Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) Toscana

Box Art by Zane R Nobbs

On 27 Aubust 1940 Italy put the modern world's first motorjet powered aircraft in the air, the Campini-Caproni C.C.2 (N.1) (1/72 Delta2, Valom)  powered by an  Isotta Fraschini L.121/R.C.40 piston engne driving a Campini motorjet (sometimes this combination is referred to as a Thermojet). Of course, as we know today, Germany had already flown the modern world's first turbojet powered aircraft the previous year, the Heinkel He-178 powered by a Heinkel He S 3B axial-flow turbojet. Thanks to extremely efficient secrecy, Germany's accomplishment wouldn't be known until late in the war. Regardless of this, the Italian government created much publicity for the flight of the N.1 and touted it as the world's first jet powered aircraft.

Campini-Caproni C.C.2 (N.1) - Caproni Archives photograph

The success with the N.1 prompted Count Giovanni Battista Caproni and Designer Secondo Campini to create other designs using the Campini motorjet. These included a two-engine version of the N.1 in three different configurations, as well as a gyrocopter and a two-engine bomber known as the Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) Toscana (Tuscany). For the designation "C.C." this denoted "Campini-Caproni" for aircraft approved for production by the Caproni company. The "C.S." stood for a "Campini, Secondo" - a design by Secondo Campini that did not necessarily reach production status. The "N" for the "N.1" noted the first motorjet built and flown in Italy. In the confusion near the end of the war "C.S." became the sole designation.

Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) Toscana - Caproni Archives illustration

The Toscana had the Campini engines mounted in the wings, similar to those of the Gloster F.1 Meteor, with two Isotta Fraschini L.121/R.C.40 piston engines located in the fuselage. The piston engines were connected to the motorjets by means of a gears and pully system engineered inside of the wings. The motorjets provided 1,350 hp/2,500 lbs of thrust for a crusing speed of 460 mph/750 kph and a maximum speed of 650 mph/1,050 kph. 

Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) Power Systems, Illustration by Zane R Nobbs

The aircraft had a crew of four with a pilot, co-pilot/navigator, a bombardier/belly gunner and rear gunner. Outside of the unusual engine configuration, the wings and fuselage were traditional to the period. The tail consisted of two tail-wings, but also two rudders on each side of the fuselage. The aircraft was to carry a bomb load of up to 3,000 lbs/1,360 kgs or a torpedo. Armament consisted of 8 machine guns: 4 in the nose, 2 in the belly and 2 in the fuselage with one firing forward and another backward.

12.7 mm (0.5 in) Isotta-Fraschini Scotti machine guns - Caproni Archives illustration

First designed in 1940, plans advanced for engine layout and armaments by 1942 and by 1943 a wind test model was built, final plans were completed during the Winter of 1944 and construction began by Spring 1945.

Campini Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) initial design of 1940 - Caproni Archives illustration

When Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, came to power in 1922, the Italian Corpo Aeronautico Militare (Military Aviation Corps), a division of the Italian Army, was transformed into the independent Regia Aeronautica (Royal Air Force) in 1923. With the removal and arrest of Il Duce in 1943 and the armistice between Italy and the Allies in the South, the Regia Aeronautica became the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana in the North, for the puppet state of the Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana - ASI) that was established after the rescue of Il Duce by the Germans.

Italian Air Force symbols with context, by Zane R Nobbs - click to enlarge illustrations

In the South the new Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana (Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force - ANR) or Aeronautica del Sud (Air Force of the South) joined the Allies under Marshal Pietro Badoglio. This later became the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) of today.

Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) design of 1942 - Caproni Archives Illustration

As the war situation deteriorated for the Italian Social Republic, the Fascist government abandon the project, along with Campini-Caproni C.S.1 (a civilian sub-sonic motorjet), the C.S.3 (a three engine propeller and motorjet bomber), C.S.4 (a motorjet fighter), the C.S.5 (a ramjet powered aircraft), the C.S.6 (an autogyro) the Ca.183bis (a propeller and motorjet fighter), and the Reggiane Re.2007 (a turbojet fighter) (1/72 RS Models). All were destroyed by Allied bombing raids prior to the end of hostilities.

Early Wind Test Model of the Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) 1943 (note Fascist symbol still on the wings) - Caproni Archives Photograph

That the motorjet concept was followed through, even to the end of World War II, demonstrates that Italy, along with Count Caproni, saw a future for this type of motor. Indeed, in America Mr. Eastman Jacobs was so impressed after his pre-war visit to Italy, that he used a similar configuration for the NACA-Langley-Jacobs-Jeep (1/72 IRMA) with a projected performance of 600 mph/965 kph by 1943. The Jeep would have fielded a jet aircraft on the Allied side about a year ahead of the Gloster F.1 Meteor and also before the Messerschmitt Me-262 was deployed, outperforming both.

N.A.C.A.-Langley-Jacob's-Jeep, Model and photgraph by Zane R Nobbs

Although the Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) Toscan never flew, just the concept of such an aircraft demonstrates the resilience of Italy in pursuing it's own home-grown aviation industry to the absolute limits based on the motorjet technology. For this reason we have chosen this aircraft to be IRMA Kit No.11 Campini-Caproni C.C.7 (C.S.11) Toscana (Tuscany).

Dimensions:  

Wingspan: 61'8" (18.8 m)

Length: 47'10" (14.6 m)

Height: 15'5" (4.7 m)

Weight: 18,518 lbs (8,400 kg)

Performancce:

Maximum Speed: 650 mph (1,050 kph)

Cruise Speed: 460 mph (750 kph)

Range: 1,864 miles (3,000 km)

Take-Off Run: 1,640'5" (500 m)

Power:

Two Campini Motorjets in the wings driven by two Isotta Fraschini L.121/R.C.40 piston engines in the fuselage providing 1,350 hp (102,695 kg-m/s)/2,500 lbs (1,134 kgs) of thrust

Crew:

Four: Pilot, Co-Pilot/Navigator, Bombardier/Belly Gunner, Tail-Gunner

Armament:

Four 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Isotta-Fraschini Scotti machine guns in nose firing forward

Two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Isotta-Fraschini Scotti machine guns in belly turret, rotating

Two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Isotta-Fraschini Scotti machine guns in top turret, one forward, one rearward

3,000 lbs (1,360 kgs) of bombs or 1x torpedo

 -Zane R Nobbs, 2018, Copyright International Resin Modellers Association©SM®TM

References for this article:

La Propulsione a Reazione in Italia: Dalle Origini al 1943 (Reaction Propulsion in Italy: From its Origins to 1943), by Giuseppe Ciampaglia, SMA-Ufficio Storico, Rome, Italy, 2002

Aeronautica Italiana: Dieci Annit di Storia: 1943-1952 (Italian Aeronautics: Ten Years of History: 1943-1952), by Achille Vigna, Storia Militare, Parma, Italy, 1999

The Axis Air Forces: Flying in Support of the German Luftwaffe, by Frank Joseph, Praeger, Santa Barbara, California, USA, 2011

Camouflage and Markings of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana 1943-1945, by Ferdinando D'Amico & Gabriele Valentini, Classic Publications, 2005

The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, by David Donald, Barnes and Noble Books, 1997

Rand McNalley Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, by Enzo Angelucci, Military Press, 1980.

World Encyclopedia of Civil Aircraft, by Enzo Angelucci, Crown Publishers, Inc., 1982

Graphic images on this page copyright by IRMA 2023

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Artwork on this page by Zane R Nobbs                 

Box Art by  Zane R Nobbs