Caproni Ca.310

Caproni

Industry	Aerospace, defense
Founded	1910 (company founding year, not specified in text but known)
Headquarters	Italy
Products	Aircraft, including Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio

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The Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio (meaning southwest wind in Italian) was a twin-engine monoplane reconnaissance aircraft developed in Italy and utilized during World War II. Evolving from the related Ca.309, it first saw action in the Spanish Civil War and later participated in early World War II operations in Libya. Some units were temporarily employed in attack squadrons as substitutes for the inadequate Breda Ba.65. The Italian Air Force withdrew the final Ca.310 from service by 1948.

Design and development

Conceived as a low-wing monoplane for reconnaissance and bombing duties, the Ca.310 was essentially an upgraded version of the semi-military Ca.309, featuring retractable landing gear and more powerful engines. Its fuselage construction combined welded steel tubing with coverings of lightweight alloy panels and fabric, while the tail assembly was built from wood with plywood skin on fixed surfaces and fabric on movable control elements.

Mounted above the fuselage, aligned with the trailing edges of the wings, was a manually operated dorsal turret equipped with a single 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun.

Operational history

File:Caproni310.jpg

Four Norwegian Caproni Ca.310 aircraft circa 1939

Caproni had high expectations for the Ca.310’s combat capabilities; however, these hopes were undermined by its underwhelming performance. This shortfall led to dissatisfaction among export customers such as Norway and Hungary, who received their units in 1938. After evaluation by the Regia Aeronautica, a limited number of aircraft were ordered. In July 1938, a squadron of sixteen planes was dispatched to Spain to conduct reconnaissance and bombing missions alongside Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War.

The Norwegian acquisition occurred through a barter arrangement involving dried and salted cod (Klippfisk) exchanged between Norway and Italy. Initially, Norway ordered 24 aircraft including options; however, after assessing their inadequate performance, Norwegian officials declined to accept further deliveries of the Ca.310. Instead, they opted for 12 Caproni Ca.312 models featuring enhanced engines and better overall capabilities, though these were not supplied before Germany’s invasion of Norway on 9 April 1940 under Operation Weserübung. Comparable issues affected other export agreements, including a prospective order from the Royal Air Force for bomber trainers that was terminated once Italy joined the Axis powers.

File:Caproni Ca.310 bomber at Flyhistorisk Museum, Sola.JPG

Partially restored Caproni Ca.310 bomber at Sola Aviation Museum

A batch of twelve Ca.310bis units was manufactured for service in Yugoslavia. This variant mainly featured an unstepped glazed nose design. The prototype for this version laid the groundwork for the subsequent development of the Caproni Ca.311.

The thirty-three Hungarian-operated Ca.310s that returned to Italy underwent refurbishment by Caproni before being assigned to the 50˚ Stormo d’Assalto. The Ca.310 was generally regarded as inadequate for frontline combat roles; during World War II, it primarily served in reconnaissance missions and light bombing tasks in sectors where opposition was minimal.

Ca.310s operated by the Peruvian Aeronautical Corps participated in the July 1941 conflict against Ecuador during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War. Alongside North American NA.50 fighters, Peruvian Ca.310s conducted bombing raids targeting Ecuadorian urban centers and provided close air support to ground troops of the Army of Peru.

Variants

Ca.310

A twin-engine reconnaissance plane equipped with two Piaggio Stella P.VII C.16/35 seven-cylinder radial piston engines.

Ca.310 Idro

Seaplane variant featuring twin floats.

Ca.310bis

Essentially the prototype for the Caproni Ca.311, distinguished by its fully glazed, unstepped nose and powered by two Piaggio Stella P.VII C.35 engines.

Ca.318

A proposed model intended to be powered by a pair of Gnome-Rhône 14K engines.

A.3

Spanish Air Force designation assigned to the Ca.310.

Operators

Template:Country data Independent State of Croatia

• The Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske operated seven aircraft captured from Yugoslavia.

Hungary

• Royal Hungarian Air Force procured 36 units in 1938 but returned the remaining 33 in 1940 due to dissatisfaction with the aircraft’s performance.

Template:Country data Kingdom of Italy

• Regia Aeronautica operated a total of 193 Ca.310s.
• Aviazione Legionaria utilized 16 units.
• Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force

Template:ITA Postwar

• Aeronautica Militare Italiana

Template:NOR

• Norwegian Army Air Service flew four Ca.310s, bearing serial numbers 501, 503, 505, and 507.

Peru

• The Cuerpo de Aviación del Perú acquired 16 aircraft in 1938. Fifteen were delivered by sea in May 1938, while the final one was lost during a ferry flight from Italy to Peru on August 2, 1939, resulting in the deaths of Capt. Pedro Canga Rodríguez and a crew member—an event commemorated in the song "Alas Peruanas" by Los Morochucos.

Template:Country data Spanish State

• Aviación Nacional operated 16 aircraft.

Template:Flagcountry

• The Royal Yugoslav Air Force purchased 12 units in 1938.

Template:YUG

• Postwar operator: SFR Yugoslav Air Force

Surviving aircraft

One Ca.310 from Norway is currently undergoing restoration and is exhibited at the Sola Aviation Museum.

Specifications (Ca.310)

File:Caproni Ca 310.svg

Further reading

• Donald, David, editor. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books, London, 2001. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5.

External links

• Comando Supremo overview of the CA.310
• Archived Constable.ca page on the Ca.310
• World War II Aircraft: Caproni Bergamaschi CA 310 Series