CANT Z.1018 Leone
Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico · Italy · first flew 1939 · bomber
The CANT Z.1018 Leone was an Italian twin-engine medium bomber designed by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico in the late 1930s. It was one of the most advanced Italian bomber designs of World War II but suffered from engine unreliability and production delays.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 17.6 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engine Italian medium bomber of WWII
- Sleek mid-wing design with inline engines
- Long glazed nose typical of Italian bombers
A sleek twin-engine mid-wing monoplane with an elongated fuselage and glazed nose; its inline engines and clean lines made it one of the most aerodynamically refined Italian bombers.
Specifications
- The CANT Z.1018 Leone has a length of 17.6 m (58 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 22.5 m (74 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 524 km/h (326 mph).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1939, the Z.1018 showed promising performance but the Daimler-Benz DB 601 engines originally fitted proved troublesome and were later replaced by Italian powerplants. Production was slow and only a handful were completed before Italy's armistice in 1943. The aircraft saw limited operational use.
Variants
Several engine configurations were trialled including the Alfa Romeo 135 and Isotta Fraschini Asso; no variant achieved full production status.
Where you'll see it
A small number served with the Regia Aeronautica in limited operations; the type never achieved the operational impact its performance figures suggested.
Related aircraft
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