Specifications
Year: 1943
Status: Cancelled
Manufacturer(s): Caproni Vizzola - Kingdom of Italy
Production: 2
Capabilities: Fighter; Interception; X-Plane;
Status: Cancelled
Manufacturer(s): Caproni Vizzola - Kingdom of Italy
Production: 2
Capabilities: Fighter; Interception; X-Plane;
Crew: 1
Length: 30.02 ft (9.15 m)
Width: 37.24 ft (11.35 m)
Height: 9.91 ft (3.02 m)
Weight (Empty): 4,993 lb (2,265 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 6,360 lb (2,885 kg)
Length: 30.02 ft (9.15 m)
Width: 37.24 ft (11.35 m)
Height: 9.91 ft (3.02 m)
Weight (Empty): 4,993 lb (2,265 kg)
Weight (MTOW): 6,360 lb (2,885 kg)
Power: 1 x Daimler-Benz DB605A inverted V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine developing 1,474 horsepower and driving a three-bladed propeller unit at the nose.
Speed: 354 mph (570 kph; 308 kts)
Ceiling: 31,168 feet (9,500 m; 5.9 miles)
Range: 590 miles (950 km; 513 nm)
Ceiling: 31,168 feet (9,500 m; 5.9 miles)
Range: 590 miles (950 km; 513 nm)
Operators: Kingdom of Italy (cancelled)
All of this work led the company to establish the "F.6", a similarly-minded fighting monoplane. It shifted to a liquid-cooled inline engine once the German DB605's became available to Italy but was more or less a continuation of both the F.4 and F.5 lines. The F.5 made up its airframe and the powerplant of choice became the DB605A V-12 inverted piston engine of 1,474 horsepower driving a three-bladed propeller unit at the nose. The wing mainplanes were redesigned and completed as all-metal members for added strength, unlike the wooden ones used in the F.5. Again, armament was a modest load-out of just 2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT heavy machine guns, these fitted to the nose, while a pair of guns could be added to the wings (one per wing).
The revised aircraft was designated as "F.6M" and, in prototype form, the product achieved a first-flight in September of 1941. Its chin-mounted radiator was found to generate significant drag during flight so this structure was modified and repositioned closer to midships (at the belly, aft of the cockpit floor). This prototype was actively tested until a collision at Bresso and given up for good thereafter - Caproni looking to further the promising F.7 fighter instead (detailed elsewhere on this site).
The F.6Z was an offshoot of the F.6 fighter project and developed in parallel with the F.6M, though started only after the M-model gained traction. This model switched to the Isotta-Fraschini "Zeta" R.C.25/60 24-cylinder X-type engine rated near 1,500 horsepower and proposed armament became 3 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT heavy machine guns with one per wing and a single mounting in the forward fuselage / nose section area. The Z-model was delayed by engine issues and not flown for the first time until August of 1943 with a downrated (1,200hp) Zeta powerplant. With the Italian surrender arriving in September of that year, all development work on the F.6Z was abandoned in turn.
Armament
PROPOSED (F.6M):
2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT heavy machine guns in forward fuselage.
2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT heavy machine guns in wings (one per wing) (optional).
PROPOSED (F.6Z):
1 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT heavy machine gun in forward fuselage.
2 x 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT heavy machine guns in wings (one per wing).
Variants / Models
• F.6 - Base Series Designation
• F.6M - Fitted with Daimler-Benz DB605A V12 engine; 2 x 12.7mm HMG armament with optional 2 x 12.7mm wing guns; damaged in collision and ultimately abandoned.
• F.6Z - Fitted with Isotta-Fraschini Zeta R.C.25/60 24cyl X-type engine; armament of 1 x 12.7mm fuselage gun and 2 x 12.7mm wing guns; abandoned development.
