Caproni Ca.12
| Industry | Aviation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1908 |
| Founder | Giovanni Battista Caproni |
| Headquarters | Vizzola Ticino , Italy |
The Caproni Ca.12 was an early 1910s single-engine, two-seat monoplane constructed by Caproni.
Design
The Ca.12 featured a high-wing monoplane configuration reflecting contemporary advancements, built with a wooden framework sheathed in fabric. It employed a wing warping mechanism for roll control, supported by metal tension rods linking the wings to the fuselage and an overhead structural element. The fuselage consisted of a wooden lattice reinforced by metal cables and was covered with fabric only on the forward section; similarly, the tail surfaces were constructed from wood and covered with canvas. Its fixed landing gear included two main wheels equipped with anti-overturn devices and a smaller tail skid.
Compared to its predecessors, the Ca.12 was distinguished primarily by its tandem two-seat cockpit arrangement—placing the seats one behind the other. It also differed from the Ca.11 through a significantly expanded wingspan and an upgraded powerplant: a radial Anzani 6A3 six-cylinder double-row engine delivering 60 hp. Other variants of this model were powered by engines rated at either 50 or 70 hp.[1]
Operational use
On the afternoon of March 20, 1912, pilot Enrico Cobioni—who had earned his flying license at the aviation school attached to the Caproni workshops in Vizzola Ticino and had distinguished himself as an exceptional test pilot, notably conducting the inaugural flights of the Caproni Ca.9 and Ca.11—departed from the Vizzola airfield aboard a standard Ca.12 model. This two-seater was powered by a 50 hp engine. Cobioni undertook multiple laps around a 5 km circuit outlined by six ground markers. He completed the first 100 km (20 laps) in 56 minutes, the second 100 km in 57 minutes, and the final 100 km in another 56 minutes, maintaining an almost steady average speed of 106.5 km/h. Through this performance, he set new world speed records for distances of both 250 km and 300 km, as well as for a flight duration of three hours. The official validation of this achievement was overseen by engineer Vogel, commissioner of the Italian Aviation Society (SIA), along with lieutenants Del Giudice and Garino acting as additional commissioners. Despite having ample fuel and lubricant remaining, Cobioni continued flying for an extra 30 km (6 laps) until dusk—by which time it was 8 pm—when he was compelled to land. It is estimated that the flight could have extended considerably longer since nearly half of the original 94 liters of gasoline (48%) and about a third of the 58 liters of engine oil (31%) were still available.
On April 5 of that same year, Cobioni took off from Vizzola aiming to reach Locarno and planned to fly over Lake Maggiore. Although the weather was overcast, he departed at 4:37 pm and successfully flew over Lake Maggiore near Ispra and Ronco without incident. He arrived in Locarno, situated on the opposite shore, after 42 minutes and 44 seconds from takeoff, covering a distance of 75 km at an average velocity of 105.3 km/h, and landed following some aerial maneuvers above the city.
The Ca.12 holds the distinction of being Italy’s first aircraft to carry a paying passenger—a gentleman named Mr. Weil—who was photographed aboard with Cobioni piloting. On April 16, again under Cobioni’s command, a Ca.12 equipped with a more powerful 60 hp Anzani engine embarked on a lengthy non-stop flight (referred to at the time as a "raid") from Vizzola to Adria near the Po River delta. Initially, Caproni’s plan aimed for Pordenone as the destination—a location reachable in a straight line thanks to the Ca.12’s range. However, due to Cobioni’s unfamiliarity with the terrain and thick fog conditions on that day, it was decided to follow the Ticino River closely at low altitude until it merged into the Po River, then continue along it to its mouth before turning north along the Adriatic coast toward Pordenone. Cobioni took off at 5:40 am, tracing both rivers’ courses through their winding paths; his progress was confirmed by Italian Touring Club officials stationed in Pavia, Ostiglia, Ferrara, and Adria. Upon reaching Adria at 9:40 am after covering 449 km—which exceeded the straight-line distance between Vizzola Ticino and Pordenone—Cobioni had to stop for refueling. Since refueling facilities were unavailable at Adria, this ended the raid prematurely; subsequently, the aircraft was disassembled and transported by train to Venice. This flight marked Italy’s longest non-stop journey up to that time. Beginning April 22 in Venice, Cobioni performed several demonstration flights that garnered significant attention from both local media and spectators. On April 26, during one such flight attended by Caproni himself, Commendatore Weil paid for his ticket aboard, becoming Italy’s first airplane passenger who paid for transport.
On June 11, 1912, a Ca.12 powered by a 50 hp Anzani engine established a new Italian record for maximum flight duration with a passenger onboard. Despite cloudy skies, Cobioni took off accompanied by Fausto Minozzi—a pilot trainee from Caproni’s school—and remained airborne for three hours and twelve minutes while maintaining an average speed of 114 km/h. This surpassed the previous national endurance record with a passenger by nearly an hour; it is also believed that had this test been conducted on an optimized track, a speed record might have been set as well. The SIA commissioners who ratified this achievement included Vogel alongside captains Moreno and Biego.
Specifications
See also
References
- ↑ Rosario Abate, Gregory Alegi, Giorgio Apostolo, Aeroplani Caproni - Gianni Caproni, creator and builder of Italian wings, Museo Caproni, 1992, pp. 19, 241, ISBN not existing.
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