Caproni Ca.161
Caproni · Italy · first flew 1936 · light aircraft
The Caproni Ca.161 was an aircraft built in Italy in 1936 in an attempt to set a new world altitude record.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.25 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Conventional biplane with two-bay, staggered, equal-span wings
- Open cockpit for a pressure-suited pilot
- Single radial engine driving a four-blade propeller
A two-bay staggered biplane with a single open cockpit, 8.25 m long on a 14.25 m span.
Specifications
- The Caproni Ca.161 has a length of 8.25 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.25 m (47 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
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.
Variants
The Ca.161 was the original version with a Piaggio P.XI R.C.72 engine. The Ca.161bis was an improved version with a Piaggio P.XI R.C.100/2v, and the Ca.161Idro was a floatplane version.
Where you'll see it
On 8 May 1937 Lieutenant Colonel Mario Pezzi broke the world altitude record with a flight to 15,655 m. In the more powerful Ca.161bis he broke the record again on 22 October 1938 with 17,083 m, a mark that still stands for piston-powered biplanes. The float-equipped Ca.161Idro set an altitude record for floatplanes of 13,542 m on 25 September 1939.
Related aircraft
- Caproni Ca.127
- Caproni Ca.134
- Caproni Ca.146
- Caproni Ca.225
- Akaflieg Darmstadt D-29
- Antonov A-2
- Avia 60-MP
- Bazzocchi EB.2
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.