The AVIA FL.3 (also later known as the Lombardi FL.3) was an Italian two-seat cabin monoplane designed and built by Azionaria Vercellese Industrie Aeronautiche (AVIA) who were later taken over by Lombardi in 1947.

Development

The FL.3 was a simple low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed landing gear and powered by an 85 hp (63 kW) Continental C-85 engine. It had room for a pilot and passenger sitting side-by-side and could either have an open or enclosed cockpit. The first aircraft flew in 1939 and production was started, but ended temporarily when the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

started. Production resumed after the war and in 1947 the company was taken over by Lombardi. Over 700 aircraft had been built by AVIA and Lombardi when production stopped in 1948. In 1953 Meteor SpA acquired the rights for the FL.3 and with some re-design produced it as the Meteor FL.53 and this was followed by a three-seat version the FL.54 powered by a 135 hp Lycoming engine. A four-seat version the FL.55 was also produced powered by either a 150 hp (112 kW) or 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming engine.

Variants

;AVIA FL.3 :Production version by AVIA powered by a 60 hp (45 kW) CNA D.4 engine. ;Lombardi FL.3 :Production version by Lombardi. ;Meteor FL.53 :Modified version built by Meteor powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Continental engine, eight built. ;Meteor FL.53BM :FL.53 with a 90 hp (67 kW) Continental engine, four built. Meteor FL54 I-FELD Bresso 31

;Meteor FL.54 :Three-seat variant powered by a 90 hp (67 kW)

Continental C90 The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in3 (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...

-12F engine, 10 built by Meteor. ;Meteor FL.55 :Four-seat variant powered by 135 hp (100 kW) Lycoming engine, four built by Meteor. ;Meteor FL.55BM :FL.55 powered by a 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming engine, ten built by Meteor. ;Meteor FL.55CM :FL.55 powered by a 180 hp (130 kW) Lycoming engine, one built by Meteor. ;Meteor Super :The Super was a four-seat FL.55 with enlarged vertical tail and a 220 hp Meteor Alfa 4 engine, one built. ;Meteor Bis :The Bis was a two-seat variant of the Super fitted with a 110 hp Meteor Alfa 2 engine.

Operators

; *'' Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske'' ; *''

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

'' operated captured aircraft. ; *''

Regia Aeronautica The Royal Italian Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') (RAI) was the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Regio Esercito, Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946. In 1946, the monarchy was ...

'' * Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force ; *

Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana The National Republican Air Force (, ANR) was the air force of the Italian Social Republic, a World War II German puppet state in Italy. Description This air force was tasked with defending the industrial areas of the region, intercepting All ...

; *

Italian Air Force The Italian Air Force (; AM, ) is the air force of the Italy, Italian Republic. The Italian Air Force was founded as an independent service arm on 28 March 1923 by Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, King Victor Emmanuel III as the ("Royal Air Force ...

Specifications (FL.3)

References

* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2380

External links