Caproni Ca.306/309/310/314

1937

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Caproni Ca.314C

At the 1935 Milan Exhibition there appeared the prototype of the Caproni Bergamaschi Ca.306 Borea (north wind), a six-passenger low-wing transport. Although built only in small numbers, the Borea was important as the progenitor of a range of light twin-engine aircraft manufactured for a wide variety of roles. The first of these was the aptly-named Ca.309 Ghibli (desert wind), 78 of which were built for use in Libya. The military versions were used as light transports or reconnaissance bombers with a lengthened glazed nose, bomb racks, cameras, and with armament comprising three 7.7mm machine-guns. Another model featured a fixed forward firing 20mm cannon. Seven squadrons equipped with Ghiblis were operational when Italy entered the war in 1940.

Developed in parallel with the Ghibli, the Ca.310 Libeccio (south west wind) was structurally similar to the earlier machine, but was provided with retractable landing gear and powered by two 350kW Piaggio P.VII C.35 radial engines. Export deliveries went to Norway, Peru and Yugoslavia, and this last nation also acquired 12 more under the designation Ca.31 Obis; this variant differed primarily by having an unstepped extensively- glazed nose.

The prototype of the Ca.310bis served as a development aircraft for the following Ca.311. As built they were similar to the Ca.310bis, but most were later modified by the introduction of a stepped windscreen, then being redesignated Ca.311M. Defensive armament of this version comprised a Caproni Lanciani turret with a single 7.7mm machine-gun, complemented by one machine-gun in the port wing root and another firing aft through a ventral hatch. A modified Ca.310 with two Isotta-Fraschini Asso 120 IRCC 40 engines served as the Ca.313 prototype, first flown on 22 December 1939, but France had already confirmed an order for 200 of these aircraft on 1 October, followed closely by British and Swedish orders for 300 and 64 respectively. However, Italy's entry into the war prevented delivery of any of the British machines and France received only five Ca.313F models, the remainder being diverted to the Regia Aeronautica.

Caproni Ca.310

Most extensively built version was the Ca.314. Variants included the Ca.314A or Ca.314-SC (Scorta), a convoy escort/maritime patrol aircraft, the Ca.314B or Ca314-RA (Ricognizione Aerosiluranti) torpedo-bomber and the ground-attack Ca.314C.

Caproni Ca.309

Specification 
 MODELCa.309
 ENGINE2 x 200hp Alfa Romeo 115-II
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight2695 kg5941 lb
  Empty weight1745 kg3847 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan16.20 m53 ft 2 in
  Length13.30 m44 ft 8 in
  Height3.25 m11 ft 8 in
  Wing area38.70 m2416.56 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed250 km/h155 mph
  Cruise speed210 km/h130 mph
  Ceiling4500 m14750 ft
  Range670 km416 miles

Caproni Ca.312

Comments
Dan Borg, e-mail, 01.03.2018 10:58

Hello. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if the Caproni 311 /12 /13 /14, were ever "seen" in the skies over Malta? Did they do any ground attack, light bombing, or recon over Malta, or did their speed and light armament prevent that? I do not want to build one if it never saw action over Malta. My grandparents were born /raised there, but emigrated to the U.S. in 1920's. Nevertheless, they lost a number of relatives in the bombings and rampant illnesses due to the bombings and convoys that only could resupply few and far between. Thanks for any assistance. Dan Borg

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martijn, 10.12.2015 16:40

this should be seperated in 4 pages the plane are quite divers .

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Mannlicher, e-mail, 18.06.2013 12:33

Did the ca314 defend the sicily in 1943?

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Barry, 11.02.2013 14:15

A total of 84 Ca313S were delivered to Sweden by early 1941. These were designated by the Swedish authorities as D16, S16, T16 and Tp16S which were repectively, bomber, maritime reconnaissance, torpedo bomber and transport.

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dasunda, 20.06.2011 05:37

However the Ca.310 /311 offered ad excellent job as observation aircraft and remained in service for the whole war.

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Bob, e-mail, 28.01.2010 22:31

Hi, I'm building a model of the CA 311. How did the bomb bay doors open? Was it a single door on each side opening from the sides or were the doors hinged from the sides with a hinged section on each door as well?

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lxbfYeaa, e-mail, 14.03.2024 Bob

20

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LL, 06.05.2008 22:53

It was a good patrol aircraft when there wasnt fighters around. So ended mostly fighting partisans and patrolling the sea and secundary duties like training, liasion and AAA training, in short a plane in search of a mission. It wasnt a good aircraft(appears 309,314 were better ones) and Capronis were probably the worse quality wise planes in Italian Industry well maybe at level of IMAN. Due to Fascist industrial corporativism the Fiat CR.25 an excellent plane much better than Capronis was only built in 10 while Caproni got 1000 built. Bizarrely Reggiane(from Caproni group) 2000 a good fighter was not build while the outdated Fiat CR.42 biplane was build until 1944(yeah they even sold it to the Luftwaffe) in 1500...

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Kris, 22.11.2007 16:40

What about the Wellington or the Fw 189? Those had lots of glass and were successful military aircraft...

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3VI, e-mail, 16.10.2007 10:07

The Caproni 306-314 serie aircrafts were developed like civilian high performance planes (like many others in that period) and during WWII were used mainly for recon and liaison. A small number serviced as light bomber only to cope with chronical lack of first-line planes of Regia Aeronautica.
However the Ca.310 /311 offered ad excellent job as observation aircraft and remained in service for the whole war.

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Ken Holt, e-mail, 30.07.2007 18:52

I could never figure out why an aircraft used for military purposes would have so many windows along the fuselage. It looks more like a civilian transport than a bomber. I would be interested in how successful the aircraft was in military operations.

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