Vulcanair Canguro Explained
The
Vulcanair SF.600 Canguro (
en: "Kangaroo") was a
feederliner developed in Italy in the late 1970s. Despite a number of attempts to put the aircraft into series production, only a small number were ever built. The Canguro was a high-wing
cantilever monoplane of conventional configuration with a fuselage of rectangular cross-section and a high-set tail. The
tricycle undercarriage was not retractable, and its main units were carried on
sponsons on the fuselage sides.
SIAI Marchetti provided funding towards the construction of the prototype, and constructed this aircraft at the former
Aviamilano plant. After flight testing proved positive, the type was put on sale, but failed to attract buyers in any number, even when the original
piston engines were exchanged for
turboprops and retractable undercarriage was offered as an option.
Following their acquisition of SIAI Marchetti, Agusta continued to offer the design, and a contract for joint production was signed with Sammi in South Korea in 1992, but nothing came of this. A similar venture to produce the aircraft in conjunction with PADC in the Philippines proved similarly fruitless. PADC acquired two aircraft, RP-C1298 and RP-3101. In 1997, Vulcanair purchased the design from Finmeccanica (Agusta's parent company), but although a small number of examples were produced, no series production was undertaken. Vulcanair next proceeded to use the Canguro's fuselage to develop the single-engine Vulcanair Mission.
Variants
- SF600
1982-variant with two Allison 250-B17C turboprop engines.
- SF600A
1989-variant with increased mean take-off weight, two Allison 250-B17F/1 turboprop engines, modification to the wing aerodynamics and modifications to the landing gear support structure.References
- Book: Taylor, John W. R.. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. 1988. Jane's Defence Data. Coulsdon, UK. 0-7106-0867-5. John W. R. Taylor.
- Book: Taylor, Michael J. H. . Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation . 1989 . Studio Editions . London . 417 . 0-7106-0710-5 .
- Book: Simpson, R. W. . Airlife's General Aviation . 1995 . Airlife Publishing . Shrewsbury . 366 . 1-85310-577-5 .
- New Frati twin first flight imminent . . 1978 . 7 October 1978. 1304 . 2008-04-02.
- Agusta forms Korean venture . . 1989 . 10 June 1989. 37 . 2008-04-02.
