Stipa-Caproni
Stipa-Caproni | |
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The Stipa Caproni on the ground with the spats removed from its landing gear. Its light blue and cream paint scheme, similar to that on racing planes of the time, is visible, as is the opening at the trailing edge of its fuselage on which its Italian flag .
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Role | Experimental aircraft |
Manufacturer | Caproni |
Designer | Luigi Stipa |
First flight | 7 October 1932 |
Primary user | ![]() |
Number built | 1 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Stipa-Caproni_side_view.jpg)
The Stipa-Caproni, also known as the Caproni Stipa, was an experimental
Stipa's design
Stipa spent years studying the idea mathematically while working in the Engineering Division of the Italian Ministry of Air Force, eventually determining that the venturi tube's inner surface needed to be shaped like an airfoil in order to achieve the greatest efficiency. He also determined the optimum shape of the propeller, the most efficient distance between the leading edge of the tube and the propeller, and the best rate of revolution of the propeller. Finally, he petitioned the Italian Fascist government to produce a prototype aircraft. The government, seeking to showcase Italian technological achievement — particularly in aviation — contracted the Caproni company to construct the aircraft in 1932.[2]
The resultant aircraft was a mid-wing monoplane of mostly wooden construction dubbed the Stipa-Caproni or Caproni Stipa. The fuselage was a barrel-like tube, short and fat, open at both ends to form the tapered duct, with twin open cockpits in tandem mounted in a hump on top of it. The wings were elliptical and passed through the duct and the engine
Test flights
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Stipa-Caproni_front_quarter_view.jpg/300px-Stipa-Caproni_front_quarter_view.jpg)
The Stipa-Caproni first flew on 7 October 1932 with
When Caproni had completed initial testing, the Regia Aeronautica took control of the plane and transferred it to Guidonia Montecelio for a brief series of further test flights. All test pilots reported that the plane was extremely stable in flight, to the point where it was difficult to change course; test pilots were also astounded by the very low landing speed and the consequent very short landing run.
As the plane did not perform noticeably better than conventional aircraft designs, the Regia Aeronautica decided to cancel further development. No further prototypes were built.
Influence
Stipa himself never had intended his intubed propeller to be employed on single-engine aircraft like the Caproni-Stipa — which he viewed merely as a testbed — instead envisioning its use in large, multi-engine flying wing aircraft he had been designing in which the aerodynamic drag properties would not be significant, and the Italian government publicized the Stipa-Caproni's design as an example of Italian aviation technology prowess. None of Stipa's flying-wing aircraft designs were built, but experiences collected with the Stipa-Caproni did become an important influence in the development of the motorjet-powered Caproni Campini N.1.[2]
The test flights of the Stipa-Caproni also sparked much academic interest, and resulted in Stipa's work being studied in France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and by the
The
Replica
In
Operators
Specifications (original Stipa-Caproni)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Caproni_Stipa.svg/220px-Caproni_Stipa.svg.png)
Data from NACA Technical Memorandum No. 753 : Stipa Monoplane with Venturi Fuselage,[4] Aeroplani Caproni: Gianni Caproni and His Aircraft, 1910–1983[5]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 or 2
- Length: 6.04 m (19 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 14.30 m (46 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.24 m (10 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 19 m2 (200 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb)
- Gross weight: 850 kg (1,874 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy III4-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine, 90 kW (120 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed ground-adjustable propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 133 km/h (83 mph, 72 kn)
- Landing speed: 68 km/h (42 mph)
- Service ceiling: 3,700 m (12,100 ft)
- Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 40 minutes
- Wing loading: 44.73 kg/m2 (9.16 lb/sq ft) at 850 kg (1,874 lb)
- Power/mass: 0.105 kW/kg (0.064 hp/lb)
- Take-off run: 180 m (590 ft)
- Landing run: 180 m (590 ft)
References
- OCLC 491713256.
The Stipa Aero plane built by Caproni in 1932 should be classified as a Jet Aircraft. The Stipa Aero plane can be considered as a predecessor of the Jet Aircraft of today.
- ^ HistoryNet.
- ^ Zuccoli, Lynette (December 2001). "Legends in Our Own Lunchtimes: The Stipa Caproni". Gunder Restoration & Design. Archived from the original on 2021-06-02. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
- Washington D.C.: National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Archived(PDF) from the original on 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
- OCLC 237798156.
Further reading
- Thompson, Jonathon W. (1963). Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930-1945. USA: Aero Publishers Inc. p. 97. ISBN 0-8168-6500-0.
- US 2071221, "Airplane", issued 1937-02-16
- "Luigi Stipa - a pioneer of jet flying". Aerotec Queensland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
- "New Italian Airplane for High Speed is a Flying Tunnel". Modern Mechanix. January 1933. Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
- Stipa-Caproni Flying Barrel (take-off footage only). Bomberguy. 2007-09-30 – via YouTube.
- 1933 Voli sperimentali aeroplano Stipa Caproni [1933 Stipa Caproni airplane experimental flights] (in Italian). Milan Airports. 2012-10-12 – via YouTube.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)