Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini
CANT Z.1012
The CANT Z.1012 was a small, three‑engine transport and liaison aircraft built in the late 1930s by the Italian firm Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini (CANT). Designed to replace older wooden biplanes in the Regia Aeronautica’s light‑transport fleet, the Z.1012 first flew on 22 June 1937 from the Trieste seaplane base. Its low‑wing monoplane layout incorporated all‑metal construction, a retractable landing gear and a fixed, streamlined nose‑wheel. Powered by three 125‑hp Alfa Romeo 110 radial engines mounted on the wing leading edge, the aircraft could carry up to six passengers or a comparable cargo load at a maximum speed of 260 km/h and a range of roughly 1 200 km. The Z.1012 featured a spacious cabin with large glazed windows, dual controls for training, and provisions for radio equipment, making it suitable for courier, medical‑evacuation and coastal patrol duties. Although only a handful were completed before World War II halted production, the type demonstrated CANT’s transition from seaplane design to modern land‑based transport. Its modest performance and versatile layout helped shape Italy’s pre‑war utility aircraft concepts and provided valuable experience that influenced later CANT designs such as the Z.506 and Z.1007.
Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1937