Introducing the greatest airplane to every fly…
The Stipa-Caproni
What was the Stipa-Caproni?
The Stipa-Caproni was a tubular shaped aircraft of Italian origin, designed by Luigi Stipa, and built with the intention of making the propeller more efficient. This was done by enclosing the engine and propeller in the center of the aircraft’s fuselage, which was shaped like an air duct, to make the aircraft more stable and efficient, and also ended up being quieter than most similarly sized aircraft of the time.
The aircraft first flew on October 7th, 1932, with Domenico Antonini flying the aircraft. All who flew the aircraft reported it being very stable, and were surprised by the very low landing speed it had. Only one original example of the aircraft was built. In 1998, Lynette Zuccoli and Aerotec Queensland built a 3/5 scale replica of the aircraft, which flew in 2001 and is now on static display in Australia’s Toowoomba City Aerodrome.
The Stipa-Caproni’s influence on aviation
This aircraft was very impactful in the world of aviation. The design was similar to a very simple jet engine, and a similar design was used on the Italian Caproni Campini N.1. The aircraft and Stipa’s work were the subject of other countries studies throughout the 30s and early 40s, and loosely inspired other aircraft. It is now the poster child of “weird” and “wacky” airplanes everywhere on the internet.
Why we need this aircraft in Infinite Flight
This would be essential aircraft to add to IF. With the addition of the PA-28, and recent(ish) attention being given to other small prop aircraft such as the C172, this is the perfect time to add a unique, but fun propeller aircraft to the sim. It would be a great aircraft for airshows, fly-in events, group & formation flights, and so much more! Imagine an airport full of these bad boys.
This aircraft is direly needed in IF, as we have an obvious lack of unique aircraft, and this would be a great aircraft to fill that niche gap.
Aircraft specifications (from Wikipedia)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 or 2
- Length: 6.04 m (19 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 14.30 m (46 ft 11 in)
- Height: 3.24 m (10 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 19 m2 (200 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb)
- Gross weight: 850 kg (1,874 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Gipsy III 4-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine, 90 kW (120 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed ground-adjustable propeller
Performance
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Maximum speed: 133 km/h (83 mph, 72 kn)
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Landing speed: 68 km/h (42 mph)
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Service ceiling: 3,700 m (12,100 ft)
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Time to altitude: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 40 minutes
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Wing loading: 44.73 kg/m2 (9.16 lb/sq ft) at 850 kg (1,874 lb)
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Power/mass: 0.105 kW/kg (0.064 hp/lb)
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Take-off run: 180 m (590 ft)
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Landing run: 180 m (590 ft)
Aircraft history also from Wikipedia
Who’s with me, who wants to see this bad boy in Infinite Flight!?
