The Caproni Ca.111 was a long-range reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber produced in Italy during the 1930s.
It was used as a supplier of isolated troops, this time in the Balkans, after the ‘conquest’ of Yugoslavia.
Peru took delivery of a number of Ca.111s in the 1930s which they nicknamed Panchos for use as “heavy” bombers, but found them unsatisfactory in service and by 1935 had begun to consider replacing them.
In 1936, Peru ordered Caproni Ca.135 bombers which entered Peruvian Air Force service in 1937 as replacements for its Ca.111s.
However, Peru never procured enough Ca.135s to replace its Ca.111s.
Ca.111s served in Peruvian Air Force heavy bomber squadrons alongside the new Ca.135s until 1940, when all Peruvian Ca.111s were re-assigned for use as transport aircraft.
Peru which had a small unit of paratroopers trained by Italy, during the Zarumilla War of 1941 dropped a small number of paratroopers from Ca. 111 R.C. aircraft on 27 July to seize the river port of Port Bolivar in disputed territory.
This was the first combat use of paratroopers in South American or North America’s military history.
Specifications
Crew
2-4
Length
15.30 m (50 ft 3 in)
Wingspan
19.65 m (64 ft 3 in)
Height
3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
Wing area
61.5 m2 (662 sq ft)
Empty weight
3,490 kg (7,694 lb)
Gross weight
5,490 kg (12,103 lb)
Powerplant
1 × Isotta Fraschini Asso 750 , 619 kW (830 hp)
Performance
Maximum speed
290 km/h (180 mph, 160 kn)
Range
1,300 km (808 mi, 702 nmi)
Service ceiling
6,700 m (21,980 ft)
Rate of climb
3.1 m/s (610 ft/min)
Armament
4 × 7.7 mm (.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun in flexible positions in dorsal, ventral, and beam positions
