Caproni Type B "torpedo boat" (ground effect vehicle)

T

tallguy

I really should change my personal text
Joined
30 January 2012
Messages
111
Reaction score
38
Looking for any info on the Caproni Type B "torpedo boat" (ground effect vehicle)
 
Was this derived from the 1930s 'hydroplane' racers ?
Think catamaran air-boat, and fast. In fact, so fast they were banned from some races as totally out-ran 'ordinary' speed-boats...

They look as if they began as Schneider-trophy float planes, minus everything but the floats & aero-engine...
 
The Horton/Horten problem
 

Attachments

  • 4d17b862-621a-4dc9-af8c-11a1169e99c6.jpg
    4d17b862-621a-4dc9-af8c-11a1169e99c6.jpg
    67.2 KB · Views: 308
  • a231f21418dd9cdb1ac0dd51d8445f14.jpg
    a231f21418dd9cdb1ac0dd51d8445f14.jpg
    86.6 KB · Views: 282
Might the Caproni Type B in question be a midget submarine otherwise known as the CB class?

CB Midget Submarines, Italian, 1941-43

CB Midget Submarines, Italian, 1941-43 CB midget submarines were ordered from Caproni, Milan, Italy, and were built from 1941-43. The submarines were used for coastal defense in the Black and Mediterranean seas. Measuring 15 meters in length, the boat has a crew of four and was armed with...
www.history.navy.mil www.history.navy.mil
 
I have found it from " Eserciti nella Storia n.12 luglio - agosto 2002" inside article of german catamaran Tornado . Performance of italian catamaran was between 65 and 80 knots . i have attached pages ocr ( made with Acrobat) of page of article .
 

Attachments

  • caproniB1930.jpg
    caproniB1930.jpg
    504.1 KB · Views: 277
  • articleCaproniB1930.pdf
    801 KB · Views: 150
Last edited:
Am I alone in thinking that this contraption would only qualify as "extremely fair weather Navy" ?
 
Last edited:
airman said:
I have found it from " Eserciti nella Storia n.12 luglio - agosto 2002" inside article of german catamaran Tornado . Performance of italian catamaran was between 65 and 80 knots . i have attached pages ocr ( made with Acrobat) of page of article .
Click to expand...
Thank you a lot. May I ask if a "Caproni A" exist? Also, this image proves that more specifically the Caproni B is a SES.
 
airman said:
I have found it from " Eserciti nella Storia n.12 luglio - agosto 2002" inside article of german catamaran Tornado . Performance of italian catamaran was between 65 and 80 knots . i have attached pages ocr ( made with Acrobat) of page of article .
Click to expand...
Ground effect of wings was known shortly after planes were mass-implemented, but the air cushion, what wings in ground effect create which affects them positively, was theorized in the 1800s. It is not at all unusual for someone to attempt at incorporating such benefits into an existing vehicle: multiple firms and individuals have independently developed air cushion transportation, which differ greatly by the degree the cushion is used to alleviate the vehicle (from completely as in Alexeyev's screen-glider (ekranoplan in Russian), to partial which is what some high-speed multi-hull ships today use) (which the most well-known instance is the hovercraft and the WIG craft).
 
Caproni was not the only company to come up this type of torpedo vehicle.

In 1939 Bellanca came up with a concept they called the "Torpedo Tank" that functioned in much the same manner. It was, however, to be substantially more heavily armed, featuring three 37mm cannon and eight .50 caliber machine guns, plus the torpedoes.

Below is a 3-view drawing of this monstrosity from my files. My intent has been to write an article about this thing as Bellanca went into some detail describing it and comparing it with existing foreign MTBs. Unfortunately, I have a new computer and can't easily find where that analysis went. I eventually shall, however!!

Anyway, here is a copy of the 3-view which I either have or will redraw for said article. In the meantime, enjoy this flight of fancy.

AlanG
 

Attachments

  • Bellanca Torpedo-Tank 3-view - 72dpi.jpg
    Bellanca Torpedo-Tank 3-view - 72dpi.jpg
    100.8 KB · Views: 217
Hi
Fascinating design, I also remembered that in my files i had this article from Modern Mechanix magazine that talks about this, in the illustration practically the same fuselage with two turrets as in the 3-views, but without embryonic wings and with more forward floats with torpedo holders.
 

Attachments

  • 05.jpg
    05.jpg
    635 KB · Views: 155
  • 04.jpg
    04.jpg
    710.4 KB · Views: 128
  • 03.jpg
    03.jpg
    737.7 KB · Views: 118
  • 02.jpg
    02.jpg
    663.7 KB · Views: 114
  • 01.jpg
    01.jpg
    597.8 KB · Views: 114
  • 06.jpg
    06.jpg
    641.2 KB · Views: 112
Juan,

Excellent article! I find it amazing how an article can generate such interest and new information. That is one of the things I love about this website.

Well done and Merry Christmas.

ALanG
 
Mikromir will be releasing a 1/72 kit in 2025.
Voodoo-Guy said:

Caproni B.72, MikroMir 72-029 (2025)

MikroMir model kit in scale 1:72, 72-029 is a NEW tool released in 2025 | Contents, Previews, Reviews, History + Marketplace | Caproni B | EAN: 4571628233898
www.scalemates.com
Click to expand...
I think it's interesting how this design is essentially just a 3D version of a 2D airfoil drawing, if you think about it
 
airman said:
I have found it from " Eserciti nella Storia n.12 luglio - agosto 2002" inside article of german catamaran Tornado . Performance of italian catamaran was between 65 and 80 knots . i have attached pages ocr ( made with Acrobat) of page of article .
Click to expand...
I think that would be one extremely exciting thing to try to fly... especially after it dropped a couple thousand pounds of torpedoes!
 
Eesh. An ack-ack hit to the cockpit would be quicker...I'd rather be dead when I tumble end over end.
 
I got it !!

It seems to me that the kit is based more on the drawing in the article than on the plan available in the book “Caproni et il mare”. It's going to take a bit of work...
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom