CANT Z . 506 The CANT Z . 506 " Airone " ( Italian : Heron ) was a triple - engine floatplane produced by CANT from 1935 . It served as a transport and postal aircraft with the Italian airline " Ala Littoria " . It established 10 world records in 1936 and another 10 in 1937 . During World War II it was used as a reconnaissance aircraft , bomber and air - sea rescue plane , by the Italian " Regia Aeronautica " and " Regia Marina " , Aeronautica Cobelligerante del Sud , Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana and the " Luftwaffe " . The military version revealed itself to be one of the best floatplanes ever built . Despite its wooden structure it was able to operate in very rough seas . A number of Z . 506S air - sea rescue aircraft remained in service until 1959 . Design and development . The CANT Z . 506 was designed as a 12 to 14 - seat transport twin - float seaplane , powered by three 455 kW ( 610 hp ) Piaggio Stella IX radial engines . It was derived from the larger and heavier Z . 505 seaplane . The Z . 506 entered production in 1936 as the Z . 506A , powered by more powerful 560 kW ( 750 hp ) Alfa Romeo 126 RC . 34 nine cylinder radial engines , giving a maximum output of 780 CV on take off and 750 CV at 3 , 400 meters . The fuselage had a wooden structure covered in " tulipier " wooden lamellas . The wings were built with a structure of three box - type spars linked by wooden wing - ribs covered by plywood . The floats were made of duraluminium , covered in " chitonal " and were 12 . 50 meters long . The armament consisted of a 12 . 7 ( 0 . 5 inch ) Breda - SAFAT machine gun s in the dorsal position and three 7 . 7 mm ( 0 , 303 inch ) machine guns , one in the ventral position and two on the sides of the fuselage . The CANT Z . 506 had a crew of five . It was produced at the " Cantieri Riuniti dell ' Adriatico " and " Cantiere Navale Triestino " ( CRDA CANT ) factories in Monfalcone and Finale Ligure respectively . The aeroplanes were in such demand that the Piaggio company also produced CANT Z . 506s . under licence . The Z . 506A entered service with the " Ala Littoria " air company flying around the Mediterranean . While flown mostly by Mario Stoppani , the Z . 506A set a number of altitude , speed and distance records for its class between 1936 and 1938 , including speeds of 191 . 539 mph ( 308 . 25 km / h ) over 3 , 107 ( 5000 km ) and 198 . 7 mph ( 319 . 78 km / h ) over 1 , 243 miles ( 2000 km ) , and 200 . 118 mph ( 322 . 06 km / h ) over 621 miles ( 1000 km ) . It subsequently flew 3 , 345 . 225 miles ( 5383 . 6 km ) in a closed circuit . It carried a load of 4 , 409 lb ( 2000 kg ) to 25 , 623 ft ( 7810 m . ) and 11 , 023 lb ( 5000 kg ) to 22 , 693 ft ( 6917 m ) . A military version appeared after 15 civil aeroplanes had entered service with " Ala Littoria " . It was developed as the Z . 506B . This military version was powered by three 560 kW ( 750 hp ) Alfa Romeo 127 RC 55 engines and entered service in 1939 . This version was also a record breaker . A larger version of the Z . 506A was built in 1937 as the Z . 509 . The last CANT Z . 506B was built by Piaggio in January 1943 . Total production was more than 320 aircraft . Operational history . The " Airone " saw more than 20 years of service . The Z . 506B was first used as a reconnaissance aircraft and torpedo bomber in the Spanish Civil War . When Italy entered the war , on 10 June 1940 , 97 aircraft were operational with two " Stormi da Bombardamento Marittimo " ( sea bombing units ) and some " Squadriglia da Ricognizione Marittima " . 31° " Stormo " B . M . " autonomo " with 22 planes was based at Cagliari - Elmas airport , in Sardinia ; 35° Stormo B . M . , with 25 Z . 506 in Brindisi , Puglia . It was used extensively in 1940 - 41 in France and Greece . On the outbreak of World War II , four " Squadriglie " for air - sea rescue missions were formed in Orbetello . These were the 612a in Stagnoni , with aircraft marked DAMB , GORO , BUIE , CANT ( the prototype ) and POLA , and the 614a in Benghazi , with DUCO , ALA , DODO and DAIM . The two other sections with two aircraft each were based in Torre del Lago and in the Aegean Sea at Leros . The latter was later transferred to Rhodes . The Z . 506 had its baptism of fire on 17 June 1940 , the day after some French bombers had attacked Elmas base , killing 21 airmen and destroying some Cant . Z . 501s . On the evening of 17 June , four 506Bs from 31° Stormo attacked targets in Northern French Africa , each dropping two 250 kg and three 100 kg bombs . The type also took part in the Battle of Calabria . In the war against Greece it was used against coastal targets and the Corinth canal . It played an important part in the conquest of many Greek islands , including Corfu , Cephalonia and Zante . Due to its vulnerability against fighters , it was restricted to use by ' recce ' units ( " Squadriglie da Ricognizione " ) . Later in the war , it was used in maritime patrol and air - sea rescue missions . The 506 was often forced to land in Spain , due to engine failure , combat damage or a lack of fuel . A special air - sea rescue version , the Z . 506S " Soccorso " , was produced ; it was used in small numbers by the " Luftwaffe " . The air - sea rescue Z . 506s suffered severe losses as many Allied pilots did not stop attacking them , even after they had spotted the red crosses . For instance , on 12 June 1942 , off Malta , a Hawker Hurricane from 46 Squadron shot down a Z . 506 , then shot another one down which had been sent to rescue the crew of the first . Sergeant Etchells , in " 249 at Malta " recalled : A Cant 506 became famous , among the Allies , because it was the only plane hijacked by prisoners of war on the Western Front ( it was then used by the RAF from Malta ) . When Italy surrendered to Allied , on 8 September 1943 , about 70 Cant 506s were still in service with Italian Air Force . About 30 surviving Z . 506S were assimilated into Allied forces and served with the Italian Co - Belligerent Air Force . The Germans soon captured the 506 and started using them in Italy , Germany , France , Yugoslavia and even on Greek islands and in Poland . The Cant of 171a Squadriglia kept on operating air / sea rescue and patrol missions from the military port of Toulon , with mixed Italian / German crews . Some 506s captured by Germans , flown by Italian volunteer crews , operated in 1944 on the Baltic sea , patrolling the area around Peenemunde . Some examples survived in postwar service until 1959 . Survivors . One complete , faithfully restored Z . 506S is on display at the Vigna di Valle Air Force Museum in Rome , Italy .