Caproni-Campini N1 (CC.2)

Technology Demonstrator Aircraft

Aviation / Aerospace

1 / 1

The Caproni-Campini N1 was anything but an advancement for jet-powered flight, often refered to as a technological dead end.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 5/31/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

With the introduction of the N1 (may also be known as the CC.2), Italy became only the second nation in the world to achieve jet-powered flight (Germany being the first), though the development of this particular aircraft did little to further the arrival of the jet age and help a nation stuck on the losing end of a World War. Engine designer Secondo Campini joined forces with the Caproni aircraft firm to try and produce fruit for his labor in reaction propulsion technology. The product would become an interesting mix of the old and the new, for the N1 would feature a basic piston engine driving a fan compressor system with ignited fuel for added propulsion - in effect becoming an engine with afterburn characteristics to an extent. Though not a true turbojet, the N1 was nonetheless a practice aircraft and would prove the engine design possible but effectively become a design that could not be furthered to become something more.

The N1 became a large aircraft design piloted by two personnel. It was a low-wing monoplane with a traditionally-designed empennage and a single vertical tail surface. The intake was open at the extreme forward position and exhaust jettisoned at the extreme rear of the aircraft. The first flight was achieved in 1940 and several more controlled flights followed soon after. As this was mostly a technology demonstrator than a viable fighter design, no armament was fitted the to the system. Landing gear was powered and fully retractable. Keeping with early "jet" designs of the time, wings were straight-wings and featured the distinct smooth curves of piston engine fighter designs. The N1 would achieve a top speed of only 233 miles per hour.

The Caproni-Campini N1 (CC.2) neither a true piston engine aircraft or a full-blown turbojet design. As a result, development of this type of technology proved to be a dead end for the most part and the failing war effort at home put priorities for Italy mostly on the defensive. The N1 would never truly achieve much beyond proving a design concept and bringing Italy one step closer to the jet age. The N1 would go on to survive through the end of the war, becoming a museum set piece.

Specifications

Year:
1940

Crew
2

Production
1 Units

Caproni-Campini - Italy

Kingdom of Italy

- X-Plane / Developmental

Length:
42.98 ft (13.1 m)

Width:
52.00 ft (15.85 m)

Empty Weight:
8,025 lb (3,640 kg)

MTOW:
9,248 lb (4,195 kg)
(Diff: +1,224lb)

(Showcased weight values pertain to the Caproni-Campini N1 (CC.2) production model)

1 x Isotta-Fraschini radial piston engine generating 900 horsepower driving a three-stage, ducted-fan compressor system.

Max Speed:
233 mph (375 kph; 202 kts)

Service Ceiling:
13,123 feet (4,000 m; 2.49 miles)

(Showcased performance values pertain to the Caproni-Campini N1 (CC.2) production model; Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database)

None.

(Showcased armament details pertain to the Caproni-Campini N1 (CC.2) production model)

None.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

* Ribbons not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns/operations.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2021 Military Pay Scale Army Ranks Navy Ranks Air Force Ranks Alphabet Code DoD Dictionary American War Deaths French Military Victories

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world and WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft.