Italian Jet

[Leo]

 

I remember seeing pictures of and reading short articles on an Italian Jet.  It was a two place monoplane with one engine.  Was it built by Caproni?  Does anyone have pactures or info?  I don't believe it ever obtained combat status.

[Nico Braas]

You are possibly talking about the Fiat G.80 or the more developed G.82. They were jet trainers in the same class of the Fokker S-14 Machtrainer.
Because the U.S.A. dumped T-33's at NATO countries for very low prices the Fiats were never put into production.
However, Italy had more jet trainers. Procaer built the Cobra as a single prototype, which was in the eighties further developed into the Promavia Jet Squalus. Both machines were only built as prototypes!
Another unsuccesfull trainer was the Caproni Trento F.5 light jet trainer.
So, just pick your choice. If you want to see photos on the forum, ley me know since I have them!

[santynus]

Mey be you talk about the Caproni Campini CC01 

[santynus]

you can found some little info about the caproni campini at this link

http://195.94.151.30/sitoam/images/CC1%20TESTO-FOTO%20ALL%20IN%20ONE%20180X254.pdf

cheers

[Leo]

 

Santymus:

Thank you for the fotos and the informaton.  I think it was sort of a "Rube Goldberg" arragement.  With a top speed of 360 KPh (225 MPH) and its size, I can see why it never got beyond the experimental stage.  I assume from the pictures that thi ship still exists.  Is it in a museum?

Nico:

Thanks for the reply, but the Caproni Campini was the crate I had in mind.

[Nico Braas]

The Caproni Campini is  now exhibited in the Italian air force museum at Vigna di Valle near Rome.
I have seen it during a visit many years ago. At Vigna di Valle also the Fiat G.82 and the Caproni Trento F.5 are exhibited.

[Wingman81]

The plane looks great!!! Did it have a nickname? I would have called it "The Cigar fighter" 

[Nico Braas]

In fact the Caproni Campini was not even a pure jet plane!
It used an Isotta Fraschini piston engine to compress air into some sort of afterburner device mounted in the rear part of the fuselage.
This may also explain the plane's very poor performances since it is not a very efficient propulsion system!
However, a lot of publicity was given in the press and at that time it was even regarded as the 'first jetplane in the world' (which it wasn't!). This picture from an old book (from 1946!) shows how it worked!