Copyright 2010 by Brandon Cope
Caproni Ca 133 colonial bomber/transport
The Ca 133 grew out of a civil transport in 1934 with a crew of two and carrying 16 passengers for use in Africa. The Ca 133 saw combat in Abyssinia (where it faced no fighter opposition and very light antiaircraft guns) and the Spanish Civil War (where it proved to be extremely vulnerable to fighters and flak). By WWII it had mostly been pulled from its bomber role but was still used as an air ambulance and transport. A number were also retained in Italy for bomber and paratrooper training, as well as general liaison duties. About 250 were still operational in September 1939.
While the Ca 133 played only a limited role in WWII, adventurers in Africa or Spain in the 1930's might run into one.
Crew consists of a pilot, copilot/radio operator, bombardier/navigator/ventral gunner, dorsal gunner and waist gunner. The Ca 133 uses 46 gallons of aviation fuel per hour at routine usage.
Subassemblies: Heavy Fighter-Bomber chassis +3,
Heavy Fighter-Bomber Wings with STOL option +3, three Large Weapon
pods +2, three fixed wheels +1.
Powertrain:
3x343-kW aerial HP gasoline engine with 3x343-kW prop and 540-gallon
self-sealing fuel tanks [Wings and Body].
Occupancy:
5 CS Cargo: 46 Body, 5 Pods
Armor
All: 2/2
Weaponry
4xAircraft LMG/7.7mm Breda-SAFAT [Body:L,R,T,B]
(500 each).
2x550-lb bombs [Body:U]
Equipment
Body: Medium radio receiver and
transmitter, backup driver controls, navigation instruments,
autopilot, two 550-lb bomb bays.
Statistics
Size: 60'x70'x13' |
Payload: 2.87 tons |
Lwt: 7.24 tons |
Volume: 640 |
Maint.: 39 hours |
Price: $26,600 |
HT: 9.
HP:
260 [body], 150 [each wing], 120 [each pod], 25 [each wheel]
aSpeed: 174 |
aAccel: 4 |
aDecel: 15 |
AMR: 3.5 |
aSR: 2 |
Stall: 63 |
Design Notes
Design speed was 186 mph. The historical
speed has been used, as well as the actual wing area (700 square
feet). The cost, weight and HPs of the wings were quartered and the
wings halved. Loaded weight was decreased by 10%.
Variants
The Ca 133T was the transport version with
revised interior, carrying a crew of two and 18 passengers. Only 300
gallons of fuel could be carried with a full passenger load. The Ca
133S was the ambulance model.