Pomilio PC 1

The Pomilio brothers emigrated to the United States where, early in 1919, they produced six examples each of a single-seat fighter design (FVL-8) and a two-seat bomber design (BVL-12) for the U.S. Army Air Service. However, by the time WW-I was over and neither aircraft was accepted for production.

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The PC (the first type of this family of reconnaissance aircrafts) had a 260 CV (= 190 kW) FIAT A-12 air cooled engine, with a single Revelli 6,5 mm. (= .26") machine gun on the upper wing and another one for the observer.
Suffering of stability problems, the PC was followed by the PD, with a small fin under the tail, that didn't resolve completely this gap. It had the same armament and the same engine, but water cooled.
The most important type was the PE, with a more aerodynamical fuselage, frontal machine gun in the nose plus two 7,7 mm. (= 0.303") Lewis for the observer, and a re-projected and enlarged tail. The 1.071 aircrafts built were used by 30 "Squadriglie" in reconnaissance and light bombing duties during the last year of war. It had interesting performances (especially speed and climb rate), but not a good reliability.
Engine(s): Fiat A12, 260 hp [190 kW] (Italy) / Liberty, 400 hp (USA)
Wing Span: 38 ft 8½ in [11.78 m]
Length: 29 ft 4 in [8.94 m]
Height: 11 ft [3.35 m]
Empty Weight: 1.046 kg (= 2,054 lb)
Gross Weight: 3,391 lb [1,538 kg]
Max Speed: 120 mph [195 km /h]
Ceiling: 16,405 ft [5000 m]
Endurance: 3½ hours

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This reconnaissance bi-plane first entered service in 1917 and was also used as the first plane to deliver air mail between Turin and Rome. It suffered instability problems and was replaced in production by the P.D. model which offered a ventral fin to help negate the problem. Power was from a 200 h.p Fiat A12 six cylinder in line engine with the radiators mounted on the side of the fuselage.

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