Caproni Ca.13
| Industry | Aviation, Aircraft manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | early 1900s |
| Headquarters | Vizzola Ticino , Italy |
| Products | Aircraft (e.g. Caproni Ca.13) |
The Caproni Ca.13 was a single-engine, two-seat monoplane constructed by Caproni during the early 1910s.
Design
The Ca.13 featured a contemporary high-wing monoplane configuration with a wooden framework sheathed in fabric. It utilized a wing warping mechanism to manage roll control, supported by metal tie rods attached both to the fuselage and to an overhead structural element. The fuselage itself was built on a wooden lattice framework, further braced with metal cables, and covered with fabric only on the forward section. The empennage shared the same wooden frame and fabric covering design. Its fixed landing gear consisted of two main wheels equipped with anti-overturn pads at the front and a smaller tail skid at the rear.
Derived directly from the Ca.12 model, the Ca.13 retained the tandem seating arrangement for its two occupants, positioning the cockpits one behind the other. Power was provided by a 70 hp Anzani radial engine. Distinguishing it from its predecessor, the Ca.13 exhibited modified wing curvature and altered proportions between the front and rear surface areas.
Career
The Ca.13 was a two-seat aircraft developed primarily for training and experimental military uses. It made its maiden flight around mid-1912, likely on June 11, quickly demonstrating impressive performance, particularly in terms of speed, reaching 129.9 km/h during a trial flight.
Earlier, on May 20, Caproni had secured an agreement with the Italian Aviation Society (S.I.A.) to provide a Ca.13 model, which S.I.A. planned to offer to the Royal Army. This financial arrangement allowed Caproni—then facing monetary difficulties—to acquire a powerful and costly 70-80 hp Anzani engine. Upon learning about an international aviation contest scheduled in Vienna, Caproni requested and received permission to delay the aircraft's delivery to the Holy See, enabling the new plane to compete. Enrico Cobioni was selected as the pilot; he had already earned recognition by setting multiple national and world records with earlier Caproni aircraft.
Upon arrival at Aspern near Vienna in late June, both the Ca.13 and Cobioni performed admirably, especially regarding speed. However, on June 27, near the conclusion of the Wiener Neustadt-Aspern race, the engine failed while Cobioni was among the frontrunners. Forced to execute a fortunate emergency landing, he escaped unharmed, but this incident ended the race for the Caproni team without achieving any results.
Simultaneously, another Ca.13 was being prepared at Vizzola Ticino to fulfill S.I.A.'s request. This aircraft was ready for testing by July 12, 1912. On that day, Caproni's workshops hosted a public event celebrating the delivery of the new plane, attracting a crowd of spectators including journalists, sports enthusiasts, and military personnel. Named "Milano I," it was ceremonially christened with the traditional naval bottle-breaking ritual before taking off smoothly—both with only Cobioni aboard and with an additional passenger in the rear seat. Even Diana Crespi, the marquise who performed the christening, experienced a flight piloted by Cobioni. The plane also successfully passed altitude trials; however, during a subsequent endurance test just days later, its engine suffered a breakdown similar to that of the aircraft sent to Vienna. Both planes were then fitted with replacement engines rated at 60 hp.
Later developments impacted Caproni’s operations significantly: an order from the Aviation Battalion of the Air Force Service mandated that all military pilots receive training exclusively at military schools, which drastically curtailed activities at Caproni’s civilian flying school. Additionally, Cobioni’s departure back to Switzerland in search of better opportunities deprived Caproni of its most seasoned pilot and its only aviator experienced with engines exceeding 35 hp. These factors led to a substantial reduction in company activity that persisted throughout the remainder of summer 1912.
Specifications
See also
References
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