Caproni

Caproni Ca.316 seaplane at its moorings.

Caproni was an Italian aircraft manufacturer founded in 1908 by Giovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni. It was initially named, from 1911, Società de Agostini e Caproni, then Società Caproni e Comitti. Caproni made the first aircraft of Italian construction in 1911. The manufacturing facilities were based in Taliedo, a peripheral district of Milan, close to Linate Airport, and for the Caproni Vizzola division, in Vizzola Ticino, close to Milan–Malpensa Airport.

During World War I, Caproni developed a series of successful heavy bombers, used by the Italian, French, British and US air forces. Between the world wars, Caproni evolved into a large syndicate named Società Italiana Caproni, Milano, which bought some smaller manufacturers. The main subdivisions were Caproni Bergamasca, Caproni Vizzola, Reggiane and engine manufacturer Isotta-Fraschini.

Between the world wars, Caproni produced mostly bombers and light transport planes. The Società Italiana Caproni ceased to exist in 1950, although one of its divisions, Caproni Vizzola endured until 1983 when it was bought by Agusta.

Aircraft

Pre-World War I

• Caproni Ca.1 of 1910 – Experimental biplane

World War I

• Caproni Ca.1 of 1914 – Heavy bomber
• Caproni Ca.2 – Heavy bomber
• Caproni Ca.3 – Heavy bomber
• Caproni Ca.4 – Heavy bomber
• Caproni Ca.5 – Heavy bomber
• Caproni Ca.18 – Observation plane
• Caproni Ca.20 – Monoplane fighter
• Caproni Ca.31 – Modified Ca.1
• Caproni Ca.32 – Modified Italian Army version of Ca.1

Inter-war period

• Caproni Ca.30 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.1
• Caproni Ca.33 – Postwar redesignatipn of Ca.3
• Caproni Ca.34 – Postwar redesignation of proposed modified Ca.3
• Caproni Ca.35 – Postwar redesignation of proposed modified Ca.3
• Caproni Ca.36 – Postwar redesignation of modified Ca.3
• Caproni Ca.37 – Postwar redesignation of prototype ground-attack version of Ca.3
• Caproni Ca.39 – Postwar redesignation of proposed seaplane version of Ca.3
• Caproni Ca.40 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.4 prototype
• Caproni Ca.41 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.4 variant
• Caproni Ca.42 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.4 variant
• Caproni Ca.43 – Postwar redesignation of floatplane variant of Ca.4
• Caproni Ca.44 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.5 heavy bomber
• Caproni Ca.45 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.5 aircraft built for France
• Caproni Ca.46 – Postwar redesignation of Ca.5 variant
• Caproni Ca.47 – Postwar redesignation of seaplane version of Ca.5
• Caproni Ca.48 – Airliner version of Ca.4
• Caproni Ca.49 – Proposed seaplane airliner of 1919
• Caproni Ca.50 – Air ambulance version of Ca.44
• Caproni Ca.51 – Postwar redesignation of prototype of enlarged Ca.4
• Caproni Ca.52 – Postwar redesignation for Ca.4 aircraft built for Royal Naval Air Service
• Caproni Ca.56 – Airliner version of Ca.1
• Caproni Ca.57 – Airliner version of Ca.44
• Caproni Ca.58 – Postwar redesignation for re-engined Ca.4s
• Caproni Ca.59 – Postwar redesignation for exported Ca.58s
• Caproni Ca.60 Noviplano – Flying boat airliner prototype
• Caproni Ca.66 - Four-engine, single-fuselage bomber of 1922
• Caproni Ca.70 – Prototype night fighter of 1925
• Caproni Ca.71 – Ca.70 variant of 1927
• Caproni Ca.73 – Airliner and light bomber
• Caproni Ca.74 – Re-engined Ca.73 light bomber
• Caproni Ca.80 – Later redesignation of Ca.74
• Caproni Ca.82 – Redesignation of Ca.73ter variant
• Caproni Ca.88 – Redesignation of Ca.73quarter variant
• Caproni Ca.89 – Redesignation of Ca.73quarterG variant
• Caproni Ca.90 – Heavy bomber aircraft
• Caproni Ca.95 - Heavy bomber aircraft, 1933
• Caproni Ca.97 – Civil utility aircraft
• Caproni Ca.100 – Trainer
• Caproni Ca.101 – Airliner, transport, and bomber
• Caproni Ca.102 – Re-engined Ca.101
• Caproni Ca.111 – Reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber
• Caproni Ca.113 – Advanced trainer
• Caproni Ca.114 – Biplane fighter
• Caproni Ca.122 – Prototype bomber and transport
• Caproni Ca.123 – Proposed airliner version of Ca.122
• Caproni Ca.124 – Reconnaissance and bomber floatplane
• Caproni Ca.125 – Two-seat touring biplane
• Caproni Ca.132 – Prototype bomber and airliner
• Caproni Ca.134 – Reconnaissance biplane
• Caproni Ca.161 – High-altitude experimental aircraft
• Caproni Ca.163 – Prototype of Ca.164
• Caproni Ca.165 – Prototype fighter of 1938
• Caproni Ca.301 – Prototype fighter
• Caproni A.P.1 – Attack aircraft derivative of Ca.301
• Caproni Ca.305 – First production version of A.P.1
• Caproni Ca.306 – Airliner prototype (1935)
• Caproni Ca.307 – Second production version of A.P.1
• Caproni Ca.308 – Export version of A.P.1 for El Salvador and Paraguay
• Caproni Ca. 308 Borea – Airliner
• Caproni Ca.350 – Fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft
• Caproni-Reggiane Ca.400 – Caproni-Reggiane-built version of Piaggio P.32 medium bomber
• Caproni Ca.405 – Caproni-built version of Piaggio P.32 medium bomber
• Caproni CH.1 – Prototype fighter of 1935
• Caproni PS.1 – Sports aircraft
• Caproni Bergamaschi PL.3 – Long-distance racer aircraft
• Caproni-Pensuti triplane – Sports triplane of 1919
• Caproni Sauro-1 – Two-seat touring aircraft
• Caproni Vizzola F.5 – Fighter of 1939
• Stipa-Caproni – Experimental ducted-fan powered prototype of 1932

World War II

• Caproni Ca.133 – Transport and bomber
• Caproni Ca.135 – Medium bomber
• Caproni Ca.148 – Civil-military transport version of Ca.133
• Caproni Ca.164 – Trainer and liaison and reconnaissance aircraft
• Caproni Ca.309 Ghibli – Reconnaissance, ground-attack, and transport aircraft
• Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio – Reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber
• Caproni Ca.311 – Light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft
• Caproni Ca.312 – Re-engined version of Ca.310 sold to Norway
• Caproni Ca.313 – Reconnaissance bomber, trainer, and transport
• Caproni Ca.314 – Ground-attack aircraft and torpedo bomber
• Caproni Ca.316 – Seaplane
• Caproni Ca.325 – Proposed version of Ca.135 medium bomber with more powerful engines, built in mock-up form only
• Caproni Ca.331 – Prototype tactical reconnaissance aircraft/light bomber (Ca.331 O.A./Ca.331A) of 1940 and prototype night fighter (Ca.331 C.N./Ca.331B) of 1942
• Caproni Ca.335 – Fighter-bomber, reconnaissance aircraft for the Belgian Air Force.
• Caproni Campini N.1 – Experimental motorjet-powered aircraft of 1940
• Caproni Campini Ca.183bis – Proposed high-altitude fighter aircraft
• Caproni Vizzola F.4 – Fighter prototype of 1940 with German-made engine
• Caproni Vizzola F.5bis – Proposed version of F.4 with Italian-made engine
• Caproni Vizzola F.6 – Fighter prototype of 1941 (F.6M) and 1943 (F.6Z)

Post-World War II

• Caproni Ca.193 – Twin-engined six-seat monoplane
• Caproni Trento F-5 – Lightweight two-seat jet trainer
• Caproni Vizzola Calif – Family of gliders (sailplanes) (A-10, A-12, A-14, A-15, A-20, A-21)
• Caproni Vizzola C22 Ventura – Light jet trainer

Accidents and incidents

• 1919 – A Caproni Ca.48 crashed in Verona, Italy

See also

• Compagnia Nazionale Aeronautica
• Gianni Caproni Museum of Aeronautics
• Isotta Fraschini
• Reggiane

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caproni.