A six-engined inverted sesquiplane, the Caproni Ca.90 was designed as a heavy bomber and first flew in 1929.^[1] It had two tandem pairs of 1,000 hp (746 kW) Isotta Fraschini Asso 1000 W-18 piston engines mounted above the lower wing, each pair driving a four-bladed pusher and a two-bladed tractor propeller.^[1] Another pair of engines was mounted above the fuselage.^[1] Only one Ca.90 was built.^[1]

Although the Dornier Do X flying boat that flew later in 1929 had a larger wingspan and weight, the Caproni Ca.90 remained the largest landplane until the arrival of the Tupolev ANT-20 in 1934.^[1]

Data from ^[1]Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft

General characteristics

• Length: 26.95 m (88 ft 5 in)
• Upper wingspan: 34.90 m (114 ft 6 in)
• Lower wingspan: 46.60 m (152 ft 11 in)
• Height: 10.80 m (35 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 496.60 m² (5,345.4 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 15,000 kg (33,069 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 30,000 kg (66,139 lb)
• Powerplant: 6 × Isotta Fraschini Asso 1000 water-cooled W-18 piston engines, 750 kW (1,000 hp) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 205 km/h (127 mph, 111 kn)
• Range: 1,290 km (800 mi, 700 nmi)
• Endurance: 7 hours
• Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,700 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 12 defensive machine-guns
• Bombs: 8,000 kg (18,000 lb)

The Ca.90 appeared in animated form, within the Studio Ghibli film, Kaze Tachinu. It makes its appearance in a dream sequence where Jiro Horikoshi has a meaningful meeting and conversation with his inspiration, Count Caproni.

• Beardmore Inflexible

Notes

Bibliography