Caproni Ca.161

Ca 161

Role	High-altitude experimental aircraft
Manufacturer	Caproni
Designer	Rodolfo Verduzio
First flight	1936

A Ca.161 pilot wearing a pressure suit for a high-altitude flight.

The Caproni Ca.161 was an aircraft built in Italy in 1936 in an attempt to set a new world altitude record. It was a conventional biplane with two-bay, staggered wings of equal span based on Caproni's Ca.113 design. The pressure-suited pilot was accommodated in an open cockpit.

On 8 May 1937, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Pezzi broke the world altitude record with a flight to 15,655 m (51,362 ft). The following year, Pezzi broke the record again in the more powerful Ca.161bis, making a flight to 17,083 m (56,047 ft) on 22 October 1938. As of 2015, this record still stands for piston-powered biplanes.

A final altitude record for floatplanes was set on 25 September 1939 in the float-equipped Ca.161Idro, piloted by Nicola di Mauro to 13,542 m (44,429 ft). As of 2012, this record also still stands.

Variants

Ca.161 - original version with Piaggio P.XI R.C.72 engine
Ca.161bis - improved version with Piaggio P.XI R.C.100/2v
Ca.161Idro - floatplane version

Specifications (Ca.161bis)

Data from Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930-1945 apart from weights

General characteristics

Crew: 1, pilot
Length: 8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Wingspan: 14.25 m (46 ft 9 in)
Height: 3.50 m (11 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 35.5 m² (382 ft²)
Empty weight: 1,205 kg (2,657 lb)
Gross weight: 1,650 kg (3,638 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Piaggio P.XI R.C.100/2v 14-cylinder radial driving a 4-blade propeller, 560 kW (750 hp) each

Performance

Service ceiling: 17,083 m (56,047 ft)
Rate of climb: 10.3 m/s (2,018 ft/min)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caproni Ca.161.

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 236.
Thompson, Jonathan (1963). Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930-1945. Fallbrook, California: Aero Publishers, Inc. p. 93.

Aircraft produced by Aeronautica Caproni

Establishments Taliedo	Ca.1 (1910) Ca.1 (1914) Ca.2 Ca.3 Ca.4 Ca.5 Ca.6 Ca.7 Ca.8 Ca.9 Ca.10 Ca.11 Ca.12 Ca.13 Ca.14 Ca.15 Ca.16 Ca.18 Ca.19 Ca.20 Ca.24 Ca.25 Ca.30 Ca.31 Ca.32 Ca.33 Ca.34 Ca.35 Ca.36 Ca.37 Ca.39 Ca.40 Ca.41 Ca.42 Ca.43 Ca.44 Ca.45 Ca.46 Ca.47 Ca.48 Ca.49 Ca.50 Ca.51 Ca.52 Ca.53 Ca.56 Ca.57 Ca.58 Ca.59 Ca.60 Ca.61 Ca.64 Ca.66 Ca.67 Ca.70 Ca.71 Ca.73 Ca.74 Ca.79 Ca.80 Ca.82 Ca.87 Ca.88 Ca.89 Ca.90 Ca.95 Ca.97 Ca.100 Ca.101 Ca.102 Ca.103 Ca.105 Ca.111 Ca.113 Ca.114 Ca.120 Ca.122 Ca.123 Ca.124 Ca.125 Ca.127 Ca.132 Ca.133 Ca.134 Ca.135 Ca.142 Ca.148 Ca.150 Ca.161 Ca.162 Ca.163 Ca.164 Ca.165 Ca.183bis Ca.193

Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi (CAB)	PL.3 PS.1 A.P.1 Ca.135 Ca.301 Ca.305 Ca.306 Ca.307 Ca.308 Ca.308 Borea Ca.309 Ca.310 Ca.311 Ca.312 Ca.313 Ca.314 Ca.316 Ca.325 Ca.331 Ca.335 Ca.355 Ca.380

Caproni Reggiane	Ca.400 Ca.401 Ca.405

Caproni Vizzola	MF 2 F.4 F.5 F.6 F.7 A-10 A-12 A-14 A-15 A-20 A-21 C22 Ventura

Caproni Trento	Trento F-5

Other nominations	Sauro-1 Stipa CH.1 Campini N.1

See also: Giovanni Battista Caproni Gianni Caproni Museum of Aeronautics Agusta

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Caproni Ca.161

Variants

Specifications (Ca.161bis)

See also

References