Italian stuff

[Twitch]

Here's a strange prototype from Italy

CAPRONI
About 1942 this company later began construction on a high-altitude fighter using prop and jet thrust. The Caproni CA 183bis had a DB 605 of 1,250 HP in the nose driving two three-blade contra-rotating props with a 700 HP Fiat A.30 radial behind the cockpit driving a Campini compressor expected to furnish a 60 MPH boost of jet thrust for an optimistic maximum speed of 460 MPH with a range of 1242 miles. One 20 mm was to be in the prop hub with four more in the wings. Weight was to be 16,538 lbs. with a 48-foot wingspan.

The CA 183 was not all that complicated though performance seems optimistic.

 

[Story]

Somewhere I've got an older reference book on Italian aircraft, pre-and WWII. They had enough problems keeping the non-exotic powerplants going, let alone anything exotic.

Gorgeous camo jobs, tho and contrary to Commonwealth/Oxford & Cambridge propaganda, the Italian Air Force could do a number on their targets (check Slim's reference to his assault on Gallabat, Ethiopia in November 1940. Can you say "Run awaaaaaaaaaaaay!"?)

Check out this desert wreck site -
http://www.dunes.it/sahara_aviation_safety/index.htm

 

[KilroyCD]

Here's the first Itailan jet to fly, the Caproni Campini CC2 (also known as the N.1):

 

[Smithy]

They made very attractive airframes, the Italians, but most of the time and apart from the odd exception they were one step behind other aircraft manufacturers during the war.

And when this was combined with a complete lack of knowledge of theatre conditions and combat environment that lead to the disasters which jump to people's minds when they think of the Regia Aeronautica. The Corpo Aereo Italiano being a prime example of this.

Saying that though they brought out some marvellous and effective airframes, the Macchi 202 and G.55 are two that jump to mind.

 

[Luddite]

Surely the most gorgeous aircraft in history have been the Italian Schneider racers, with the pick of the bunch being the Piaggio P7.....

Shame it didn't work!

 

[Twitch]

With their few in-service examples most Italian aircraft were in prototype stage when they surrendered and never reached fruition.

Story I bet that book is-
Thompson, Jonathan
Italian Civil & Military Aircraft
Aero Publishers, Fallbrook, CA 1963

I used to work with Jon at Road & Track in the late 60s and the book is great.

Ok here's another fascinating prototype-

UMBRA
Italian strange concludes with the sleek Umbra MB.902 that was in its final assembly stage before the 1943 Armistice. Two 1,475 Fiat R.A.1050 R.C.58 V-12 tandems were buried in the 47 feet fuselage. These drove twin contra-rotating airscrews just protruding from very streamlined wing of 47-foot span via extension shafts. The pilot sat well to the front and had two 20 mms and four 12.7 mms all in the nose. At 15,840 lbs. loaded it sat on a tricycle landing gear. Performance was estimated with a range of 1,056 miles and a top speed of 429 MPH at 19,680 with ceiling being 34,440 feet.

As with many promising Italian designs, the Armistice ended continuation of work. This was very forward thinking but given the Italian penchant for streamlined, high performers learned since the Schnieder Cup float plane racing days of the 1930s, it may have proven viable.