A year after the SS-2 aircraft was built, another ‘canard’ configuration aircraft appeared in Italy. Its designer, Quinto Beltrame, aimed to minimize the aircraft’s dimensions and extremely simplify its control, which is why this flying machine was named ‘Colibri’. The Colibri was a miniature single-seat monoplane with a pusher propeller, weighing only 70 kg empty.
The airframe was constructed from wood and fabric. Its two-wheeled bicycle-type landing gear featured a steerable front wheel.
Innovative Control System
A key feature of Beltrame’s aircraft was its control system – all control was achieved via an all-moving horizontal tail (canard) positioned ahead of the main wing. For pitch control, the horizontal tail could deflect 2.5° downwards and 12.5° upwards. The deflection angles were calculated so that, at any position of the control surface, a stall would occur on the canard before the main wing.
Lateral control was intended to be achieved by rotating the front winglet along its longitudinal axis by an angle of 30° (as noted, a similar idea was previously used on the F-19 aircraft). The sole control element in the cockpit was a single stick.
The Project’s Outcome
There is no information available regarding the test results of the ‘Colibri’ aircraft or the continuation of work in this direction. This indirectly suggests that its flights were unsuccessful.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | Colibri |
| Upper wingspan, m | 6.10 |
| Aircraft length, m | 3.60 |
| Aircraft height, m | 1.00 |
| Wing area, m2 | 4.50 |
| Maximum takeoff weight, kg | 160 |
| Engine type | 1 Piston engine Beltrame |
| Power, hp | 1 x 18 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 160 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 140 |
| Practical range, km | 500 |
| Crew | 1 |
Image gallery of the Colibri
