CAB - Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi, Caproni ...

I started working on list of Italian CAB designs ... and they are a mess! Lots of holes and mysteries. Who can help?

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Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi (CAB), Ponte San Pietro, Bergamo

Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi translates into something akin to the 'Aeronautical Shipyard (ie: 'Works') of Bergamo'. CAB started out in June 1920 operating as the Società Anonima 'Airone' ('Heron' Stock Company) often with Aeronautica Meccanica (Aeronautical Mechanics) added at the end.

SA Airone operated as an aerial survey business as well as a flight training school and aircraft repair depot at Ponte San Pietro airfield. Original aircraft designs built by SA Airone acquired 'AR' designations (and may be attributed to either Airone or CAB). Presumably the 'A' in 'AR' stood for 'Airone' but does anyone know what the 'R' was for (a designer's initial, perhaps?)

In 1927, the 'Airone' operating moniker was dropped and the Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi name used in trade. The early 'AR' biplanes were followed in 1929 by trainers with 'C' designations. In this case, 'C' was simply for 'CAB'. All of these training aircraft were designed specifically for CAB's Bergamo flying school (although they were later offered
for outside sale).

Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi (CAB) Aircraft Designations

AR-1 -- 1927 Airone/CAB single-engine 2-seat tandem biplane trainer
- AR-1 : 1 x 120hp Le Rhône or 250hp Isotta Fraschini V6 inline*
-- * IF-powered I-BAVP/#107 & I-AZBC/#112 later re-engined
- AR-1 re-engined: n/c 107 & 112 to Le Rhône or 110hp Gnome
- AR-1 re-engined: 1 x Clerget 120 hp, n/c 115/I-AZBN, 1 conv
- AR-1[?]: Special desig. for IF-powered or re-engined AR-1s [??]
-- AR-1: 39 built* GLI Aeroplani Della Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca
-- * Golden Years incl. an improbable n/c '25929' attrib. to I-BAVG
-- n/c: 89, 103-107, 109-116, 118, 120-122, 124-137, 139-140, 152-155
- AR-10: 1927 single-seat trainer version of Airone AR-1
-- AR-10 I-BAVF/#102 & I-BAVD/#151 (according to Golden Years)*
-- * Photo shows Airone AR.10-301 on fuselage [? what's '301 ?]

AR-2 -- 1927 Airone/CAB single-engined 2-seat tandem biplane trainer
- AR-2: 1 x 120hp Le Rhône, 12 built incl. n/c 65-67 & 201-207

AR-10 - 1927 single-seat biplane trainer, see AR-1 (above)
- AR-10: 1 x 250hp Isotta Fraschini V.6 6-cylinder inline
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Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi Designations Under Caproni

In 1929, the Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi was bought by Caproni. Designation style changed to a simple letter prefix and a type number. Two prefixes were used - 'C' and 'SC' - but I don't know what the letters' significance is.

C.1 - 1929 1-seat biplane trainer; aka Bergamaschi C-1
- C.1: Unequal span biplane, ailerons on flat upper wing only
- C.1: 1 x 150 hp Hispano-Suiza 6pa inline engine; span 9.60 m

C.2 - 1929 2-seat biplane trainer; aka Bergmaschi C-2
- C.2: 2-seat version of C.1; max. speed 117 mph/188 km/h
- C.2: 1 x 150 hp Hispano-Suiza 6pa inline engine; span 9.60 m

C.3 - (Project) More powerful derivative of C.1/C.2 designs
- C.3: Welded steel-tube fuselage construction; abandoned

C.4 - 1929, (??) no details (??)
-- Golden Years shows 1 x example (I-AAOF)
-- NB: C.4 desig. repeated in 1940 (see C.4 in CAB list below)

C.5 - 1929 tandem 2-seat biplane primary trainer
- C.5: 1 x 84 hp ADC Cirrus MkII 4-cyl. inline; span 9.50 m
- C.5: Golden Years lists sole example built as I-BONI*
-- * See Cy-27's Reply #3 for more details

SC.4 - 1929 (??) no details (??)
-- Golden Years shows 52 x examples of SC.4s*
-- * 9 CAB-built, 43 x Breda-built (although 3 n/c are duplicates)

SC-5 - 1927 (??) no details (??)
-- Golden Years shows 2 x examples as SCA.5s*
-- * SCA-5s listed are I-BAVL (n/c 86) and I-BAVM (n/c 87)

C.A.B.6 - 1930, 2-seat biplane trainer
- C.A.B.6: 1 x 140 hp Hispano Suiza 8Aa (HS.34); span 8.71 m
- C.A.B.6: Sole example built listed as I-AASR*
-- * See Cy-27's Reply #3 for more details

C.A.B.7 - 193(?), 2-seat biplane, 1 x built (MM.150)
- C.A.B.7: no details
- C.A.B.7: aka (possibly) C.A.B.150

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Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca (CAB) Aircraft Designations

In 1931, CAB became a full Caproni subsidiary and would later be renamed as Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca or, when referring to its location, Caproni Bergamo). CAB designation style changed again and, later, a Caproni numbering system (Ca.300 series) was overlaid.

In the Caproni Bergamo era, most CAB designs were by Ing. Cesare Pallavicino but not all were built by CAB. This results in CAB designations like Ca.300 for a medium bomber actually built at Caproni Taliedo as the Ca.135 series. Earlier CAB designs by Pallavicino received designations with prefix letters for designer and role. Here I list those types:

AP.1 - 1934 low-wing multi-purpose combat monoplane, 66 built (all variants)
-- AP.1: 'AP' for 'Assalto Pallavicino', aka 'Apio' ('Celery') & Ca.301
- AP.1: 1st prototype (MM.242), 1 x 610 hp Piaggio P.IX RC.2 radial
-- Single-seat AP.1 prototype with fixed, trousered u/c, 12.02 m span
- AP.1: 2nd prototype (MM.243), 1 x 610 hp Piaggio P.IX RC.2, 12.87 m span
- AP.1 bis: MM.243 conv. to retractable u/c, Oct 1934, aka Caproni Ca.305
-- AP.1 bis also powered by 1 x Piaggio P.IX RC.40 Stela radial
- AP.1: I serie, 1 x 700 hp Piaggio P.IX RC.2, 13.01 m span
- AP.1: II serie, 1 x 780 hp Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34*, 13.01 m span
-- * MM.75000-75011 had AR 125 R.C.35, MM.75012-75038 AR 126 RC.34
-- AP.1 II serie: aka Caproni Ca.307 (retroactive designation)
- AP.1: Paraguay ordered 22 but no known desig. 10 held back for RAI*
-- * Sent to Spain, became Aviazione Legionairia's AP.1 MM.75300-75309
- AP.1 Idro: Twin-float vers. (4 included in the Paraguayan order*)
-- * Reverted to wheels for RAI use, 3 conv. as divebomber trainers
- AP.1[?]: [Project] 1 x Hispano-Suiza 12Y, becomes Ca.335 Maestrale
- AP.1[?]: [Project] 1 x Gnome & Rhone 14K 2-row radial, unbuilt
- AP.1[?]: [Project] Armed recce vers. with a ventral gun position
- AP.1 AVT: (Addestramento al Volo a Tuffo) divebomber trainer conv.
-- Three AP.1 AVT conversions were made (MM.75310, 75312, 75313)
-- http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11933.msg115548/topicseen.html

CP.3 - Combattimento Pallavicino, 2-seat fighter deriv. of AP.1, aka Ca.304
- CP.3: MM.249,* 1 x 610 hp Piaggio P.IX RC.2, retractable u/c, 12 m span
-- * Some sources list CP.3/Ca.304 Matricole Militari number as MM.289
-- CP.3 armament = 2 x overwing gun pods + twin flex. guns + lt bombs

PL.3 - 1934 low-wing monoplane racer (wing closely related to AP.1 bis)
- PL.3: racer (I-TALY) 1 x 700 hp Fiat A.59 RC, retractable u/c, 12 m span
-- PL.3 for 'Pallavicino L???'

PS.1 - 1934 4-seat cabin monoplane sportsplane tourer, retractable u/c
- PS.1: 'Pallavicino Sportivo', 1 x 200 hp Fiat A.70 7-cyl radial
-- Two built: MM.257 (I-MELO/# 1) and MM.258 (I-FRAN/#2)
-- http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caproni_PS.1.JPG photo

RP.5 - [Project] 1934, mid-mounted engine low-wing monoplane, 14.8m span
- RP.5: 1 x 835hp Isotta Fraschini Asso XI RC V-12, 2 x crew side-by-side*
-- * See Cy-27's Reply #3 for more details

Further Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca designs all seem to have been give 'Ca.3xx' designations. The one exception is the 1940 reuse of the designation C.4 for a liaison monoplane.

C.4 - 1940, low-wing monoplane fixed u/c liaison a/c, 13.96 m span, x 6*
- C.4: 2 x prototypes completed (MM.11585 and MM.11586)
- C.4: 4 x series prod. (MM.11587-MM.11590), not completed *
-- * Under contract Nº1394 of Apr 1940, plan for 20 more failed
-- C.4: 1 x 280 hp Hirth HM 508D air-cooled inverted V-8 engine
-- C.4 design by Ugo Abate, aka Caproni-AvIS C.4

For a listing of know Ca.3xx designations, see Caproni Aircraft 300-Block:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2026.msg112766.html#msg112766

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Some additions to Apophenia's great start...

PL.3 - aka Ca.302

PS.1- aka Ca.303

(Possibly both retrospective designations?)

AR.1 - 39 examples built
1 x Le Rhone 120 hp
or 1 x Isotta Fraschini V6 250 hp (2 examples, cn 112 I-AZBC and cn 107 I-BAVP) in turn thse were later fitted with Gnome 110 hp and a Le Rhone 120 hp
or 1 x Clerget 120 hp (1 example, cn 115 I-AZBN)

AR.2 - 12 examples built
1 x Le Rhone 120 hp

AR-10 -
1 x Isotta Fraschini V.6. 250 hp

C.3 - Project
Compared to the C1 and C2, the C.3 development was to have a more powerful engine with which it was expected to exceed 200 km/h. It had a metal frame in welded steel tubes. Construction was begun, but there no concrete evidence that was completed .


Source:
GLI Aeroplani Della Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca 1920-1946 Volume Primo (Rosario Abate) Edizioni Bizzarri 1975

C.5
The C.5 was a classic two-seater biplane built, it seems, as a single example which was used in aerial work Taliedo in 1934. Originally built in 1929, it had received the registration I-BONI. It had a Cirrus MkII 4-cylinder engine.- Wing Span 9.5m / Length 6.15 m / Height 2.63 m / Wing Area 21.03 sq m / Take-off Weight 600 kg

C.A.B.6
Single example built as I-AASR, with a Hispano-Suiza H.s.34 8-cylinder engine - WIng span 8.71 m / Length 6.40 m Height 2.30 m / Take-off Weight 762 kg

C.A.B.7
Two seat biplane carrying the serial MM.150. this May also be known as the C.A.B.150. - can anyone recognise the engine? (Sorry about the poor quality photo)

Source:
GLI Aeroplani Della Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca 1920-1946 Volume Primo (Rosario Abate) Edizioni Bizzarri 1975

A Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca addition ...

C.A.B. R.P.5

Late 1934 monoplane project with with a Issota Fraschini Asso XI R.C. 12-cylinder engine. This engine was located behind the open cockpit. This gave the R.P.5 a very distinctive appearance (see 3-view, attached). Wing Span 14.8 m / Length 10.36 m / Height 3.02 m / Wing Area 36.5 sq m / Take-off Weight 3,810 kg.

Source:
GLI Aeroplani Della Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca 1920-1946 Volume Primo (Rosario Abate) Edizioni Bizzarri 1975

Excellent my dears Apophenia and Cy-27.

Wow ... amazing replies. Thanks Cy-27! The R.P.5 is especially tasty ;D

Hi there,
this is my first post, hope won't hurt some rules
As my personal contribution, I'd like to post some pics of my grandfather who was test pilot at CAB.
The photos date back to the 30's period.
The I-AATD (or I-AATB) is a CAB C-1. The AATD callsigns were "recycled" later after the plane got lost in 1932. WIll dig into granpa's flight log to see when he used to fly the C-1.
The I-AZBO is an Airone AR.1 (it was indeed a license-built Hanriot), which got wrecked after an off-field landing in june 1932.

Hope you like this pics

Francesco

Hi
For some time I am looking for details/drawings etc. of the SC-4 and the SCA-5 of which some were build at the CAB factory.
These two types should be Breda designs?
Were this developments of the Breda Ba.9 and/or 10?
Strange the numbers, it fits not in the Breda line, where there Airforce numbers

cab biplanes

Hi,


and some info about CAB aircraft (S.C.4 & S.C.A.5).


http://www.avia-it.com/act/biblioteca/libri/PDF_Libri_By_AVIA/Annuario%20dell'Aeronautica%20italiana%201934.pdf

hesham said:

Hi,


and some info about CAB aircraft (S.C.4 & S.C.A.5).

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Click to expand...

If they had a 250 hp horsepower engine,so I think they are also a military trainer designs ?.

hesham said:

If they had a 250 hp horsepower engine,so I think they are also a military trainer designs ?.

Click to expand...

That is possible. Other contemporary training biplanes with Isotta Fraschini V.6 engines - like the Breda A.10 - were adopted for military use. Perhaps the Regia Aeronautica held stocks of those WW1-vintage engines?