CANT Z.506 Airone

The CANT Z.506 Airone (Italian: Heron) was a trimotor floatplane designed and produced by the Italian aircraft manufacturer CANT. By some metrics, it was the largest floatplane to see service during the Second World War.

Derived from the larger Z.505 seaplane during the first half of the 1930s, the Z.506 was designed to serve in the transport role, seating up to 14 occupants. Despite possessing a wooden structure, it was capable of operating on relatively rough seas. On 19 August 1935, the prototype performed its maiden flight. One year later, the initial production model, Z.506A, commenced delivery. A key early customer was the Italian airline Ala Littoria, which operated its Z.506 fleet as a transport and postal aircraft across its Mediterranean routes. In its early years, the type established several records, such as the setting of 10 world records in 1936 as well as a further 10 records during the following year.

Spurred by this success, CANT opted to develop several models and derivatives of the aircraft, such as the Z.509, which was effectively an enlarged version of the Z.506A. Another model was the Z.506S, a specialised air-sea rescue aircraft; numerous aircraft continued to be operated into well into the postwar era, with some Z.506Ss remaining in service as late as 1959. Seeking to expand outside of the civil sector, the company developed the militarised Z.506B during the late 1930s; operated by numerous military air services during the 1940s, the Z.506B was produced in greater quantity than any other model.

The combat debut of the type took place during the Spanish Civil War, where it was used as a reconnaissance aircraft and torpedo bomber. During Italy's involvement in the Second World War, the Z.506 was frequently used in a variety of roles, including for aerial reconnaissance, torpedo bombing, maritime patrol and air-sea rescue operations by both the Regia Aeronautica and Regia Marina. As the conflict progressed, it would also be flown in quantity by the Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana and the Luftwaffe. It proved to be particularly vulnerable when intercepted by Allies fighters, thus the type was increasingly used on secondary duties during the latter half of the conflict. The militarised Z.506B has been considered to be one of the best floatplanes ever built.