The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian heavy bomber of World War I and the postwar era. It was the final version of the series of aircraft that began with the Caproni Ca.1 in 1914.

Development

By late World War I, developments in aircraft technology made older bomber designs unable to penetrate targets defended by modern fighterss. Caproni's response to this problem was to uprate the power significantly on the existing Ca.3 design, with some versions of the Ca.5 eventually carrying engines with nearly five times the total power that the first Ca.1 had.

Apart from greater power, various refinements were made to the design, including modifications to the main nacelle and undercarriage, and completely new wings. The first prototype flew in late 1917 and the type remained in production until 1921. Some 659 of all versions were built by Caproni, and another three were licence-built in the US (two Ca.44s by Standard, and one Ca.46 by Fisher). Planned licensed production in France was cancelled with the end of the war.

During the war, Caproni designated these aircraft according to the total power of their engines. Afterwards, the company redesignated them.

Design

The Ca.5 was a three-engine biplane of a wooden construction, covered with fabric. The crew of four was placed in an open central nacelle (front gunner, two pilots and rear gunner-mechanic). The rear gunner manned upper machine guns, standing upon the central engine in a protective "cage", just before a propeller.

Armament consisted of two to four Revelli 6.5mm or 7.7mm machine guns, one on a front ring mount and one, two or sometimes even three on an upper ring mount. Bombs were suspended under the hull.

Variants

• Ca.44 - main production version, originally powered by three Fiat A.12 engines of 149kW (200hp) each, hence the name Caproni 600hp. Later, the A-12bis was used, and aircraft so equipped were known as Caproni 600/900hps

• Ca.45 - variant selected for French service, powered by three Isotta Fraschini V.6s of 186kW (250hp) each. (Caproni 600/750hp, or simply Caproni 750hp)

• Ca.46 - late-war variant with three 269kW (360hp) Liberty engines.

• Ca.47 - (or I.Ca) seaplane version of Ca.44 (ten built)

• Ca.50 - Ca.44s modified as air ambulances

• Ca.57 - (or Breda M-1) - airliner conversion of war-surplus Ca.44s.

Operators

• Corpo Aeronautico Militare

  United States Navy

Specifications (Ca.44)

See also

Bibliography