Copyright 2012 by Brandon Cope
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Caproni Ca 201 observation gyrocopter
The Ca 201 was designed in the late 1930's as an obervation craft for
use
in the Italian controlled regions in North and East Africa where there
was insufficient facilities to support fixed-wing aircraft.
Originally unarmed, two machineguns and provisions for a light bomb
load (or drop tank) was added to the production models. The Ca 201
proved
quite useful until
it began encountering British fighter planes, after which it's use was
greatly limited to liaison duties. The primary operational problem was
the rather long (for an autogyro) take-off run. Most pilots were also
unhappy with the enclosed cockpit.
Crew consists of the pilot.
The Ca 201 uses 6.3 gallons of aviation fuel per hour.
Subassemblies: Small Helicopter Chassis +2, Rotors -1, three
fixed Wheels +1
P&P: 140 kW HP gasoline engines w/140-kW prop, 24 gallon
standard tank [Body]
Occ: 1
CS
Cargo: 1.
| Armor |
F |
R/L |
B |
T |
U |
| Body |
2/2 |
2/2 |
2/2 |
2/2 |
2/2 |
| Rotors |
3/10 |
3/10 |
3/10 |
3/10 |
3/10 |
| Wheels |
3/5 |
3/5 |
3/5 |
3/5 |
3/5 |
Weaponry
2*Aircraft LMG/Breda-SAFAT Mod 30[Body:F] (500 each)
Equipment
Body: Medium range radio receiver and transmitter, bomb sight,
navigational
instruments, 220-lb hardpoint.
Statistics
| Size: 50'x40'x12' |
Payload: 0.31 tons |
Lwt: 0.81 tons |
Volume: 72
|
Maint.: 138 hours |
Price: $2,100 |
HT: 12
HP: 56 [body], 16 [each rotor], 5 [each wheel]
aSpeed: 150
|
aAccel: 5
|
aDecel: 8
|
aMR: 1.75
|
aSR: 1
|
Stall: 40 mph |
Take-off roll (loaded): 56 yards. Landing roll (hardpoint
empty): 14
yards
Design Notes
Design speed was 174 mph. This was lowered to the maximum of 150 mph
for a rotary wing at TL6.
Performance includes loaded hardpoint (220 lbs bombs or 27.5 gallon
drop tank). sSpeed xx with hardpoint empty.
To better match historical autogyros, rotor area was raised to the 1.75
power in stall calculations and 1.5 power in speed calculations.
Takeoff was divided by 3 and landing distances by 10.
Variants
The Ca 202 removed the two nose machineguns and hardpoint. The pilot's
position was unenclosed and an open observer position was added behind
the pilot. The observer was provided with a light machinegun for rear
defense. This version was generally more popular than the Ca 201 but
was madein smaller numbers.