direct ancestor of the SIAI-Marchetti SF.260, whose nearly 900 built examples made it one of the world's most used piston trainers.
Specifications
| Length | 7 m (23 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 8.4 m (28 ft) |
| Height | 2.6 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1.3 t |
| Range | 800 NM (1,482 km) |
| Service ceiling | 21,500 ft (6,553 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 19,000 ft (5,791 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,770 ft/min (9 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 680 m (2,231 ft) |
| Landing distance | 650 m (2,133 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 400 l |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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