Flight, April 1932

The Caproni CA.113
An Italian Aerobatic Biplane with 240 h.p. Walter Engine

   THE Caproni "CA.113" is a two-seater dual-control biplane designed for high "aerobatic" performance. It is of mixed wood and metal construction - wood and steel tubing being employed for the fuselage, tail planes and landing gear. The main planes are of equal span, the top plane being staggered forward in order to provide, as much as possible, uninterrupted visibility.
   The construction of the wings is of normal type, and two-bay bracing is employed, with streamline steel N interplane struts and streamlined wire bracing. Interconnected ailerons are fitted to all four wings. Fabric, doped with Emaillite, is used for covering the wings.
   In section the fuselage is rectangular, with a deep turtle deck top of duralumin sheet - the sides and bottom being fabric covered. There are two cockpits, arranged in tandem back of the wings, each equipped with Salvator back-cushion parachutes. All the necessary instruments are fitted in the rear cockpit.
   The 240-h.p. Walter air-cooled radial engine is carried in a steel-tube mounting, secured to the fuselage by five bolts. It is fitted with a Walter carburetter specially designed for aerobatic flying, fed directly by an oscillating piston pump. The fuel and oil tanks are mounted in the fuselage, in front of the forward cockpit. A Maliverti compressed-air starter is fitted.
   The tail plane, which is of steel tubing fabric-covered, is adjustable as to incidence during flight. Elevators and rudder are balanced, the rudder and fin being constructed of three-ply wood.
   A non-axle undercarriage is fitted, with steel spring and oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers. The wheels are provided with brakes.
   The principal characteristics of the CA.113 are :- Span, 34 ft. 5 in. (10,49 m.); O.A. length, 24 ft. 5 in. (7,46 m.); height, 9 ft. 2 in. (2,80 m.); wing area, 276.5 sq. ft. (25,70 m2.); weight empty, 1,797 lb. (815 kg.); useful load, 551.25 lb. (250 kg.); maximum speed, 143 m.p.h. (230 k.p.h.); climb to 13,000 ft. (4,000 m.), 15 min.
   Mario De Bernardi - the former Schneider Trophy winner, flew one of these machines in the International Air Meeting at Cleveland last year.