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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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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
_______________________________________________________
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
__________________________________________________________
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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