What was on Caproni Ca.111 ?
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The article says that these are experimental airbrakes
They are the "Sacche Ballerio" an experimental device proposed by Ballerio, that preceded the concept of airbrakes and thrust reverser.
The Ballério drag bags were an experimental aerodynamic braking device developed in the interwar period (1920s–1930s) to improve aircraft deceleration during landing.
The system consisted of fabric bags, to be deployed immediately after touchdown. Once released, the bags inflated due to airflow, generating additional aerodynamic drag and thereby reducing the aircraft’s ground speed. The concept addressed a key limitation of early aviation: inefficient wheel braking systems and the frequent use of short or unprepared airfields.
From a technical standpoint, the device can be considered a primitive form of drag-based deceleration, anticipating later solutions such as braking parachutes.
However, operational performance was poor and inconsistent. This is why the were unofficially referred to by the personnel as “balle Saccherio", a pun which can be roughly translated as "lies (tricks) of the sacker"
Reported issues included:
Nevertheless, it represents an early and significant step toward the development of controlled drag devices, ultimately leading to the modern braking parachute, which resolves many of the stability and reliability issues observed in the original design.
ermeio
The Ballério drag bags were an experimental aerodynamic braking device developed in the interwar period (1920s–1930s) to improve aircraft deceleration during landing.
The system consisted of fabric bags, to be deployed immediately after touchdown. Once released, the bags inflated due to airflow, generating additional aerodynamic drag and thereby reducing the aircraft’s ground speed. The concept addressed a key limitation of early aviation: inefficient wheel braking systems and the frequent use of short or unprepared airfields.
From a technical standpoint, the device can be considered a primitive form of drag-based deceleration, anticipating later solutions such as braking parachutes.
However, operational performance was poor and inconsistent. This is why the were unofficially referred to by the personnel as “balle Saccherio", a pun which can be roughly translated as "lies (tricks) of the sacker"
Reported issues included:
- Aerodynamic instability (oscillation and asymmetric drag forces)
- Unpredictable deployment behavior
- Structural fragility (risk of tearing or failure under load)
- Limited controllability during rollout
Nevertheless, it represents an early and significant step toward the development of controlled drag devices, ultimately leading to the modern braking parachute, which resolves many of the stability and reliability issues observed in the original design.
ermeio
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