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64-458: The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Italian aviation company Aermacchi . The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a replacement for the service's existing fleet of Aermacchi MB-326s . Its design was derived from that of the MB-326, rather than a new design, and thus

128-491: A radio jammer , radar warning receiver (RWR), electronic countermeasures (ECM), along with larger wingtip tanks, would typically be adopted. The MB-339K carries a pair of 30mm DEFA cannon while a total of six underwing hard points can accommodate up to 1,815 kilograms (4,000 lb) of external stores. It has been qualified to be armed with various munitions, such as the Sidewinder and R.550 Magic air-to-air missiles ,

192-406: A constant-speed propeller increase their pitch as aircraft speed increases. Another benefit of this type of propeller is that it can also be used to generate reverse thrust to reduce stopping distance on the runway. Additionally, in the event of an engine failure, the propeller can be feathered , thus minimizing the drag of the non-functioning propeller. While the power turbine may be integral with

256-541: A few yards from the plant and caused only minor damage. Only a couple of hours later, four MB-339s rocketed and cluster-bombed against several targets in the city as well. According to Ethiopian sources, four people died and 30 other were injured during those attacks. On 5 February 1999, the Ethiopian government claimed that a pair of Eritrean MB-339FDs had attacked a fuel depot in Adigrat, some 48 kilometres inside

320-416: A large amount of air by a small degree than a small amount of air by a large degree, a low disc loading (thrust per unit disc area) increases the aircraft's energy efficiency , and this reduces the fuel use. Propellers work well until the flight speed of the aircraft is high enough that the airflow past the blade tips reaches the speed of sound. Beyond that speed, the proportion of the power that drives

384-591: A test-bed not intended for production. It first flew on 20 September 1945. From their experience with the Trent, Rolls-Royce developed the Rolls-Royce Clyde , the first turboprop engine to receive a type certificate for military and civil use, and the Dart , which became one of the most reliable turboprop engines ever built. Dart production continued for more than fifty years. The Dart-powered Vickers Viscount

448-429: Is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller . A turboprop consists of an intake , reduction gearbox , compressor , combustor , turbine , and a propelling nozzle . Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. Fuel is then added to the compressed air in the combustor, where the fuel-air mixture then combusts . The hot combustion gases expand through the turbine stages, generating power at

512-482: Is normally a constant-speed (variable pitch) propeller type similar to that used with larger aircraft reciprocating engines , except that the propeller-control requirements are very different. Due to the turbine engine's slow response to power inputs, particularly at low speeds, the propeller has a greater range of selected travel in order to make rapid thrust changes, notably for taxi, reverse, and other ground operations. The propeller has 2 modes, Alpha and Beta. Alpha

576-494: Is sacrificed in favor of shaft power, which is obtained by extracting additional power (beyond that necessary to drive the compressor) from turbine expansion. Owing to the additional expansion in the turbine system, the residual energy in the exhaust jet is low. Consequently, the exhaust jet produces about 10% of the total thrust. A higher proportion of the thrust comes from the propeller at low speeds and less at higher speeds. Turboprops have bypass ratios of 50–100, although

640-404: Is the mode for all flight operations including takeoff. Beta, a mode typically consisting of zero to negative thrust, is used for all ground operations aside from takeoff. The Beta mode is further broken down into 2 additional modes, Beta for taxi and Beta plus power. Beta for taxi as the name implies is used for taxi operations and consists of all pitch ranges from the lowest alpha range pitch, all

704-641: The AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile , various laser-guided bombs and rockets , as well as the Marte Mk.2 anti-ship missile . According to Forecast International, Aermacchi had at one point considered making provisions for the installation of an additional two pod-mounted 30mm cannon. The Italian Air Force is the largest operator of the MB-339. The service, which received its first examples during 1978, has procured multiple batches and models of

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768-634: The P-3 Orion , and the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. The first turbine-powered, shaft-driven helicopter was the Kaman K-225 , a development of Charles Kaman 's K-125 synchropter , which used a Boeing T50 turboshaft engine to power it on 11 December 1951. December 1963 saw the first delivery of Pratt & Whitney Canada's PT6 turboprop engine for the then Beechcraft 87, soon to become Beechcraft King Air . 1964 saw

832-542: The Panavia Tornado and the Eurofighter Typhoon ; however, the type's appeal is waning and shall largely be confined after the 2010s to those nations with weaker economies or facing little military pressure. The Argentine Naval Aviation ( Comando de Aviación Naval or COAN) was the first foreign user of the forerunner MB-326GB , purchasing a batch of eight aircraft during 1969. During 1980,

896-841: The Piper Meridian , Socata TBM , Pilatus PC-12 , Piaggio P.180 Avanti , Beechcraft King Air and Super King Air . In April 2017, there were 14,311 business turboprops in the worldwide fleet. Between 2012 and 2016, the ATSB observed 417 events with turboprop aircraft, 83 per year, over 1.4 million flight hours: 2.2 per 10,000 hours. Three were "high risk" involving engine malfunction and unplanned landing in single‑engine Cessna 208 Caravans , four "medium risk" and 96% "low risk". Two occurrences resulted in minor injuries due to engine malfunction and terrain collision in agricultural aircraft and five accidents involved aerial work: four in agriculture and one in an air ambulance . Jane's All

960-514: The T-Bird II , to contend for the competition. If successful, Lockheed would have acted as the prime contractor and system integrator, assembling the T-Bird II at its Marietta facility, while General Motors was to provide its computerised training experience. However, the bid was ultimately not successful; instead, a rival turboprop -powered submission by Raytheon and Pilatus was awarded

1024-614: The Tupolev Tu-114 can reach 470 kn (870 km/h; 540 mph). Large military aircraft , like the Tupolev Tu-95 , and civil aircraft , such as the Lockheed L-188 Electra , were also turboprop powered. The Airbus A400M is powered by four Europrop TP400 engines, which are the second most powerful turboprop engines ever produced, after the 11 MW (15,000 hp) Kuznetsov NK-12 . In 2017,

1088-470: The United Arab Emirates , have chosen to have several aircraft furnished for aerobatic displays. Emirates aerobatics display team, Al Fursan , operates 7 MB-339A of which 6 were modified to MB-339NAT since 2010. According to a report by Forecast International published in 2014, the later-built MB-339CD model has remained viable as a training platform for various newer fighter aircraft, such as

1152-547: The early fighting in 1998 . Their initial deployment occurred on 5 June 1998, the same day in which the Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) also started its operations. During the same afternoon, the Ethiopians reported two attacks of Eritrean MB-339FDs on the city of Mekelle , the capital of the Ethiopian region of Tigray . Reportedly, as many as 44 civilians were killed and 135 injured. However, on 6 June one of

1216-1077: The COAN ordered ten MB-339As advanced trainer and light attack aircraft. These were delivered in 1981 and were operated by the III Escuadra Naval ' s 1 Escuadrilla de Ataque . During the Falklands War , late in April 1982, six of them were located at Port Stanley Airport , renamed Base Aérea Militar (BAM) Malvinas. They were the only attack jets to operate from the Falklands, along with four Beech T-34 Turbo-Mentor light attack and trainer aircraft, and twenty-four turboprop FMA IA 58 Pucará attack aircraft of Grupo 3 de Ataque . Other Aermacchis were operated from three mainland bases, these being Almirante Zar, Bahía Blanca , and Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego naval air stations. On 3 May 1982, Lieutenant Benitez crashed into high ground while approaching

1280-466: The Ethiopian border, which was important for supplying fuel to the Ethiopian Army . Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980–81 General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Jet trainer The first generation of trainers in the 1940s were modified from existing designs like

1344-672: The Gloster Meteor and Lockheed T-33 but with these were followed by custom training aircraft like the Aero L-29 Delfín and the BAC Jet Provost . As training developed different air forces used jet trainers for different phases of training. Although most air forces continued to use piston or later turboprop aircraft for basic training, a number of jet trainers like the Cessna T-37 Tweet appeared for

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1408-612: The Italian Air Force, which is roughly just under half of the total examples of the type to have been constructed to date. Various improved models would be developed by Aermacchi. During 1980, a dedicated single-seat attack variant, referred to as the MB-339K Veltro II , performed its maiden flight. During 1985, the MB-339B , which incorporated a light-attack capability, entered operational service. That same year,

1472-690: The MB-326 and the Fiat G.91 T fleets that were then in Italian service. On 12 August 1976, the maiden flight of the prototype, designated MB-339X , took place. During July 1978, the first production-standard aircraft made its first flight; during the following year, deliveries of the MB-339A to the Italian Air Force commenced. The service would be the primary operator of the type; reportedly, between 1978 and 1987, 101 MB-339As would be induced into

1536-434: The MB-326, sharing the majority of its airframe with the older aircraft. According to aviation periodical Air International , the most significant revision of the MB-339 was a redesigned forward fuselage, which raised the instructor's seat to allow visibility over and past the student pilot's head. In typical operations, the aircraft is flown by a crew of two, who are seated in a tandem configuration; during training missions,

1600-540: The MB-339 features an enlarged tailfin over its predecessor. While some models of the MB-339 are primarily intended for training operations, other are instead principally equipped to perform light fighter and fighter-bomber roles. Combat-orientated aircraft are typically outfitted with more advanced avionics, such as improved inertial guidance systems, digital nav/attack computers, a MIL-STD-1553B databus , and hands-on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS)-compatible flight controls. Furthermore, various defensive systems, such as

1664-598: The MB-339s was shot down north of Mekelle. The pilot ejected and was either rescued by a Mi-8 of the ERAF or was captured by local militia. The surviving Eritrean Aermacchis were deployed again on the next day during the fighting around Erde Mattios. On the morning of 12 June 1998, a pair of Eritrean Mil Mi-8 appeared in low level over Addis Pharmaceutical works, in Adigrat , attempting to bomb it. Their weapons, however, fell

1728-533: The Soviet Union had the technology to create the airframe for a jet-powered strategic bomber comparable to Boeing's B-52 Stratofortress , they instead produced the Tupolev Tu-95 Bear, powered with four Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops, mated to eight contra-rotating propellers (two per nacelle) with supersonic tip speeds to achieve maximum cruise speeds in excess of 575 mph, faster than many of

1792-401: The aircraft is intended to be replaced by the newer Aermacchi M-345 . During September 1972, Aermacchi was awarded a contract to study a replacement for the Italian Air Force 's aging MB-326 fleet, a type which had effectively been the standard advanced jet trainer of the 1960s. During this study, designers at the company compared seven all-new designs (which were collectively referred to by

1856-553: The airport at Port Stanley, and was killed. On 21 May an MB-339A flown by Lieutenant Owen Crippa on a reconnaissance flight attacked the Royal Navy amphibious force. The Aermacchi hit the frigate HMS  Argonaut , causing light damage. On 27 May, an MB-339A (4-A-114) was shot down by a Blowpipe missile during the Battle for Goose Green , while attempting to attack British ships and landed troops. The pilot, Lieutenant Miguel,

1920-463: The basic S.211 , M-311 , and the M-346 . According to company Giorgio Brazzelli , its various training platforms come together to form part of an integrated training system to its customers. The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft , featuring a conventional configuration, tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. It has many similarities with the design of

1984-417: The compressor intake is at the aft of the engine, and the exhaust is situated forward, reducing the distance between the turbine and the propeller. Unlike the small-diameter fans used in turbofan engines, the propeller has a large diameter that lets it accelerate a large volume of air. This permits a lower airstream velocity for a given amount of thrust. Since it is more efficient at low speeds to accelerate

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2048-630: The contract to produce the T-6 Texan II for this requirement. Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, multiple tranches of the MB-339CD variant would be inducted into Italian service. Furthermore, various operators chose to have their existing aircraft remanufactured to the more advanced MB-339C standard. During the 2000s, the MB-339FD ( FD standing for Full Digital ), was proposed but ultimately attracted little market interest. During 2006, it

2112-459: The control system. The turboprop system consists of 3 propeller governors , a governor, and overspeed governor, and a fuel-topping governor. The governor works in much the same way a reciprocating engine propeller governor works, though a turboprop governor may incorporate beta control valve or beta lift rod for beta operation and is typically located in the 12 o'clock position. There are also other governors that are included in addition depending on

2176-425: The designation of MB-338 ) against an improved version of the MB-326, which was designated MB-339 . It was determined that the envisioned MB-339 would be capable to satisfying the established requirements of the Italian Air Force, while also being cheaper than producing any of the rival clean-sheet designs. Accordingly, Aermacchi submitted the MB-339 for official evaluation; during 1975, it was selected to replace both

2240-812: The early stages of pilot training. Pilots who were picked to fly fighter or strike aircraft then went on to fly more advanced training aircraft like the Hawker Siddeley Gnat . As the early jet-trainers became obsolete then further generations have appeared, the British using the single-engine BAE Systems Hawk while the French ordered the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet . In the Warsaw Pact the Aero L-39 Albatros became

2304-424: The first MB-339C , which featured various refinements and was intended as a dual-use aircraft, made its first flight. During the late 1980s, the enhanced MB-339C was made available to customers; this model principally differed from preceding variants via the implementation of a much-modernised cockpit. Early on, the Italian government chose to procure the MB-339CD; in addition to the fully digital cockpit, this variant

2368-499: The first jet aircraft and comparable to jet cruising speeds for most missions. The Bear would serve as their most successful long-range combat and surveillance aircraft and symbol of Soviet power projection through to the end of the 20th century. The USA used turboprop engines with contra-rotating propellers, such as the Allison T40 , on some experimental aircraft during the 1950s. The T40-powered Convair R3Y Tradewind flying-boat

2432-564: The first deliveries of the Garrett AiResearch TPE331 , (now owned by Honeywell Aerospace ) on the Mitsubishi MU-2 , making it the fastest turboprop aircraft for that year. In contrast to turbofans , turboprops are most efficient at flight speeds below 725 km/h (450 mph; 390 knots) because the jet velocity of the propeller (and exhaust) is relatively low. Modern turboprop airliners operate at nearly

2496-570: The gas generator section, many turboprops today feature a free power turbine on a separate coaxial shaft. This enables the propeller to rotate freely, independent of compressor speed. Alan Arnold Griffith had published a paper on compressor design in 1926. Subsequent work at the Royal Aircraft Establishment investigated axial compressor-based designs that would drive a propeller. From 1929, Frank Whittle began work on centrifugal compressor-based designs that would use all

2560-460: The gas power produced by the engine for jet thrust. The world's first turboprop was designed by the Hungarian mechanical engineer György Jendrassik . Jendrassik published a turboprop idea in 1928, and on 12 March 1929 he patented his invention. In 1938, he built a small-scale (100 Hp; 74.6 kW) experimental gas turbine. The larger Jendrassik Cs-1 , with a predicted output of 1,000 bhp,

2624-663: The long term. The M-345 is intended to replace Italian Air Force MB-339s as a basic trainer, and with the Frecce Tricolori . Many of its operators, such as the Royal New Zealand Air Force , chose to procure the type during the 1980s and 1990s as a replacement for various aging jet-powered attack aircraft, such as the British-built BAC Strikemaster . Although uncommon amongst most export customers, some operators, such as

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2688-406: The model, such as an overspeed and fuel topping governor on a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 , and an under-speed governor on a Honeywell TPE331 . The turboprop is also distinguished from other kinds of turbine engine in that the fuel control unit is connected to the governor to help dictate power. To make the engine more compact, reverse airflow can be used. On a reverse-flow turboprop engine,

2752-671: The most widespread turboprop airliners in service were the ATR 42 / 72 (950 aircraft), Bombardier Q400 (506), De Havilland Canada Dash 8 -100/200/300 (374), Beechcraft 1900 (328), de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (270), Saab 340 (225). Less widespread and older airliners include the BAe Jetstream 31 , Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia , Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner , Dornier 328 , Saab 2000 , Xian MA60 , MA600 and MA700 , Fokker 27 and 50 . Turboprop business aircraft include

2816-416: The pilot not being able to see out of the rear of the aircraft for backing and the amount of debris reverse stirs up, manufacturers will often limit the speeds beta plus power may be used and restrict its use on unimproved runways. Feathering of these propellers is performed by the propeller control lever. The constant-speed propeller is distinguished from the reciprocating engine constant-speed propeller by

2880-403: The point of exhaust. Some of the power generated by the turbine is used to drive the compressor and electric generator . The gases are then exhausted from the turbine. In contrast to a turbojet or turbofan , the engine's exhaust gases do not provide enough power to create significant thrust, since almost all of the engine's power is used to drive the propeller. Exhaust thrust in a turboprop

2944-494: The propeller that is converted to propeller thrust falls dramatically. For this reason turboprop engines are not commonly used on aircraft that fly faster than 0.6–0.7 Mach , with some exceptions such as the Tupolev Tu-95 . However, propfan engines, which are very similar to turboprop engines, can cruise at flight speeds approaching 0.75 Mach. To maintain propeller efficiency across a wide range of airspeeds, turboprops use constant-speed (variable-pitch) propellers. The blades of

3008-485: The propeller. This allows for propeller strike or similar damage to occur without damaging the gas generator and allowing for only the power section (turbine and gearbox) to be removed and replaced in such an event, and also allows for less stress on the start during engine ground starts. Whereas a fixed shaft has the gearbox and gas generator connected, such as on the Honeywell TPE331 . The propeller itself

3072-450: The propulsion airflow is less clearly defined for propellers than for fans. The propeller is coupled to the turbine through a reduction gear that converts the high RPM /low torque output to low RPM/high torque. This can be of two primary designs, free-turbine and fixed. A free-turbine turboshaft found on the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 , where the gas generator is not connected to

3136-655: The remainder have been sold to various export customers. As well as being used for training, the type is also flown by the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team. The type has been used in combat by both the Eritrean Air Force during the Eritrean–Ethiopian War of 1998–2000 and the Argentine Naval Aviation during the Falklands War of 1982. In both conflicts, the MB-339 was typically flown as an attack aircraft. In Italian service,

3200-592: The same speed as small regional jet airliners but burn two-thirds of the fuel per passenger. Compared to piston engines, their greater power-to-weight ratio (which allows for shorter takeoffs) and reliability can offset their higher initial cost, maintenance and fuel consumption. As jet fuel can be easier to obtain than avgas in remote areas, turboprop-powered aircraft like the Cessna Caravan and Quest Kodiak are used as bush airplanes . Turboprop engines are generally used on small subsonic aircraft, but

3264-522: The standard jet trainer. As the jet trainer developed it was also used for weapon training, which led to some trainers being modified as light strike aircraft; for example, the Cessna T-37 Tweet was developed into the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly . Modern jet trainers are structurally strengthened in order to allow high stress maneuvers and aerobatics. Below is a list of some current and former jet trainers Turboprop A turboprop

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3328-476: The student is seated in the forward position while the observing instructor is placed directly behind and somewhat above them. The cockpit is pressurised and is covered by a jettisonable canopy which works in conjunction with the twin Martin-Baker -built ejection seats . The MB-339 possesses a low, un- swept wing complete with tip tanks ; the air intakes for the single turbojet engine is located within

3392-426: The two aircraft share considerable similarities in terms of their design. Aermacchi had found that the MB-339 was capable of satisfying all of the specified requirements while being the most affordable option available. The maiden flight of the MB-339 took place on 12 August 1976; the first production aircraft were delivered two years later. Roughly half of all MB-339s entered service with the Italian Air Force, while

3456-553: The type over the years; for several decades, it has been flown as its principal trainer aircraft. In addition to its use as a general trainer, the MB-339 is also flown by the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team; during 1988, three aircraft were lost during a tragic air display accident in Germany . In October 2013, it was announced that the Italian Air Force intended to replace its MB-339s with newly built M-345s in

3520-410: The way down to zero pitch, producing very little to zero-thrust and is typically accessed by moving the power lever to a beta for taxi range. Beta plus power is a reverse range and produces negative thrust, often used for landing on short runways where the aircraft would need to rapidly slow down, as well as backing operations and is accessed by moving the power lever below the beta for taxi range. Due to

3584-645: The wing roots. This wing is identical to that used on the older MB-326K model. The powerplant used for the aircraft's initial versions was the Rolls-Royce Viper 632-43 turbojet engine, which was capable of producing a maximum thrust of 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN); this is the same model as installed upon the older MB-326K model. Later models, such as the MB-339C, are furnished with the more powerful Viper 680 engine, which can generate up to 4,300 lbf (19.57 kN) of thrust. For improved aerodynamics,

3648-420: Was announced that the MB-339 assembly line, which had been shuttered for several years, would be revived in response to interest in further orders of the type being expressed by three separate customers. During the 1990s and 2000s, as a result of corporate mergers and restructuring, the MB-339 became only one of several training aircraft being offered by Aermacchi, other aircraft being propeller -driven SF-260 ,

3712-459: Was destroyed in a bombing raid. In 1941, the engine was abandoned due to war, and the factory converted to conventional engine production. The first mention of turboprop engines in the general public press was in the February 1944 issue of the British aviation publication Flight , which included a detailed cutaway drawing of what a possible future turboprop engine could look like. The drawing

3776-517: Was furnished with a fixed probe for aerial refueling , enabling its use for refueling training. During 1989, Aermacchi formed a partnership with American defense conglomerate Lockheed and the aircraft division of General Motors to jointly bid in the American Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) programme. The Italian-American team proposed a modified model of the MB-339, referred to as

3840-592: Was killed. Three MB-339 airframes were captured by the British, with one of these preserved at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum , Doncaster . During tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia in the late 1990s, Eritrea started to rebuild its air force . During 1996, the Eritreans ordered six Aermacchi MB-339CEs, with which the first combat unit of the ERAF was founded in 1997. They have proved their worth as training aircraft and even during

3904-714: Was operated by the U.S. Navy for a short time. The first American turboprop engine was the General Electric XT31 , first used in the experimental Consolidated Vultee XP-81 . The XP-81 first flew in December 1945, the first aircraft to use a combination of turboprop and turbojet power. The technology of Allison's earlier T38 design evolved into the Allison T56 , used to power the Lockheed Electra airliner, its military maritime patrol derivative

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3968-647: Was produced and tested at the Ganz Works in Budapest between 1937 and 1941. It was of axial-flow design with 15 compressor and 7 turbine stages, annular combustion chamber. First run in 1940, combustion problems limited its output to 400 bhp. Two Jendrassik Cs-1s were the engines for the world's first turboprop aircraft – the Varga RMI-1 X/H . This was a Hungarian fighter-bomber of WWII which had one model completed, but before its first flight it

4032-603: Was the first turboprop aircraft of any kind to go into production and sold in large numbers. It was also the first four-engined turboprop. Its first flight was on 16 July 1948. The world's first single engined turboprop aircraft was the Armstrong Siddeley Mamba -powered Boulton Paul Balliol , which first flew on 24 March 1948. The Soviet Union built on German World War II turboprop preliminary design work by Junkers Motorenwerke, while BMW, Heinkel-Hirth and Daimler-Benz also worked on projected designs. While

4096-488: Was very close to what the future Rolls-Royce Trent would look like. The first British turboprop engine was the Rolls-Royce RB.50 Trent , a converted Derwent II fitted with reduction gear and a Rotol 7 ft 11 in (2.41 m) five-bladed propeller. Two Trents were fitted to Gloster Meteor EE227 — the sole "Trent-Meteor" — which thus became the world's first turboprop-powered aircraft to fly, albeit as

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