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Omega Models 1/72 Caproni Ca.355 Tuffo (Dive Bomber) by Richard Mendes |
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The Caproni Ca.355 Tuffo (“Diver”) designed by Cesare Pallavicino (1893-1976) was a low wing single-engine dive bomber, derived from the Ca.335 Mistral it like its direct competitor, the single-engine Breda Ba.201 offered little performance advantage over the German Junkers Ju-87 Stuka, development of both ending in favor of buying and flying the latter. In 1939 the Ministero dell'Aeronautica Italiana issued a specification for a dive-bombing aircraft similar to the Stuka for the Regia Aeronautica Italiana (RAI), three proposals were subsequently offered: Ba.201, Ca.335, twin-engine Piaggio P.122, the latter deemed unsuitable for its intended operational role and not built. Drawing upon Ca.335 development, Pallavicino downsized its overall dimensions, reduced the fuselage diameter, eliminated the rear observer/gunner station replacing it with a forward facing observer/presumed co-pilot sitting immediately behind the pilot, added wing air brakes and a tubular trapeze to hold a 800lb bomb swung forward when dropped during a vertical dive similar to the Stuka, an air-cooled 840p Isotta Fraschini Delta IV inverted V-12 engine to power what became the sole Ca.335 prototype MM.470 officially called the Tuffo.
First flown at Ponte San Pietro northwest of Milano, Italy by Caproni Cantieri Aeronautici Bergamaschi's test pilot Ettore Wengi on January 14, 1941 no major problems were uncovered during the MM.470’s initial flight testing, delivered to the RAI for evaluation after just a few test flights its overall performance offered little over the Ju-87 and the RAI subsequently choose to buy and fly additional Stukas as well as repurposed Fiat CR.42s, G.50s and Macchi C.200s as ground attack planes. The fate of the sole Ca.355 built is unknown. Caproni also proposed a number of Ca.355 design variants: • Caproni 335 twin-tail; Daimler-Benz DB 601 or Isotta Fraschini Delta in a fuselage-mounted push-pull configuration similar to the Dutch-built Fokker D.XXIII. • Caproni Ca.357; proposed variant with Daimler-Benz DB 601. • Caproni Ca.358; proposed variant with Isotta Fraschini Zeta 24-cylinder air cooled "X" 1,250hp. |
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The early 2010s-vintage 1/72 scale Omega Models 72466 Caproni Ca.355 Tuffo model kit with resin and clear vacuform plastic parts is the only one available in any scale of the sole prototype. Built in 2014 kit parts are nicely molded with adequate scribing detail it being amongst my easiest model builds made that much easier by just having to spray on two exterior colors: Testors Flat Aluminum and Humbrol 91 Matt Black Green + 36% Testors Flat White shading enamels replicating Verde Oliva Scuro 2 with Humbrol 78 Matt Cockpit Green + Testors Flat White shading replicating Verde Anticorrosione on fuselage and wheel well interiors, several interior and exterior kit parts spray and hand painted on with an assortment of Testors enamel colors the entire model over sprayed with Testors Clear semi-gloss lacquer. Taken on charge by the Regia Aeronautica Italiana standard white Distintivo di Guerra crosses and House of Savoy crests were applied on the rudder though curiously no other markings were per period photographs.
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Aircraft: Caproni-Bergamasca Ca.355 Manufacturer: Caproni Aeronautica Bergamasca Type: Dive Bomber Year: 1941 Engine: One Isotta-Fraschini Delta IV, 12-cylinder inverted-V, air-cooled, 850 hp Wingspan: 42 ft 6 in (12.96 m) Length: 32 ft 7 in (9.93 m) Height: 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m) Weight: 7,810 lb (3,543 kg) Maximum speed:302 mph (486 km/h) at 13,780 ft (4,200 m) Armament: 2 × 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns in the wings; 1 × 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun rear firing; 1,100 lb bomb Crew: 2 |
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