A parasol-wing single-seat floatplane, the small Piaggio P.8 reconnaissance aircraft of 1928 was intended, like its rival the Macchi M.53, to be stored in a cylindrical container aboard submarines of the large 'Ettore Fieramosca' class. It was designed to be assembled rapidly for deployment at sea on patrol or reconnaissance; after being recovered it could as easily be dismantled and re-stowed in its container. Powered by a 56kW Blackburn Cirrus II engine, it had a maximum speed of 135km/h.