2 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Ntps-bosbok-N165TP-060223-01cr: Alan Radecki· CC BY 2.5
- 2. Aermacchi AM.3 in service: Farawayman· CC BY-SA 3.0
what is it?
The Aermacchi AM.3 was the result of a joint venture between Aermacchi and Aeritalia (then Aerfer Industrie Aerospaziali Meridionali) in response to an Italian Army requirement for an aircraft to replace the Cessna L-19, and was initially designated the MB-335.
How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 11.7 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 59 years ago, in 1967.
- Top speed is 2.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- Wingspan of 11.7 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1967-05-12
- introduced
- 1973
- retired
- 1992
- status
- retired
- number built
- —
- role
- observation aircraft
- makers
- Aeritalia, Aermacchi
- engines
- 1× Piaggio-built Lycoming GSO-480-B1B6 / GSO-480-B1B6
- crew
- 2
- passengers
- 4
- length
- 8.7 m
- wingspan
- 11.7 m
- height
- 2.7 m
- max take-off weight
- 1,700 kg
- top speed
- 278 km/h
- cruise speed
- 246 km/h
- range
- 990 km
- ceiling
- 8,400 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q381145, Wikipedia: Aermacchi AM.3 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.