Piaggio P.XI
Italian 14-cylinder radial aircraft engine
The Piaggio P.XI was an Italian 14-cylinder radial aircraft engine. The P.XI was a licensed derivative of the French Gnome-Rhône Mistral Major 14K produced in Italy.
Further development led to the P.XIX. This featured an increased compression ratio from 6:1 to 7:1 and an rpm increase from 2,400 to 2,600.
Variants
P.XI
P.XIbis
P.XI R.C.15
(geared, rated altitude 1,500 m (4,900 ft))
P.XI R.C.30
(geared, rated altitude 3,000 m (9,800 ft))
P.XI R.C.40D
P.XI R.C.40S
740 kW (1,000 PS) (geared, rated altitude 4,000 m (13,000 ft)), opposite rotation to 40D.
P.XI R.C.40bis
(geared, rated altitude 4,000 m (13,000 ft))
P.XI R.2C.40
740 kW (1,000 PS), (geared, rated altitude 4,000 m (13,000 ft)), two-speed supercharger.
P.XI C.40
(direct drive, rated altitude 4,000 m (13,000 ft))
P.XI R.C.44
(geared, rated altitude 4,400 m (14,400 ft))
P.XI R.C.50
(geared, rated altitude 5,000 m (16,000 ft))
P.XI R.C.60
(geared, rated altitude 6,000 m (20,000 ft))
P.XI R.C.72
(geared, rated altitude 7,200 m (23,600 ft))
P.XI R.C.100
P.XI R.C.100/2v
(geared, rated altitude 10,000 m (33,000 ft))
Applications
Breda Ba.65
Breda Ba.88
CANT Z.516
CANT Z.1007
Caproni Ca.135
Caproni Ca.161
Reggiane Re 2000
Saab 17C
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79B
Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
Specifications (P.XI R.C.40)
Data from Italian Civil & Military Aircraft 1930-1945 and Aircraft Engines of the World 1945.
General characteristics
Type: 14-cylinder radial engine
Bore: 146 mm (5.75 in)
Stroke: 165 mm (6.50 in)
Displacement: 38.6 L (2,356 cu in)
Length: 1,700 mm (66.9 in)
Diameter: 1,328 mm (52.3 in)
Dry weight: 650 kg (1,433 lb)
Frontal Area: 1.39 m2 (15.0 sq ft)
Components
Valvetrain: 2 x overhead valves per cylinder operated by rockers and pushrods
Supercharger: Centrifugal compressor, geared to 7.9:1
Fuel system: 1 x Piaggio T2-100 dual downdraught carburettor with automatic boost and mixture control
Fuel type: 87 octane
Oil system: Pressure fed at 483 kPa (70 psi), dry sump
Cooling system: Air
Reduction gear: Epicyclic reduction gear ratio 0.62:1
Starter: Garelli compressed air starter
Ignition: 2 x Marelli MF14 magnetos, 2 x spark plugs per cylinder fed by a shielded ignition harness.
“Piaggio P.XI” enters the record as italian 14-cylinder radial aircraft engine. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Piaggio, Italian and 14-cylinder can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Piaggio P.XI” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Piaggio, Italian and 14-cylinder provides the most credible route into that argument.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q3901862. The first chronological checks are 1007, 2000, 1930 and 1945.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Piaggio P.XI”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Piaggio P.XI primary sources, Piaggio P.XI archive and Piaggio research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Piaggio P.XI”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Piaggio P.XI” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.