During World War II, Caproni built the Caproni Vizzola F.6, an Italian fighter aircraft.
This aircraft was a single-seat, low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable landing gear.
The company only constructed two prototypes, one designated F.6M and the other designated F.6Z.
Variants
F.6M
The F.6 concept was born out of a collaborative effort to merge the airframe of the Italian Caproni Vizzola F.5 fighter with the German Daimler-Benz DB 605A liquid-cooled inverted V-12 engine.
In order to achieve this goal, Caproni decided to keep the F.5 fuselage while introducing metal wings to replace the original wooden wings.
The resulting aircraft was officially named F.6M, with the letter “F” paying homage to Fabrizi, the creator of the F.5, and the letter “M” representing Metallico.
The F.6M was intended to carry double the offensive armament of the F.5, featuring four 12.7-millimetre (0.50-inch) Breda-SAFAT machine guns instead of two.
During its first flight in September 1941, the prototype F.6M had two guns mounted in the fuselage and provisions for two more in the wings, although the latter were never installed.
Initially, a large radiator was positioned under the nose, causing significant aerodynamic drag.
Subsequent flight tests led to the relocation of the radiator to the belly, behind the pilot.
Unfortunately, the sole F.6M prototype was damaged in a collision at Bresso airfield, prompting Caproni to discontinue the F.6M project and focus on the more advanced Caproni Vizzola F.7 fighter.
F.6Z
Shortly after Caproni initiated the design process for the F.6M, the company started working on a second F.6 prototype known as the F.6Z.
This aircraft was intended to be powered by the Isotta Fraschini Zeta R.C.25/60 24-cylinder X-type engine, hence the designation “Z” for Zeta.
The F.6Z was equipped with three 12.7-millimeter (0.50-inch) Breda-SAFAT machine guns, with one mounted in the fuselage and two in the wings.
However, engine development issues caused significant delays for the F.6Z, which eventually took its maiden flight in August 1943.
Testing conducted in August and September of the same year revealed that the Zeta engine, rated at 1,100 kilowatts (1,500 horsepower), was only producing 900 kilowatts (1,200 horsepower).
Unfortunately, this problem remained unresolved due to the Italian armistice with the Allies on 8 September 1943, leading to the termination of the F.6Z project.
The F.6Z prototype was the sole fighter aircraft to be powered by the Zeta engine, as another planned fighter type, the Reggiane Re.2004, never came to fruition.
F.7
The F.6 underwent significant revisions and was equipped with a 1,175 horsepower Alfa Romeo R.A.1000 R.C.44-la Monsone engine (a licensed version of the DB 601A-l).
However, development was halted following the armistice in September 1943.
Specifications
Crew
One
Length
9.15 m (30 ft 0.25 in)
(F.6Z 9.01 m (30 ft))
Wingspan
11.35 m (37 ft 3 in)
(F.6Z 11.82 m (39 ft))
Height
3.02 m (9 ft 11 in)
Wing area
18.81 m2 (202.5 sq ft)
Aspect ratio
6.85
Empty weight
2,265 kg (4,993 lb)
(F.6Z 3,348 kg (7,381 lb))
Gross weight
2,885 kg (6,360 lb)
(F.6Z 4,092 kg (9,021 lb))
Powerplant
1 × Daimler-Benz DB 605A,
V-12 inverted liquid-cooled piston engine,
1,099 kW (1,474 hp)
Propellers
3-bladed
Performance
Maximum speed
569 km/h (354 mph, 307 kn) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
(F.6Z 630 km/h (391 mph))
Range
950 km (590 mi, 513 nmi) at 477 km/h (296 mph)
(F.6Z 1,370 km (850 mi))
Wing loading
155.4 kg/m2 (31.4 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass
2.63 kg/kW
Armament
Guns
3 (F.6Z) or 4 (F.6M) × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) forward-firing Breda-SAFAT machine guns.
Sources
The Complete Book of Fighters: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Every Fighter Aircraft Built and Flown-W Green and G Swanborough.
La Caproni Di Taliedo Storia Di Unindustria Aeronautica-Claudio De Biaggi.
