Caproni Ca.311

The Caproni Ca.311 was an Italian twin‑engine reconnaissance and light‑bomber aircraft produced by the Caproni company during the late 1930s and early World II. Developed from the earlier Ca.310 model, the Ca.311 incorporated a glazed nose and a more powerful Alfa‑Romeo 115‑Ir radial engine on each wing, giving it a top speed of about 425 km/h (264 mph) and a range near 1,500 km. Its wooden‑fuselage frame, covered with fabric, combined light weight with ease of production, while fixed landing gear and a modest defensive armament of a single 7.7 mm machine gun reflected its primary role as a fast‑flying scout. First entering service with Regia Aeronautica in 1939, the Ca.311 saw extensive use over the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Balkans, providing artillery spotting, photographic reconnaissance, and occasional ground‑attack missions. Although it was quickly outclassed by more advanced monoplane designs, the aircraft demonstrated the adaptability of Caproni’s modular construction techniques and contributed to Italy’s early wartime aerial intelligence capabilities. Today, the surviving examples in museums illustrate a transitional stage between pre‑war biplanes and the high‑performance monoplanes that would dominate later conflict. Its distinctive nose glass allowed observers to maintain visual contact while navigating at low altitude.