The Caproni Ca.5 was an Italian

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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

, developments in aircraft technology made older

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designs unable to penetrate targets defended by modern fighters. 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

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and undercarriage, and completely new wings. The first prototype flew in late

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and the type remained in production until

1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...

. 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

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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 6.5 mm or 7.7 mm 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 149 kW (200 hp) each, hence the name Caproni 600 hp. Later, the A-12''bis'' was used, and aircraft so equipped were known as Caproni 600/900 hps * Ca.45 - variant selected for French service, powered by three Isotta Fraschini V.6s of 186 kW (250 hp) each. (Caproni 600/750 hp, or simply Caproni 750 hp) * Ca.46 - late-war variant with three 269 kW (360 hp)

Liberty engine The Liberty L-12 is an American water-cooled 45° V-12 engine, displacing and making , designed for a high power-to-weight ratio and ease of mass production. It was designed principally as an aircraft engine and saw wide use in aero applicat ...

s. * Ca.47 - (or I.Ca)

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version of Ca.44 (ten built) * Ca.50 - Ca.44s modified as air ambulances * Ca.57 - (or Breda M-1) -

airliner An airliner is a type of airplane for transporting passengers and air cargo. Such aircraft are most often operated by airlines. The modern and most common variant of the airliner is a long, tube shaped, and jet powered aircraft. The largest ...

conversion of war-surplus Ca.44s.

Operators

; * Corpo Aeronautico Militare ; *

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Specifications (Ca.44)

Bibliography