Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio

The Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio was an Italian monoplane, twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft used in World War II.

Derived from the similar Ca.309, it had its combat debut during the Spanish Civil War and took part in the earlier phases of World War II in Libya.

Some were used in attack groups as a temporary replacement for the unsatisfactory Breda Ba.65.

The last Ca.310 was retired by the Italian Air Force in 1948.

Variants

Ca.310

Twin engined reconnaissance aircraft, powered by two Piaggio Stella P.VII C.16/35 seven-cylinder radial piston engines.

Ca.310 Idro

Twin-float seaplane version.

Ca.310bis

Effectively the prototype of the Caproni Ca.311 with the unstepped all-glazed nose and two Piaggio Stella P.VII C.35 engines

Ca.318

Proposed derivative powered by two Gnome-Rhône 14K engines

Specifications

Crew

3

Length

12.2 m (40 ft 0 in)

Wingspan

16.2 m (53 ft 2 in)

Height

3.52 m (11 ft 7 in)

Wing area

38.7 m2 (417 sq ft)

Empty weight

3,040 kg (6,702 lb)

Max take-off weight

4,650 kg (10,251 lb)

Powerplant

2 × Piaggio Stella P.VII C.16/35 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 350 kW (470 hp) each

Propellers

3-bladed variable-pitch propellers

Performance

Maximum speed

365 km/h (227 mph, 197 kn)

Cruise speed

285–312 km/h (177–194 mph, 154–168 kn)

Range

1,690 km (1,050 mi, 910 nmi)

Service ceiling

7,000 m (23,000 ft)

Armament

Guns

3 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns

(2 fixed forward firing mounted in the wing roots; 1 in a dorsal turret)

Bombs

up to 450 kg (992 lb).

You can see a partially restored one of these @ The Fly History Aviation Museum in Norway.