- Yes
- Maybe
- No
History.
The Caproni Ca.95 was a long-range heavy bomber created by Caproni in the early 1930s. In 1927, the Ministry of Aeronautics (following Douhet’s doctrines) issued a specification for the supply of a new multi-engine heavy bomber: a total of three companies (Caproni, Breda, and Fiat Aviazione) responded to the competition, and all three companies were approved to build a prototype.
The Caproni 95 was started at Officine Aeronautiche Caproni in Vizzola Ticino and cost a total of almost 2.7 million liras. The date of the vehicle’s first flight is unknown however it is known that during the various test flights the plane tended on several occasions to transmit strong vibrations to the structure. Despite this, in mid-1930 the plane was sent to Littorio Airport to be presented to the relevant authorities of the Regia Aeronautica during the “Days of the Wing” with the military serial MM.100.
After the end of the tests in 1932, the plane was framed in the 26th Autonomous Group of the 63rd “Experimental G.A. Apparatus” Squadron and later on an unknown date was transferred to the 62nd Squadron of the 25th Group. On March 23, 1934, the plane suffered severe rudder damage during a flight, and it was decided to scrap the vehicle not wanting to repair it unnecessarily. On August 14 of the same year, the plane was taken out of service and was then sent for scrapping.
Armaments and propulsion.
The planned defensive armament for the plane was to be three 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns, only the prototype was equipped with only two firing positions (the tail one and a ventral retractable one). As a launch armament, the plane could carry up to 1,600 kg of bombs in various configurations (as shown in the “Pictures and Drawings” section.).
Speaking of propulsion, the plane was powered by three Isotta Fraschini Asso engines each with 1,000 hp of power and as much as 6,442 kd of transportable fuel. With this motorization, the plane could reach a top speed of 250 kph.
Specifications.
Spoiler
Crew: 4 (all crew members could perform the functions of machine gunners except a single pilot)
Wingspan: 41.43 m²
Length: 22.75 m
Height: 5.35 m
Wing area: 234 m²
Maximum weight: 16,450 kg
Tangency: 6,000 m
Fuel load: 6,462 kg
Maximum speed: 250 km/h
Engines: 3x Isotta Fraschini Asso (1,000 hp each)
Armament: 3x Lewis machine guns and up to 1,600 kg of bombs
Pictures and drawnings.
Sources.