Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near

Linate Airport Milan Linate Airport is the third international airport of Milan, the second-largest city and largest urban area of Italy, behind Malpensa Airport and Orio al Serio Airport. It served 9,233,475 passengers in 2018, being the fifth busiest ai ...

, on the outskirts of

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard language, Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the List of cities in Italy, second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 ...

. Founded by Giovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni during 1908, the company produced several successful

heavy bomber Heavy bombers are bomber aircraft capable of delivering the largest payload of air-to-ground weaponry (usually bombs) and longest range (takeoff to landing) of their era. Archetypal heavy bombers have therefore usually been among the large ...

s during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

. Following the acquisition of several other aviation firms throughout the interwar period, Caproni transformed into a sizable aviation-orientated

syndicate A syndicate is a self-organizing group of individuals, companies, corporations or entities formed to transact some specific business, to pursue or promote a shared interest. Etymology The word ''syndicate'' comes from the French word ''syndica ...

, the ''Società Italiana Caproni, Milano''. The majority of its aircraft were bombers and transport aircraft. It played a pioneering role in the development of the

Caproni Campini N.1 The Caproni Campini N.1, also known as the C.C.2, is an experimental jet aircraft built in the 1930s by Italian aircraft manufacturer Caproni. The N.1 first flew in 1940 and was briefly regarded as the first successful jet-powered aircraft in hi ...

, an experimental aircraft powered by a thermo-jet. It provided large numbers of combat aircraft for the Axis during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. The firm did not prosper in the

postwar In Western usage, the phrase post-war era (or postwar era) usually refers to the time since the end of World War II. More broadly, a post-war period (or postwar period) is the interval immediately following the end of a war. A post-war period ...

era, the Società Italiana Caproni collapsing during 1950. Many of the company's former assets were subsequently acquired by the Italian helicopter specialist

Agusta Agusta was an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It was based in Samarate, Northern Italy. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot ...

History

The company was founded during 1908 by the Italian aviation pioneer and

aeronautical engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...

Giovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni. It was initially named, from 1911, ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'', then ''Società Caproni e Comitti''. Caproni was responsible for completing the first aircraft of Italian construction in 1911. Its principal manufacturing facilities were based in Taliedo, a peripheral district of

, close to

, while the firm's Caproni Vizzola division was based in

Vizzola Ticino Vizzola Ticino is a village and ''comune'' of the province of Varese in Lombardy, Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of t ...

, close to

Milan–Malpensa Airport Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy, Piedmont and Liguria, as well as the Swiss Canton of Ticino. The airport is northwest of Milan, next to the Ticino river dividing Lombardy and Pi ...

. The firm initially produced a series of small single-engine aircraft, including the Caproni Ca.1, Ca.6 and Ca.12; these became important milestones in the early development of Italian aviation. As such, Caproni became one of the most important Allied aircraft manufacturers during the

, being responsible for the design and manufacture of large, multi-engine long-range

bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...

s, such as the three-engined Caproni Ca.32, Ca.33, Ca.36 and Ca.40. These aircraft were adopted not only by the Italian military, but by the French as well. Caproni's bombers were a significant contribution in the development of heavy aircraft. Following the end of the conflict, the

strategic bombing Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in total war with the goal of defeating the enemy by destroying its morale, its economic ability to produce and transport materiel to the theatres of military operations, or both. It is a systemati ...

theories of Giulio Douhet were reputedly shaped by the operational use of Caproni bombers, and thus have been was seen as an important landmark in the history of aviation. The Interwar period was a busy one for Caproni. While the end of the First World War had led to a rapid decrease in demand for bombers, impacting orders for much of Caproni's traditional product line, Caproni elected to redirect the bulk of the company's resources towards the growing civil aviation market. It was also during this period that the company was reorganised into a large

, which was named the ''Società Italiana Caproni, Milano'', as a result of having acquired several smaller Italian manufacturers. By the 1930s, the company's main subdivisions comprised Caproni Bergamasca, Caproni Vizzola, Reggiane and the engine manufacturer

Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini () was an Italian luxury car manufacturer, also producing trucks, as well as engines for marine and aviation use. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1900 by Cesare Isotta and the brothers Vincenzo, Antonio, and Oreste Fraschini, in 19 ...

. Caproni's aircraft activity largely orientated towards the production of bombers and light transport aircraft. Perhaps the most distinctive of Caproni's aircraft was the Caproni Ca.60 Transaereo, an experimental large flying boat designed for the civil sector. At the time, the concept of a large multi-engined flying boat to serve long-distance passenger routes was considered to be radical. However, Caproni believed that such an aircraft could allow the travel to remote areas more quickly than ground or water transport, and that the investment required to develop and manufacturer such an aircraft would be less expensive than pursuing alternative means. During 1919, Caproni filed to

patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling disclo ...

his work on the concept. His large seaplane design, designated Caproni Ca.60, was highly unorthodox, featuring eight engines and three sets of triple wings. On 12 February or 2 March 1921, the aircraft took off for the first time, proving to be both stable and maneuverable during its brief flight, in spite of a persisting tendency to climb. However, on March 4, the sole completed aircraft was lost while attempting its second flight. During 1927, the

Caproni Museum The Gianni Caproni Museum of Aeronautics ( Italian: ''Museo dell'Aeronautica Gianni Caproni'') is Italy's oldest aviation museum, as well as the country's oldest corporate museum. It was established in 1927 as the Caproni Museum (''Museo Caproni'' ...

(Italian: ''Museo Caproni'') was established in Taliedo by Giovanni Caproni and his wife, Timina Caproni. It is both the oldest aviation museum in Italy, as well as the country's oldest corporate museum. The Caproni Museum has long outlived the Caproni company itself. Caproni continued to maintain its interest in innovative aircraft. One such example was the Stipa-Caproni, also known as the Caproni Stipa, which was designed by Luigi Stipa and built by Caproni during the early 1930s. The aircraft featured a hollow, barrel-shaped

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

with the

engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...

and

propeller A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...

completely enclosed by the fuselage, effectively forming a single

ducted fan In aeronautics, a ducted fan is a thrust-generating mechanical fan or propeller mounted within a cylindrical duct or shroud. Other terms include ducted propeller or shrouded propeller. When used in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) applicati ...

. While unconventional, flight testing found that the approach induced significant aerodynamic drag, cancelling out much of the gains in engine efficiency and reducing the aircraft's top speed to only . Some authors have claimed that its design had influenced the development of

jet propulsion Jet propulsion is the propulsion of an object in one direction, produced by ejecting a jet of fluid in the opposite direction. By Newton's third law, the moving body is propelled in the opposite direction to the jet. Reaction engines operating on ...

During the 1930s, Caproni became involved with the Italian aeronautics engineer Secondo Campini, who was engaged in pioneering research in the then-unexplored field of

, having proposed adopting a so-called '' thermo-jet'' to power an aircraft. Campini had been issued with an initial contract from the Italian government to develop and manufacture his envisioned engine. During 1934, the ''

Regia Aeronautica The Italian Royal Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica Italiana'') was the name of 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 mon ...

'' (the Italian Air Force) granted its approval to proceed with the production of a pair of jet-powered prototype aircraft; Caproni was engaged to manufacture this aircraft, which was thus designated as the

, with Campini providing technical guidance while specialising in the engine's design.Pavelec 2007, p. 5. On 27 August 1940, the

maiden flight The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets. The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...

of the experimental N.1 occurred at Caproni's Taliedo facility. On 30 November 1941, the second prototype was flown from Milan's

to Rome's Guidonia Airport, in a highly publicised event that included a fly-past over Rome and a reception with Italian Prime Minister

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in ...

. According to the historian Nathanial Edwards, the practicality of the N.1 design had been undermined by political pressure to speed the programme along so that Italy would be more likely to be the first country in the world to perform a jet-powered flight.Edwards, Nathanial. "Flight as Propaganda in Fascist Italy." ''World At War Magazine'', Late 2010. According to economics author Harrison Mark,

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

aircraft design bureau

TsAGI The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (also (Zhukovsky) Central Institute of Aerodynamics, russian: Центра́льный аэрогидродинами́ческий институ́т, ЦАГИ, Tsentral'nyy Aerogidrodinamicheskiy Institut, ...

obtained details on the N.1 programme and were encouraged to pursue work on a similar design; as such, there is a basis for stating that the design of the N.1 influenced subsequent early jet aircraft. The early years of the

era was one of considerable hardship for Caproni and the wider Italian aviation industry alike. During 1950, the Società Italiana Caproni ceased to exist. However, one of the company's former divisions, ''Caproni Vizzola'', endured until 1983, at which point it was acquired by the Italian helicopter manufacturer

Aircraft

FromAA.VV., Caproni Ca.90 , in ''Grande Enciclopedia Aeronautica'' , Milan, Edizioni Aeronautica L. Mancini, 1936, p. 154,

Pre-World War I

* Caproni Ca.1 of 1910 – Experimental biplane

World War I

* Caproni Ca.1 of 1914 – Heavy bomber * Caproni Ca.2 – Heavy bomber *

Caproni Ca.3 The Caproni Ca.3 is an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the most produced version of the series of aircraft that began with the 1914 Caproni Ca.1 and continued until the more powerful 1917 Caproni Ca.5 variant. ...

– Heavy bomber * Caproni Ca.4 – Heavy bomber *

Caproni Ca.5 The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the final version of the series of aircraft that began with the Caproni Ca.1 (1914), Caproni Ca.1 in 1914. Development By late World War I, developments in ...

– Heavy bomber *

Caproni Ca.14 The Caproni Ca.14 was an early biplane developed by Giovanni Battista Caproni Giovanni Battista Caproni, 1st Count of Taliedo (July 3, 1886 – October 27, 1957), known as "Gianni" Caproni, was an Italian aeronautical engineer, civil engineer, ...

- biplane * Caproni Ca.15 - monoplane * Caproni Ca.17 - monoplane *

Caproni Ca.18 __NOTOC__ The Caproni Ca.18 was a military reconnaissance aircraft built in Italy shortly prior to World War I. It became the first Italian-designed and -built aircraft to see service with the Italian armed forces. The Ca.18 was a monoplane of co ...

– Observation plane *

Caproni Ca.19 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovanni ...

- monoplane * Caproni Ca.20 – Monoplane fighter *

Caproni Ca.21 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovanni ...

- reconnaissance aircraft * Caproni Ca.22 – Variable incidence research parasol monoplane *

Caproni Ca.26 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovan ...

- project *

Caproni Ca.27 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- project *

Caproni Ca.28 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- project *

Caproni Ca.29 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- project *

Caproni Ca.31 The Caproni Ca.1 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development and design The Ca.1 was a three-engine biplane of fabric-covered wooden construction. It had four crew members in an open central nacelle: two pilots, a fro ...

– Modified Ca.1 * Caproni Ca.32 – Modified Italian Army version of Ca.1

Inter-war period

* Caproni Ca.30 – Postwar redesignation of 1914 Ca.1 * Caproni Ca.33 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.3 *

Caproni Ca.34 The Caproni Ca.3 is an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the most produced version of the series of aircraft that began with the 1914 Caproni Ca.1 (1914), Caproni Ca.1 and continued until the more powerful 1917 Cap ...

– Postwar redesignation of proposed modified Ca.3 *

Caproni Ca.35 The Caproni Ca.3 is an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the most produced version of the series of aircraft that began with the 1914 Caproni Ca.1 and continued until the more powerful 1917 Caproni Ca.5 variant. ...

– Postwar redesignation of proposed modified Ca.3 * Caproni Ca.36 – Postwar redesignation of modified Ca.3 *

Caproni Ca.37 The Caproni Ca.37 was a ground attack aircraft designed and built in Italy by Caproni Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operat ...

– Postwar redesignation of prototype ground-attack version of Ca.3 *

Caproni Ca.39 The Caproni Ca.3 is an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the most produced version of the series of aircraft that began with the 1914 Caproni Ca.1 and continued until the more powerful 1917 Caproni Ca.5 variant. ...

– Postwar redesignation of proposed seaplane version of Ca.3 *

Caproni Ca.40 The Caproni Ca.4 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development After designing the successful Ca.3, Gianni Caproni of the Caproni works designed a much bigger aircraft. It shared the unusual layout of the Caproni Ca.3, being a ...

– Postwar redesignation of Ca.4 prototype * Caproni Ca.41 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.4 variant *

Caproni Ca.42 The Caproni Ca.4 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development After designing the successful Caproni Ca.3, Ca.3, Gianni Caproni of the Caproni works designed a much bigger aircraft. It shared the unusual layout of the Caproni ...

– Postwar redesignation of Ca.4 variant * Caproni Ca.43 – Postwar redesignation of floatplane variant of Ca.4 *

Caproni Ca.44 The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the final version of the series of aircraft that began with the Caproni Ca.1 in 1914. Development By late World War I, developments in aircraft technology ...

– Postwar redesignation of Ca.5 heavy bomber * Caproni Ca.45 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.5 aircraft built for France *

Caproni Ca.46 The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the final version of the series of aircraft that began with the Caproni Ca.1 in 1914. Development By late World War I, developments in aircraft technology ...

– Postwar redesignation of Ca.5 variant * Caproni Ca.47 – Postwar redesignation of seaplane version of Ca.5 * Caproni Ca.48 – Airliner version of Ca.4 *

Caproni Ca.49 The Caproni Ca.49 was a proposed Italy, Italian seaplane airliner of 1919 in aviation, 1919. Development In 1919, the Caproni company designed the Ca.49, a passenger seaplane intended for use as an airliner. The proposed aircraft would have been a ...

– Proposed seaplane airliner of 1919 *

Caproni Ca.50 The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the final version of the series of aircraft that began with the Caproni Ca.1 in 1914. Development By late World War I, developments in aircraft technology ...

– Air ambulance version of Ca.44 *

Caproni Ca.51 The Caproni Ca.4 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development After designing the successful Caproni Ca.3, Ca.3, Gianni Caproni of the Caproni works designed a much bigger aircraft. It shared the unusual layout of the Caproni ...

– Postwar redesignation of prototype of enlarged Ca.4 *

Caproni Ca.52 The Caproni Ca.4 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development After designing the successful Ca.3, Gianni Caproni of the Caproni works designed a much bigger aircraft. It shared the unusual layout of the Caproni Ca.3, being a ...

– Postwar redesignation for Ca.4 aircraft built for

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

Caproni Ca.56 The Caproni Ca.1 was an Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946), Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development and design The Ca.1 was a three-engine biplane of fabric-covered wooden construction. It had four crew members in an open cent ...

– Airliner version of Ca.1 *

Caproni Ca.57 The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the final version of the series of aircraft that began with the Caproni Ca.1 in 1914. Development By late World War I, developments in aircraft technology ...

– Airliner version of Ca.44 *

Caproni Ca.58 The Caproni Ca.4 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development After designing the successful Ca.3, Gianni Caproni of the Caproni works designed a much bigger aircraft. It shared the unusual layout of the Caproni Ca.3, being a ...

– Postwar redesignation for re-engined Ca.4s *

Caproni Ca.59 The Caproni Ca.4 was an Italian heavy bomber of the World War I era. Development After designing the successful Ca.3, Gianni Caproni of the Caproni works designed a much bigger aircraft. It shared the unusual layout of the Caproni Ca.3, being a ...

– Postwar redesignation for exported Ca.58s * Caproni Ca.60 ''Noviplano'' – Flying boat airliner prototype *

Caproni Ca.64 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, ...

- fighter project *

Caproni Ca.65 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- fighter project * Caproni Ca.66 - Four-engine, single-

bomber of 1922 *

Caproni Ca.68 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- reconnaissance flying boat project *

Caproni Ca.69 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- reconnaissance flying boat project *

Caproni Ca.70 The Caproni Ca.70 was a two-seat night fighter and ground attack biplane produced in Italy in 1925. It was the only Italian aircraft designed from the outset as a night fighter. Design The Caproni company designed the Ca.70 to ensure good low-sp ...

– Prototype night fighter of 1925 * Caproni Ca.71 – Ca.70 variant of 1927 *

Caproni Ca.73 The Caproni Ca.73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent ''Regia Aeronautica''. Design and development The Ca.73 was an inverted sesquiplane with a biplane tail and tw ...

– Airliner and light bomber *

Caproni Ca.74 The Caproni Ca.73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent ''Regia Aeronautica''. Design and development The Ca.73 was an inverted sesquiplane with a biplane tail and tw ...

– Re-engined Ca.73 light bomber *

Caproni Ca.75 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- biplane bomber project * Caproni Ca.76 - biplane bomber project *

Caproni Ca.77 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- biplane bomber project *

Caproni Ca.78 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- biplane bomber project * Caproni Ca.80 – Later redesignation of Ca.74 *

Caproni Ca.81 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- reconnaissance monoplane project *

Caproni Ca.82 The Caproni Ca.73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent ''Regia Aeronautica''. Design and development The Ca.73 was an inverted Biplane, sesquiplane with a biplane ta ...

– Redesignation of Ca.73''ter'' variant *

Caproni Ca.83 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- monoplane fighter *

Caproni Ca.84 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- biplane flying boat project *

Caproni Ca.85 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- biplane flying boat project * Caproni Ca.86 - biplane flying boat project *

Caproni Ca.88 The Caproni Ca.73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent ''Regia Aeronautica''. Design and development The Ca.73 was an inverted sesquiplane with a biplane tail and tw ...

– Redesignation of Ca.73''quarter'' variant *

Caproni Ca.89 The Caproni Ca.73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent ''Regia Aeronautica''. Design and development The Ca.73 was an inverted sesquiplane with a biplane tail and tw ...

– Redesignation of Ca.73''quarterG'' variant *

Caproni Ca.90 The Caproni Ca.90 was a prototype Italian heavy bomber designed and built by Caproni. When it first flew in 1929 it was the largest land-based aircraft in the world. Design and development A six-engined inverted sesquiplane, the Caproni Ca.90 wa ...

– Heavy bomber aircraft * Caproni Ca.92 - reconnaissance biplane project *

Caproni Ca.93 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- biplane bomber project *

Caproni Ca.94 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- 4-engine monoplane heavy bomber *

Caproni Ca.95 The Caproni Ca.95 was a large, three engine, long range, heavy bomber prototype built in Italy in 1929. It could carry a bomb load and had three defensive gun positions. Only one was built. Design and development The three-engined Caproni 95 wa ...

- Heavy bomber aircraft, 1933 *

Caproni Ca.96 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- 4-engine biplane heavy bomber project *

Caproni Ca.97 The Caproni Ca.97 was a civil utility aircraft produced in Italy in the late 1920s and early 1930s. As originally designed, it was a high-wing braced trimotor monoplane of conventional configuration with one engine mounted on the nose and the oth ...

– Civil utility aircraft *

Caproni Ca.98 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- monoplane tourer *

Caproni Ca.99 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovan ...

- biplane tourer * Caproni Ca.100 – Trainer * Caproni Ca.101 – Airliner, transport, and bomber * Caproni Ca.102 – Re-engined Ca.101 * Caproni Ca.106 - civil biplane project * Caproni Ca.107 - biplane fighter project * Caproni Ca.108 - mailplane project *

Caproni Ca.109 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- 2-seat biplane sport/trainer * Caproni Ca.110 - biplane fighter project *

Caproni Ca.111 The Caproni Ca.111 was a long-range reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber produced in Italy during the 1930s. It was a derivative of the Ca.101. Design and development A robust and simple aircraft, it was meant to be used in harsh conditions ...

– Reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber *

Caproni Ca.113 The Caproni Ca.113 was an advanced training biplane produced in Italy and Bulgaria in the early 1930s. Designed as a follow-on to the Ca.100, it was a more powerful and robust aircraft capable of aerobatics. It was a conventional design with two ...

– Advanced trainer *

Caproni Ca.114 The Caproni Ca.114 was a fighter biplane produced in Italy in the early 1930s which was flown operationally in Peru in the 1930s and 1940s. Design The Caproni company designed the Ca.114 in 1933 to compete against other designs to provide the ...

– Biplane fighter * Caproni Ca.115 - twin-engined sesquiplane bomber project * Caproni Ca.116 - sports biplane project * Caproni Ca.117 - experimental high-altitude monoplane project * Caproni Ca.118 - twin-engine monoplane bomber project * Caproni Ca.119 - reconnaissance biplane project * Caproni Ca.121 - fast monoplane bomber project *

Caproni Ca.122 __NOTOC__ The Caproni Ca.122 was a prototype bomber and military transport aircraft built in Italy in the mid-1930s. It was a conventional low-wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage. Power was provided by twin Gnome-Rhône 14K radial engines. N ...

– Prototype bomber and transport *

Caproni Ca.123 __NOTOC__ The Caproni Ca.122 was a prototype bomber and military transport aircraft built in Italy in the mid-1930s. It was a conventional low-wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage. Power was provided by twin Gnome-Rhône 14K radial engines. N ...

– Proposed airliner version of Ca.122 *

Caproni Ca.124 The Caproni Ca.124 was a 1930s single-engine Italian reconnaissance and bomber seaplane. Design The Caproni Ca.124 was a cantilever mid-wing monoplane of mixed construction. The fuselage was corrugated-skinned and the empennage cantilever and co ...

– Reconnaissance and bomber floatplane *

Caproni Ca.125 The Caproni Ca.125 was a single-engine, tandem two-seat, touring biplane built in Italy in 1933. It could be operated either as a landplane or seaplane. Design and development The Ca.125 was a wire braced single bay biplane with slender, ellip ...

– Two-seat touring biplane * Caproni Ca.126 - monoplane sports aircraft project * Caproni Ca.128 - low-wing metal monoplane 1+4 feederliner project * Caproni Ca.129 - low-wing metal monoplane 1+4 feederliner project *

Caproni Ca.130 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- trimotor transport, precursor of Caproni Ca.133 * Caproni Ca.132 – Prototype bomber and airliner *

Caproni Ca.134 The Caproni Ca.134 was a biplane reconnaissance aircraft built by the Italian company Caproni in the 1930s. Design The Ca.134 was a conventional-looking, single-biplane, two-seater fixed-cart aircraft. The fuselage, made of a metal structure c ...

– Reconnaissance biplane * Caproni Ca.150 - twin-boom attack fighter * Caproni Ca.153 - monoplane heavy fighter project * Caproni Ca.154 - twin-engine monoplane heavy fighter project * Caproni Ca.155 - twin-engine monoplane heavy fighter project * Caproni Ca.156 - twin-engined heavy fighter project *

Caproni Ca.161 The Caproni Ca.161 was an aircraft built in Italy in 1936, in an attempt to set a new world altitude record. It was a conventional biplane with two-bay, staggered wings of equal span, based on Caproni's Ca.113 design. The pressure-suited pilo ...

– High-altitude experimental aircraft * Caproni Ca.162 - recce-fighter project *

Caproni Ca.163 The Caproni Ca.164 was a training biplane produced in Italy shortly prior to World War II. It was a largely conventional biplane intended as a follow-on to the Ca.100 and sharing that aircraft's layout with a slightly smaller upper wing. Devel ...

– Prototype of Ca.164 * Caproni Ca.165 – Prototype fighter of 1938 *

Caproni Ca.204 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovan ...

- long-range bomber project *

Caproni Ca.211 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- three-engine long-range bomber project * Caproni Ca.201 - high altitude bomber project *

Caproni Ca.205 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovan ...

- long-range bomber project *

Caproni Ca.214 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- aerobatic trainer project *

Caproni Ca.301 The Caproni Bergamaschi AP.1 was an Italian monoplane attack aircraft designed by Cesare Pallavicino, coming from the Breda firm. Design and development Developed from the Ca.301, a single-seat fighter version of a similar design that was not ...

– Prototype fighter *

Caproni A.P.1 The Caproni Bergamaschi AP.1 was an Italian monoplane attack aircraft designed by Cesare Pallavicino, coming from the Breda firm. Design and development Developed from the Ca.301, a single-seat fighter version of a similar design that was not ...

– Attack aircraft derivative of Ca.301 *

Caproni Ca.305 The Caproni Bergamaschi AP.1 was an Italian monoplane attack aircraft designed by Cesare Pallavicino, coming from the Breda firm. Design and development Developed from the Ca.301, a single-seat fighter version of a similar design that was not ...

– First production version of A.P.1 *

Caproni Ca.306 The Caproni Ca.308 ''Borea'' ("North Wind") was a small airliner built in Italy in the mid-1930s. Development The Ca.308 was a streamlined, low-wing Cantilever#Aircraft, cantilevered monoplane design of conventional configuration. Its Landing g ...

– Airliner prototype (1935) *

Caproni Ca.307 The Caproni Bergamaschi AP.1 was an Italian monoplane attack aircraft designed by Cesare Pallavicino, coming from the Ansaldobreda, Breda firm. Design and development Developed from the Ca.301, a single-seat fighter version of a similar design ...

– Second production version of A.P.1 * Caproni Ca.308 – Export version of A.P.1 for El Salvador and Paraguay * Caproni Ca. 308 ''Borea'' – Airliner * Caproni Ca.309 – military light twin *

Caproni Ca.345 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

– recce floatplane project *

Caproni Ca.350 The Caproni Ca.350 was an Italian single-engined project for a two-seat fighter-bomber/reconnaissance aircraft of the 1930s. Designed by Cesare Pallavicino to meet a requirement of the Regia Aeronautica, it was an innovative and fast design, to ...

– Fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft * Caproni-Reggiane Ca.400 – Caproni- Reggiane-built version of Piaggio P.32 medium bomber *

Caproni Ca.401 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

– twin-engine recce-fighter *

Caproni Ca.405 The Piaggio P.32 was an Italian medium bomber of the late 1930s, produced by Piaggio, and designed by Giovanni Pegna. It was a modern design for its time, but was a failure due to lack of powerplants commensurate with its high wing loading. Desi ...

– Caproni-built version of Piaggio P.32 medium bomber *

Caproni Ca.410 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

– twin-engined recce-bomber floatplane project *

Caproni CH.1 The Caproni CH.1 was a single-seat biplane fighter, a single example of which was produced as a prototype in Italy in 1935. Design Antonio Chiodi began design work on a new single-seat fighter in 1934 as a private venture of the Caproni compa ...

– Prototype fighter of 1935 *

Caproni PS.1 The Caproni PS.1, also known as the Pallavicino PS-1 and Caproni Ca.303, was an Italian four-seater sportsplane, designed and built specifically to compete in Challenge 1934, the European touring plane championships. Design and development The ...

– Sports aircraft *

Caproni Bergamaschi PL.3 The Caproni Bergamaschi PL.3 was designed and built in Italy to compete in the 1934 London-to-Melbourne air race. It was a single-engine cantilever monoplane with clean lines, retractable undercarriage and side-by-side seating for two. Though i ...

– Long-distance racer aircraft *

Caproni-Pensuti triplane The Caproni-Pensuti 2 was a small single-engine sports triplane aircraft designed and built in Italy just before the end of World War I. It had a wingspan of only 4.0 m or a little over 13 ft. Design and development The Pensuti 2 was a ...

– Sports triplane of 1919 * Caproni Sauro-1 – Two-seat touring aircraft * Caproni Vizzola F.5 – Fighter of 1939 * Stipa-Caproni – Experimental ducted-fan powered prototype of 1932

World War II

* Caproni Ca.133 – Transport and bomber * Caproni Ca.135 – Medium bomber *

Caproni Ca.148 The Caproni Ca.133 was a three-engined transport/bomber aircraft used by the Italian ''Regia Aeronautica'' from the Second Italo-Abyssinian War until World War II. Originally developed as a civilian airliner and successor to the Ca.101, the Ca ...

– Civil-military transport version of Ca.133 *

Caproni Ca.164 The Caproni Ca.164 was a training biplane produced in Italy shortly prior to World War II. It was a largely conventional biplane intended as a follow-on to the Ca.100 and sharing that aircraft's layout with a slightly smaller upper wing. Develo ...

– Trainer and liaison and reconnaissance aircraft * Caproni Ca.309 ''Ghibli'' – Reconnaissance, ground-attack, and transport aircraft * Caproni Ca.310 ''Libeccio'' – Reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber *

Caproni Ca.311 __NOTOC__ The Caproni Ca.311 was a light bomber- reconnaissance aircraft produced in Italy prior to and during World War II. It was a member of the large family of Caproni designs derived from the Ca.306 airliner prototype of 1935, and more d ...

– Light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft * Caproni Ca.312 – Re-engined version of Ca.310 sold to Norway * Caproni Ca.313 – Reconnaissance bomber, trainer, and transport * Caproni Ca.314 – Ground-attack aircraft and torpedo bomber *

Caproni Ca.316 __NOTOC__ The Caproni Ca.316 was a reconnaissance seaplane produced in Italy during World War II, intended for catapult operations from Italian Navy capital ships. It was a member of the large family of Caproni designs derived from the Ca.306 ai ...

– Seaplane *

Caproni Ca.320 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- three-engine bomber * Caproni Ca.325 – Proposed version of Ca.135 medium bomber with more powerful engines, built in mock-up form only *

Caproni Ca.330 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovanni ...

- Project *

Caproni Ca.331 The Caproni Ca.331 ''Raffica'' ("Gust of Wind" or "Fire Burst") was an Italian aircraft built by Caproni in the early 1940s as a tactical reconnaissance aircraft/light bomber and also as a night fighter. Development Ca.331 O.A. (Ca.331A) In res ...

– Prototype tactical reconnaissance aircraft/light bomber ( Ca.331 O.A./Ca.331A) of 1940 and prototype night fighter ( Ca.331 C.N./Ca.331B) of 1942 *

Caproni Ca.332 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- Project; derived from Ca.330 *

Caproni Ca.335 The Caproni Ca.335 Maestrale ( Mistral) was an Italian single-engined two-seat fighter-bomber/reconnaissance aircraft of the 1930s. Development and design In October 1937, the Belgian aircraft manufacturer Société Anonyme Belge de Constructi ...

– Fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft for the Belgian Air Force. *

Caproni Ca.360 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- Twin engine dive bomber project *

Caproni Ca.365 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giova ...

- Twin engine bomber project *

Caproni Ca.370 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- twin engine combat plane project * Caproni Ca.375 - twin engine combat plane project *

Caproni Ca.380 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- twin-boom fighter project *

Caproni Ca.381 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovann ...

- twin-boom fighter project *

– Experimental motorjet-powered aircraft of 1940 * Caproni Campini Ca.183bis – Proposed high-altitude fighter aircraft * Caproni Vizzola F.4 – Fighter prototype of 1940 with German-made engine *

Caproni Vizzola F.5bis The Caproni Vizzola F.4 was an Italian fighter aircraft prototype that was designed in 1937 and built from 1939. It was a single-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear. Development The F.4 was developed in parallel wit ...

– Proposed version of F.4 with Italian-made engine *

Caproni Vizzola F.6 The Caproni Vizzola F.6 was a World War II-era Italian fighter aircraft built by Caproni. It was a single-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear. Only two prototypes were built, one designated F.6M and the other designa ...

– Fighter prototype of 1941 ( F.6M) and 1943 ( F.6Z)

Post-World War II

Caproni Ca.193 The Caproni Ca.193 was an Italian liaison and air-taxi aircraft that was offered to the Italian Air Force as an instrument flight trainer and to the Navy for liaison. Design work started in 1945 and only the prototype was built. It was the last ...

– Twin-engined six-seat monoplane *

Caproni Ca.195 Caproni, also known as ''Società de Agostini e Caproni'' and ''Società Caproni e Comitti'', was an Italian aircraft manufacturer. Its main base of operations was at Taliedo, near Linate Airport, on the outskirts of Milan. Founded by Giovan ...

- jet trainer project * Caproni Trento F-5 – Lightweight two-seat jet trainer * Caproni Vizzola Calif – Family of gliders (sailplanes) (A-10, A-12, A-14, A-15, A-20, A-21) * Caproni Vizzola C22 Ventura – Light jet trainer

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* * * * Golly, John. ''Jet: Frank Whittle and the Invention of the Jet Engine.'' Datum Publishing, 1996. . * * Mark, Harrison. ''The Economics Of Coercion And Conflict.'' World Scientific, 2014. . * * Pavelec, Sterling Michael. ''The jet race and the Second World War.'' Praeger Security International: Westport, Connecticut. 2007. .

External links

{{Authority control Defunct aircraft manufacturers of Italy Manufacturing companies based in Milan Companies based in Reggio Emilia Conglomerate companies of Italy Companies based in Lombardy Companies based in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1908 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1950 Italian companies established in 1908 1950 disestablishments in Italy Agusta Italian brands

History

Aircraft

Pre-World War I

World War I

Inter-war period

World War II

Post-World War II

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links