Caproni Ca.20

Caproni

Industry	Aviation
Founded	1908 (1908)
Founder	Giovanni Battista Caproni
Headquarters	Italy
Products	Aircraft

The Caproni Ca.20 represents one of the earliest examples of a monoplane fighter. It was created in 1914 by the Italian engineer Giovanni Battista Caproni. The sole existing prototype is currently exhibited at the Museum of Flight located in Seattle, Washington, United States.

Development background

The Ca.20 originated from the Ca.18, an observation monoplane developed beginning in 1913, which itself evolved from earlier designs such as the Ca.8 and Ca.16. This model incorporated a more robust Rhône engine and featured a distinctive rounded nose cone that enclosed the wooden propeller, seamlessly integrated with the fuselage contour. This nose covering included perforations to facilitate engine cooling. Enhancements in aerodynamics contributed to increased speed and improved handling characteristics. Intended as a fighter, it was equipped with a Lewis machine gun mounted above the pilot’s position, aligned with the propeller arc and designed for eye-level aiming. Notably, synchronization gear enabling guns to fire through spinning propeller blades did not come into operational use until the Fokker Eindecker appeared in 1915, although French engineers had been experimenting with such systems since 1913.

Prototype history

File:Caproni Ca.20.jpg

Only one Caproni Ca.20 was ever constructed, as the Italian authorities favored bomber aircraft over fighters and declined to adopt the design. After completion, the prototype remained stored inside a barn on Giovanni Battista Caproni’s estate for approximately 85 years before being acquired by Seattle’s Museum of Flight in 1999. The arid environment preserved the aircraft remarkably well; aside from tires damaged by rodents, all original components of the Caproni Ca.20 are intact and presented in the museum’s collection.

External links

• The Caproni Ca.20 at Museum of Flight
• airwar.ru: Caproni Ca.20 (in Russian)