Caproni Ca.95
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1908 in Italy |
| Headquarters | Italy |
| Products | Aircraft |
The Caproni Ca.95 was a substantial Italian prototype heavy bomber developed in 1929, featuring three engines and designed for extended range missions. It was capable of delivering a bomb payload of up to 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) and incorporated three defensive gun stations. Only a single unit of this model was ever constructed.
Design and development
The Caproni Ca.95 was a high-wing monoplane powered by three engines, equipped with fixed landing gear. Its structure was composed entirely of steel tubing but covered predominantly with fabric. The expansive wing spanned three segments: a central section extending to the outer engines and undercarriage legs, flanked by two outer panels angled with a 3.8° dihedral. The wing framework consisted of two square-section steel spars, presenting a mostly rectangular planform except near the beveled tips where it tapered linearly. The trailing edge was largely occupied by high aspect ratio ailerons.
Fuselage
Internally, the fuselage structure relied on three longerons, while externally it exhibited an octagonal cross-sectional shape. Positioned at the wing’s leading edge was the enclosed cockpit featuring side-by-side seating for the pilots along with dual controls; this cabin sat above the mechanic’s workspace, with communication facilitated through an access hatch. Behind the mechanic’s station and beneath the wing lay the bomb bay, arranged to accommodate bombs based on their weight: larger bombs—either two 800 kg (1,800 lb) or four 400 kg (880 lb)—were stored horizontally in parallel pairs, whereas smaller bombs were vertically stacked in two rows.
The fourth crew member served as both navigator and radio operator, stationed amidships in the fuselage, who could also man defensive armament when necessary. Defensive firepower included two machine gun positions located mid-fuselage: one dorsal turret (initial design sketches placed this just aft of the cockpit) and one ventral turret that retracted when not in use. A third rotating gun mount was positioned at the extreme tail below the rudder. A duralumin-lined internal passage connected the rear cabin to these gun stations, allowing crew movement within the aircraft.
Flying controls
The rudder was attached to a triangular fin, which also supported a similarly shaped tailplane positioned low and reinforced by diverging pairs of struts on each side connecting to the lower fuselage.[1][2] Initially, both the elevators and rudder featured horn balances[2], but by 1933, these built-in balances were supplemented with external mechanisms to reduce the control forces required for this sizable and heavy aircraft. The elevators incorporated upper surface spades, while the rudder was assisted by a pair of servo surfaces located nearby.(image, right)
Engines
The Caproni 95 was equipped with three 1,000 hp (750 kW) water-cooled W-18 Isotta Fraschini Asso 1000 engines: one mounted in the nose and two positioned at the extremities of the wing center section. The outer engines featured rectangular radiators mounted behind them[1], whereas the central engine utilized two flat, edge-on radiators situated at mid-fuselage height.(lower image)
Undercarriage
Due to its considerable weight, the Caproni required a robust landing gear system. Each side was fitted with two main wheels sporting 1,350 mm (53 in) diameter tires, mounted on axles connected to a sturdy frame via short oleo struts. This frame, enclosed within wheel fairings, was attached beneath the outer engines by a faired N-strut, where the forward member served as the primary leg. Additional nearly horizontal struts linked this frame to the lower fuselage. At the rear, a 480 mm (19 in) diameter tailwheel was also oleo-sprung and damped, capable of castoring through ±90°.[1][2]
The undercarriage framework played a key role in wing bracing as well. Rather than being cantilevered, the Caproni 95’s extensive wingspan was supported by parallel struts extending from the wing spars just beyond mid-span down to the wheel frames. These struts were further reinforced by short jury struts positioned at right angles near their tops. Additionally, pairs of struts connected the lower fuselage to the wing, joining at the vertical undercarriage legs beneath the engines.[1]
Operational history
While the precise date of the Caproni 95’s maiden flight remains unclear, an Air Ministry handbook released in May 1930[2] indicates it was operational by that time. The aircraft served within an experimental squadron of the Regia Aeronautica until 1934.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
Specifications
References
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