The Caproni Ca.73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent Regia Aeronautica.
The Ca.73 was an inverted sesquiplane with a biplane tail and two engines mounted in a push-pull configuration within a common nacelle mounted on struts in the interplane gap above the fuselage. The two pilots sat in an open cockpit, while ten passengers could be accommodated within the fuselage.
The publication of General Giulio Douhet's seminal treatise on strategic bombingIl dominio dell'aria (The Command of the Air) in 1921 had left Italy's military planners acutely aware of a lack of this capability. Established as a separate service in 1923, the Regia Aeronautica relied upon World War I-vintage Caproni Ca.3bombers, and a replacement was soon sought. The immediate solution was to repurpose the Ca.73 as a warplane by adding a gunner's position in the nose, dorsally, and ventrally amidships. Bombs were carried on external racks on the fuselage sides.
Ca.73s remained in frontline service until 1934, and from 1926 onwards participated in Italy's military actions in North Africa.
Variants
Caproni Ca.73ter bomber photo from NACA Aircraft Circular 51
Ca.73 – airliner powered by Isotta Fraschini Asso 500 engines
Ca.73bis – airliner powered by Lorraine-Dietrich engines
Ca.73ter (later redesignated Ca.82) – bomber version with gun positions and fuselage bomb racks
Ca.73quarter (later redesignated Ca.88) – bomber with revised control systems and strengthened airframe
Ca.73quarterG (later redesignated Ca.89) – bomber with glazed nose, underwing bomb racks, and retractable ventral gun turret
Ca.74 (later redesignated Ca.80) – version powered by Bristol Jupiter engines
Ca.80 – the Ca.74 redesignated
Ca.80S – air-ambulance and paratroop transport version
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caproni Ca.73.
Passingham, Malcolm (September 1996). "Caproni Ca.73 - Ca.74: les bombardiers aux ailés inversées (1ère partie)" [Caproni Ca.72 - Ca.74: The Bombers with Inverted Wings]. Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (42): 7–9. ISSN 1243-8650.
Passingham, Malcolm (October 1996). "Caproni Ca.73 - Ca.74: les bombardiers aux ailés inversées (2ème partie)". Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (43): 28–30. ISSN 1243-8650.
Passingham, Malcolm (November 1996). "Caproni Ca.73 - Ca.74: les bombardiers aux ailés inversées (3ème partie)". Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (44): 28–32. ISSN 1243-8650.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 232–33.
World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 891 Sheet 09.
caproni, italian, airliner, produced, during, 1920s, which, went, serve, light, bomber, newly, independent, regia, aeronautica, airlinerrole, airliner, later, used, bombermanufacturer, capronifirst, flight, 1925, contents, design, development, variants, operat. The Caproni Ca 73 was an Italian airliner produced during the 1920s which went on to serve as a light bomber in the newly independent Regia Aeronautica Ca 73Caproni Ca 73 airlinerRole Airliner later used as a bomberManufacturer CaproniFirst flight 1925 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Operators 3 1 Military operators 4 Specifications Ca 73 5 See also 6 ReferencesDesign and development EditThe Ca 73 was an inverted sesquiplane with a biplane tail and two engines mounted in a push pull configuration within a common nacelle mounted on struts in the interplane gap above the fuselage The two pilots sat in an open cockpit while ten passengers could be accommodated within the fuselage The publication of General Giulio Douhet s seminal treatise on strategic bombing Il dominio dell aria The Command of the Air in 1921 had left Italy s military planners acutely aware of a lack of this capability Established as a separate service in 1923 the Regia Aeronautica relied upon World War I vintage Caproni Ca 3 bombers and a replacement was soon sought The immediate solution was to repurpose the Ca 73 as a warplane by adding a gunner s position in the nose dorsally and ventrally amidships Bombs were carried on external racks on the fuselage sides Ca 73s remained in frontline service until 1934 and from 1926 onwards participated in Italy s military actions in North Africa Variants Edit Caproni Ca 73ter bomber photo from NACA Aircraft Circular 51 Ca 73 airliner powered by Isotta Fraschini Asso 500 engines Ca 73bis airliner powered by Lorraine Dietrich engines Ca 73ter later redesignated Ca 82 bomber version with gun positions and fuselage bomb racks Ca 73quarter later redesignated Ca 88 bomber with revised control systems and strengthened airframe Ca 73quarterG later redesignated Ca 89 bomber with glazed nose underwing bomb racks and retractable ventral gun turret Ca 74 later redesignated Ca 80 version powered by Bristol Jupiter engines Ca 80 the Ca 74 redesignated Ca 80S air ambulance and paratroop transport version Ca 82 redesignated Ca 73ter Ca 87 long range record version one converted Ca 88 redesignated Ca 73quarter Ca 89 redesignated Ca 73quarterGOperators EditMilitary operators Edit Kingdom of ItalyRegia AeronauticaSpecifications Ca 73 Edit Caproni Ca 73 bis 3 view drawing from L Aerophile March 1927 General characteristics Crew two pilots Capacity ten passengers Length 15 10 m 49 ft 7 in Wingspan 25 00 m 82 ft 0 in Height 5 60 m 18 ft 5 in Wing area 143 0 m2 1 539 sq ft Empty weight 3 400 kg 7 496 lb Gross weight 5 390 kg 11 883 lb Powerplant 2 Isotta Fraschini Asso 500 373 kW 500 hp eachPerformance Maximum speed 180 km h 112 mph 97 kn Endurance 3 hours Service ceiling 4 600 m 15 080 ft See also EditRelated lists List of Interwar military aircraftReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caproni Ca 73 Passingham Malcolm September 1996 Caproni Ca 73 Ca 74 les bombardiers aux ailes inversees 1ere partie Caproni Ca 72 Ca 74 The Bombers with Inverted Wings Avions Toute l aeronautique et son histoire in French 42 7 9 ISSN 1243 8650 Passingham Malcolm October 1996 Caproni Ca 73 Ca 74 les bombardiers aux ailes inversees 2eme partie Avions Toute l aeronautique et son histoire in French 43 28 30 ISSN 1243 8650 Passingham Malcolm November 1996 Caproni Ca 73 Ca 74 les bombardiers aux ailes inversees 3eme partie Avions Toute l aeronautique et son histoire in French 44 28 32 ISSN 1243 8650 Taylor Michael J H 1989 Jane s Encyclopedia of Aviation London Studio Editions pp 232 33 World Aircraft Information Files London Bright Star Publishing pp File 891 Sheet 09 Portals Italy Companies Aviation Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Caproni Ca 73 amp oldid 1143765431, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
