Alenia (Aeritalia/Fiat) G222
Designed from 1962 to answer a NATO specification relating to a S.T.O.L. (Short Take-Off and Landing) transport aircraft, the Aeritalia project was about to be thrown to the oubliettes when the Italian military command showed interested in the concept and signed a contract for realising two prototypes. After long groping, the G222TCM flew on July 18, 1970 for the first time, followed a year later by the second prototype.
Flight tests showed to be very conclusive and an order on 44 production aeroplanes followed the next year. The first of these machines flew in December 1975.
In Italy, a great number of aviation manufacturers were implied in the construction of the various elements of the G222: Aermacchi for the outer wings, Cirsea for the landing gear, Piaggio building the wing centre section, SIAI-Marchetti the tail section and AERITALIA dealing with the fuselage and final assembly.
In addition to the standard G222, the plane was made available in various versions among which the electronic calibration G222RM, the G222SAA fire fighter, the G222T, propelled by two Rolls-Royce Tyne turbines and the G222VS, equipped for electronic war. In 1990, renamed C-27 Spartan, it was selected by the US Air Force as a fast intervention machine well adapted to the short fields of South America.
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