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Caproni Ca.97

From Alfawiki
Caproni
IndustryAerospace, Aircraft manufacturing
Founded1908
FounderGiovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni
Headquarters
Italy
ProductsAircraft, including Caproni Ca.97

Template:Infobox aircraft

The Caproni Ca.97 was an Italian utility monoplane developed and manufactured by Caproni. It was adaptable to several engine configurations, capable of operating with up to three radial engines; however, many units were produced either with only the front engine or solely the two engines mounted on side nacelles.

Conceived in the late 1920s, the Ca.97 featured a high-wing braced trimotor monoplane design, with a conventional layout including a single nose-mounted engine and two additional engines housed in strut-supported nacelles on either side of the fuselage. It served both civilian and military roles, fulfilling tasks from utility transport to limited airline service. The Regia Aeronautica employed the Ca.97 extensively for colonial policing duties across North Africa.

Design

File:Caproni Ca.97.jpg
A Ca.97 configured as a trimotor

The Caproni Ca.97 was an all-metal monoplane designed for utility purposes.[1] Its design allowed installation of between one and three engines, enabling different power outputs tailored to various operational needs. The fuselage was relatively spacious for its class, engineered from inception to accommodate diverse equipment layouts to maximize versatility.[1]

The structural approach of the Ca.97 marked a significant departure from earlier metal aircraft designs both within Italy and internationally.[1] Caproni conducted thorough research into contemporary metal construction methods before selecting two complementary fabrication principles: material homogeneity and pre-tensioning.[2] Homogeneity encompassed more than material selection; certain processes such as heat treatment and autogenous welding were deliberately avoided due to their propensity to cause annealing and localized weakening. Pre-tensioning key structural components mitigated settling issues that commonly led to permanent deformation.[2] These methods contributed to a lightweight yet robust airframe. Testing of both complete assemblies and individual components revealed elasticity levels comparable to wooden structures.[3]

The airframe was primarily constructed from carbon steel, with steel tubing utilized extensively in spars and girders.[4] A limited number of critical joints were fabricated from chromium steel for enhanced strength. Tubes were connected using soldering alongside steel screws, with internal lubrication applied as a corrosion prevention measure; uniform assembly techniques simplified both construction and maintenance.[5] Wings, fuselage, and tail surfaces were covered with canvas due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of application. The fully enclosed fuselage framework consisted of four longerons reinforced by crosspieces and vertical supports made from steel tubing; structural rigidity was maintained through adjustable bracing wires.[6] Connections between longerons, struts, cross-pieces, and bracing wires utilized tubing and sheet steel materials, while wing and landing gear junctions incorporated nickel steel components. The forward fuselage center section contained eight high-strength steel junctions serving as attachment points for wings, undercarriage, and lateral engine cradles via struts.[7]

Each wing was designed as a half-overhung structure reinforced fore and aft by struts transmitting loads to spar centers.[8] The wing assembly followed conventional construction with two spars supported by numerous tubular steel ribs stiffened by bracing wires.[9] The central wing section mounted on the fuselage was flat across its span before rising into a slight dihedral angle. Spars comprised pairs of tubular stringers linked by tubular uprights and adjustable steel crosspieces.[9] The lower flange of lattice-type ribs extended straight from the front spar to the trailing edge; several ribs incorporated central compression struts supporting interior crosspiece loads.[9] Duralumin sheeting covered the leading edge while the trailing edge featured a steel wire reinforcement. Ailerons were operated via single central levers on each wing.[9]

Piloting could be performed by one individual using a control stick; occasionally a wheel control replaced this setup.[10] The cockpit included sliding windows and was shielded by a canopy extending from the wing's leading edge. Passenger accommodation was situated amidships within the fuselage, seating up to six in two rows along each side with comfortable arrangements.[10] Longitudinal sliding windows provided light and ventilation; floors were constructed from corrugated duralumin sheets while doors were wooden.[10] A rear cabin door granted access to baggage storage and lavatory facilities, whereas an additional door on the port side served as the main boarding entrance.[10]

Engine installations could number up to three: one at the nose mounted on a tubular pyramid-shaped framework at the foremost fuselage point, plus two others housed in strut-mounted nacelles attached at the sides of the fuselage.[11] Lateral engines were secured by dual struts converging at their apex into a single attachment point on the forward wing spar along with triangular braces connected to wing strut supports.[11] Fuel tanks resided within the wings supplying fuel by gravity feed; provision existed for an optional central tank if increased capacity was necessary.[12] The tail assembly consisted entirely of steel tubing structures featuring an adjustable incidence stabilizer controllable during flight by the pilot; this stabilizer was rigidly connected to both vertical fin and lower fuselage longerons via multiple steel wires. A balanced rudder completed the empennage design.[13]

Directly beneath the tail unit, the rear fuselage upright supported a skid equipped with rubber shock absorbers.[9] The undercarriage had a notably wide track integrated structurally into the airframe cell.[14] Large balloon tires mounted on an axle allowed for easy removal or replacement as needed. This landing gear configuration greatly reduced risks of overturning when operating over rough terrain.[15] Additionally, shock absorbers hinged atop the undercarriage absorbed vertical oscillations during ground operations.[16]

Operational history

A limited number of these aircraft were operated by commercial airlines. The military adaptations served the Regia Aeronautica primarily in colonial security missions, especially in Libya, beginning in November 1929.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

File:Caproni Ca.97 s 3 motory Walter Mars (1931).jpg
Caproni Ca.97 equipped with Walter Mars engines, 1931

Variants

Ca.97
Prototype featuring three 75 kW (100 hp) Lorraine-Dietrich 5P five-cylinder radial engines; only one unit constructed.[17]
Ca.97 C.Tr.
(C.Tr. - coloniale trasporto - colonial transport)Template:Fix/category[clarification needed] Versions designed for colonial transport, resembling the Ca.97, powered by three 108 kW (145 hp) Walter Mars radial engines; two units produced.[17]
Ca.97 C.Mo
Fitted with a single 370 kW (500 hp) Alfa Romeo Jupiter VIII Ri engine.[17]
Ca.97 M
Equipped with one 310 kW (420 hp) Alfa Romeo Jupiter IV engine.[17]
Ca.97 Co
Colonial reconnaissance-bomber variant featuring a single 310 kW (420 hp) Alfa Romeo Jupiter IV engine; five units built.[17]
Ca.97 Ri
Armed reconnaissance model powered by a single 370 kW (500 hp) Alfa Romeo Jupiter VIII Ri engine; four produced for the Regia Aeronautica.[17]
Ca.97 Idro
Seaplane version with twin floats, driven by a single 370 kW (500 hp) Alfa Romeo Jupiter VIII Ri engine; one constructed.[17]

Civil

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Military

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Specifications (Ca.97 Ri)

File:Caproni Ca.97 3-view NACA Aircraft Circular No.84.jpg
Caproni Ca.97 three-view illustration from NACA Aircraft Circular No.84

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Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 NACA 1927, p. 1.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 NACA 1927, p. 2.
  3. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 2-4.
  4. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 2-3.
  5. ↑ NACA 1927, p. 3.
  6. ↑ NACA 1927, p. 4.
  7. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 4-5.
  8. ↑ NACA 1927, p. 7.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 NACA 1927, p. 6.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 NACA 1927, p. 5.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 NACA 1927, pp. 5, 7.
  12. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 1, 6.
  13. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 1, 5-6.
  14. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 1, 7-8.
  15. ↑ NACA 1927, pp. 7-8.
  16. ↑ NACA 1927, p. 8.
  17. ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Abate

Bibliography

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  • "The Caproni monoplanes 'Ca 97' Italian" National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, 1 October 1928. NACA-AC-84, 93R19966.

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