Caproni Ca.73

The Caproni Ca.73 was a twin‑engine biplane produced by the Italian firm Caproni in the early 1920s, marking the company’s first foray into multi‑engine military aircraft after World War I. Designed as a night‑bomber and transport, the Ca.73 first flew in 1922 and entered service with the Regia Aeronautica the following year. Its structure combined a wooden wing framework with a steel‑tube fuselage, a mixed‑construction approach that was typical of the period but gave the airframe a relative robustness for the tactical roles it performed.

Powered by two 300 hp Isotta Fraschini V‑4 water‑cooled V‑12 engines mounted on the lower wing, the Ca.73 could reach a top speed of about 210 km/h and carried a crew of three plus up to 600 kg of bombs or a modest cargo load. Fixed, split‑axle landing gear and a conventional tail‑dragger undercarriage facilitated operations from unprepared fields. An upgraded Ca.73bis variant later received more powerful 350 hp engines and a slightly enlarged wing, improving payload and range.

Although only a limited number were built, the Ca.73 demonstrated the practicality of twin‑engine configurations for both bombing and transport duties, influencing subsequent Caproni designs such as the Ca.101 and Ca.133. Its service highlighted Italy’s transition from wartime biplanes to more versatile aircraft, helping to shape the strategic thinking of interwar aviation.