Giovanni Battista Caproni
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Battista Caproni (1886-1957), known as "Gianni" Caproni, was an Italian aeronautical engineer, civil engineer
, electrical engineer, and aircraft designer who founded the Caproni
aircraft-manufacturing company.
but later became a part of Italy
. In 1906, he received a doctoral degree in electrical engineering
from lIstituto Montefiori di Liegi, and in 1907 a degree in civil engineering
from Politecnico di Monaco di Baviera.
s; he also collaborated with the Romanian
aircraft designer Henri Coandă
, whom he had met at lIstituto Montefiori di Liegi, in the building of sailplanes. In 1908, he founded the Caproni factory at Taliedo
, Italy, to manufacture biplane
s. In 1910, he designed and built his first powered aircraft, the Caproni Ca. 1
, an experimental biplane which was the first aircraft built in Italy. It was destroyed during its first flight on May 27, 1910.
In 1911, the year his company was named Società de Agostini e Caproni, he switched to monoplane
construction, in which he had greater success. In 1914, he tested Italys first multi-engined aircraft, a three-engine biplane later dubbed the Caproni Ca.31 . After Italy entered World War I
in 1915, he devoted his efforts to designing and constructing bomber
s. His company later was renamed Società Caproni e Comitti.
An early proponent of the development of passenger aircraft, Caproni built the prototype
of a seaplane
, the Caproni Ca.60
Noviplano -- with a capacity of 100 passengers in 1921. He also designed gliders
.
Between World War I and World War II
, he devoted most of his effort to the design and production of bombers and light transport aircraft
, and his company manufactured the early Stipa-Caproni
and Caproni Campini N.1 ducted fan
experimental aircraft which were precursors of true jet aircraft. During this period, his company became Società Italiana Caproni, a major conglomerate which purchased other manufacturers, creating subsidiaries which included Caproni Bergamasca and Caproni Vizzola, although the assertion that Caproni also purchased the Reggiane
company to form a "Caproni Reggiane" subsidiary is a myth. Caproni was granted the title Conte di Taliedo (Count Taliedo, or Earl of Taliedo) during the interwar period.
The Caproni company produced aircraft for the Regia Aeronautica
(Italian Royal Air Force) during World War II - primarily bombers, transports, seaplanes, and trainers
, although the Caproni Vizzola subsidiary also built several fighter prototypes.
The Società Italiana Caproni conglomerate ceased operations in 1950, although its last vestige, the Caproni Vizzola subsidiary, survived until 1983.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, electrical engineer, and aircraft designer who founded the Caproni
Caproni
thumb|right|300px|[[Caproni Ca.316]] seaplane at its moorings.Caproni was an Italian aircraft manufacturer founded in 1908 by Giovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni....
aircraft-manufacturing company.
Early life and education
Caproni was born on July 3, 1886 in Massone d'Arco, which at the time was in Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
but later became a part of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 1906, he received a doctoral degree in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from lIstituto Montefiori di Liegi, and in 1907 a degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
from Politecnico di Monaco di Baviera.
Career
In 1907 and 1908, Caproni gained experience in the construction of aircraft engineAircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
s; he also collaborated with the Romanian
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
aircraft designer Henri Coandă
Henri Coanda
Henri Marie Coandă was a Romanian inventor, aerodynamics pioneer and builder of an experimental aircraft, the Coandă-1910 described by Coandă in the mid-1950s as the world's first jet, a controversial claim disputed by some and supported by others...
, whom he had met at lIstituto Montefiori di Liegi, in the building of sailplanes. In 1908, he founded the Caproni factory at Taliedo
Taliedo
Taliedo is a peripheral district of the city Milan, Italy, part of the Zone 4 administrative division, located south-east of the city centre...
, Italy, to manufacture biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s. In 1910, he designed and built his first powered aircraft, the Caproni Ca. 1
Caproni Ca.1 (1910)
This page is about the pioneering biplane of 1910. For the World War I bomber, see Caproni Ca.1 .This page is about the pioneering biplane of 1910. For the World War I bomber, see Caproni Ca.1 ....
, an experimental biplane which was the first aircraft built in Italy. It was destroyed during its first flight on May 27, 1910.
In 1911, the year his company was named Società de Agostini e Caproni, he switched to monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
construction, in which he had greater success. In 1914, he tested Italys first multi-engined aircraft, a three-engine biplane later dubbed the Caproni Ca.31 . After Italy entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1915, he devoted his efforts to designing and constructing bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s. His company later was renamed Società Caproni e Comitti.
An early proponent of the development of passenger aircraft, Caproni built the prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
of a seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
, the Caproni Ca.60
Caproni Ca.60
|-Video:A Mammoth of the Air, a 1921 silent film of the Ca.60, can be seen at -External links:*...
Noviplano -- with a capacity of 100 passengers in 1921. He also designed gliders
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
.
Between World War I and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he devoted most of his effort to the design and production of bombers and light transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...
, and his company manufactured the early Stipa-Caproni
Stipa-Caproni
The Stipa-Caproni, also generally called the Caproni Stipa, was an experimental Italian aircraft designed in 1932 by Luigi Stipa and built by Caproni. It featured a hollow, barrel-shaped fuselage with the engine and propeller completely enclosed by the fuselage—in essence, the whole fuselage was a...
and Caproni Campini N.1 ducted fan
Ducted fan
A ducted fan is a propulsion arrangement whereby a fan, which is a type of propeller, is mounted within a cylindrical shroud or duct. The duct reduces losses in thrust from the tip vortices of the fan, and varying the cross-section of the duct allows the designer to advantageously affect the...
experimental aircraft which were precursors of true jet aircraft. During this period, his company became Società Italiana Caproni, a major conglomerate which purchased other manufacturers, creating subsidiaries which included Caproni Bergamasca and Caproni Vizzola, although the assertion that Caproni also purchased the Reggiane
Reggiane
Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA was an Italian aircraft manufacturer, owned by Caproni and situated in Reggio Emilia, a city of what today is the Emilia-Romagna region...
company to form a "Caproni Reggiane" subsidiary is a myth. Caproni was granted the title Conte di Taliedo (Count Taliedo, or Earl of Taliedo) during the interwar period.
The Caproni company produced aircraft for the Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
(Italian Royal Air Force) during World War II - primarily bombers, transports, seaplanes, and trainers
Trainer (aircraft)
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...
, although the Caproni Vizzola subsidiary also built several fighter prototypes.
The Società Italiana Caproni conglomerate ceased operations in 1950, although its last vestige, the Caproni Vizzola subsidiary, survived until 1983.