Caproni Ca.312 ‘Italian Export Bomber’

Description

In the late 1930s, the Italian manufacturer Caproni developed the twin-engine Ca.310 light bomber and its improved successor, the Ca.311, for the Regia Aeronautica. These aircraft also attracted export interest, particularly from Belgium and Norway.

Caproni initially offered the Ca.312 Belge to Belgium, based on the Ca.310. However, the production aircraft intended for both Belgium and Norway were to be derived from the more advanced Ca.311 airframe. The two export versions mainly differed in their nose configuration: Belgian aircraft featured a stepped nose, while Norwegian machines were designed with a streamlined glazed nose similar in appearance to that of the Heinkel He 111.

Compared with the standard Ca.311, the Ca.312 also incorporated larger engine cowlings, three-bladed propellers and a modified landing gear arrangement. The German occupation of Belgium and Norway resulted in the cancellation of both contracts before delivery, and only two aircraft were completed for the original export orders.

The unfinished batch of 24 aircraft was subsequently taken over by the Regia Aeronautica and employed mainly in transport duties in Italy, North Africa and on the Eastern Front. Two aircraft were converted into air ambulances and operated in the Caucasus area wearing an overall white finish with Red Cross markings.

This Special Hobby release allows the modeller to build either the Norwegian smooth-nosed prototype or several operational Italian aircraft. With its extensive multimedia content, the kit provides a highly detailed representation of this rare and unusual Caproni variant.

Kit contents

• 1/72 scale Caproni Ca.312 plastic model kit
• Injection-moulded plastic parts
• 3D-printed detail parts
• Resin components
• Photo-etched detail fret
• Pre-cut masking set included
• Detailed components for:
• Engines
• Engine cowlings
• Landing gear
• Interior fittings
• Decal sheet for 4 aircraft:
• 1 Norwegian smooth-nosed prototype
• 3 Italian stepped-nose aircraft
• 1 aircraft operating in Italy
• 1 aircraft operating in Africa
• 1 all-white air ambulance used in the Caucasus region
• Assembly instructions

Glue and paints not included