The Caproni Trento F.5 was a small

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

two-seat trainer designed by

Stelio Frati Stelio Frati (born in Milan Italy in 1919, died 14 May 2010) was an Italian mechanical engineer and aeroplane designer. He graduated from the Politecnico di Milano as a mechanical engineer in 1943, participating in the design of the Aeronautica Lom ...

and built by Aeroplani Caproni Trento. The F.5 was not ordered into production and only a prototype was built.

Design and development

By the 1950s the Caproni company had collapsed and could not survive the postwar economic problems. One of the few group members to continue working was Aeroplane Caproni Trento, based at Gardola in Trento. Originally involved with aircraft maintenance and support, the company decided to design and build a small jet trainer in 1951. The F.5 aircraft was designed by

based on his earlier glider work. It was a low-wing all-wood monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear. The engine was a small

Turbomeca Palas The Turbomeca Palas is a diminutive centrifugal force, centrifugal flow turbojet engine used to power light aircraft. An enlargement of the Turbomeca Piméné, the Palas was designed in 1950 by the French manufacturer Turbomeca, Société Turbo ...

turbojet located in the fuselage. It had two inlet ducts, one either side of the fuselage and the exhaust was below the rear fuselage. It had an enclosed cabin with tandem seating for an instructor and student and was fitted with a jettisonable canopy. The F.5 made its maiden flight on 20 May 1952.Bridgman 1953, pp. 158–159. It was the first jet aircraft developed in postwar Italy. Although evaluated by the Italian Air Force it gained little interest and was not ordered into production.

Operators

; *

Italian Air Force The Italian Air Force (; AM, ) is the air force of the Italy, Italian Republic. The Italian Air Force was founded as an independent service arm on 28 March 1923 by Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, King Victor Emmanuel III as the ("Royal Air Force ...

one aircraft for evaluation testaeroflight
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Aircraft on display

The prototype, registered ''I-FACT'', and only F.5 is on display at the Museo dell'Aeronautica Gianni Caproni in Trento.

Specifications

References

Notes

Bibliography

* * {{Portal bar, Italy, Companies, Aviation Caproni aircraft 1950s Italian military trainer aircraft Low-wing aircraft Single-engined jet aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1952