Caproni Ca.313

The Caproni Ca.313 was an Italian twin‑engine reconnaissance and light‑bomber developed in the late 1930s by the Caproni aircraft company. Derived from the earlier Ca.310 “Ariete” series, the Ca.313 incorporated a stronger wooden wing structure, an enlarged fuselage, and more powerful Alfa‑Romeo 140 RC 40 radial engines delivering 650 hp each, which raised its top speed to about 440 km/h (273 mph). First flown in 1939, the type entered service with the Regia Aeronautica in 1940 and was exported to several Axis allies, including Hungary, Finland and Croatia. Its crew of three operated a modest bomb load of up to 400 kg and could carry a modest suite of cameras and a 12.7 mm machine gun for defensive fire. Although largely superseded by faster monoplane fighters, the Ca.313 proved valuable for coastal patrol, maritime reconnaissance, and medium‑altitude bombing during the early years of World II. The aircraft illustrated Caproni’s capacity to adapt existing designs quickly to meet wartime demands and contributed to the development of Italy’s later, more advanced twin‑engine platforms. Post‑war, a few Ca.313s survived in civilian service as transport and mail planes, and several examples are preserved in museums, symbolising Italy’s interwar aeronautical ingenuity.

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