Caproni Ca.310, part three, domestic users

 

The Caproni Ca.310 'Libeccio' (South-Western wind in Italian) was a low-wing monoplane reconnaissance-bomber. Its design was basically a developed version of the previous Ca.309 with retractable landing gear and better engines. The fuselage was of welded steel tube construction, covered with light alloys fabrics and panels, with the empennage and tail unit being made out of wood with plywood skin on its fixed portions and fabric covering on control surfaces.

Above the fuselage, mounted in line with the trailing edges, was a manually operated dorsal turret equipped with a single 7,7mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun. 

Most of the Libeccios were meant to be exported but, as most orders were either cancelled and many of the delivered aircraft were returned to Italy, the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) received most of the produced ones, 193 of a total of 312 exemplars (though, according to other sources, the total number of manufactured Libeccios was circa 250. Regia Aeronautica did not equip entire units with the Libeccio, but assigned one aircraft per squadron for auxiliary duties. In total, the Regia Aeronautica operated 193 Ca.310 and Ca.310bis. They were used as squadron hacks, training aircraft and light passenger and cargo airplanes, mainly in the North African Theatre.

The only unit that was almost fully equipped with the Libeccio was the 12º Gruppo/50º Stormo Assalto (12th Squadron/50th Assault Wing) which received the ex-Hungarian machines as an interim replacement for the Breda Ba.65 in 1940. In this squadron, together with other types, they served until 1941 when they were replaced by the ground attack variant of the Fiat Cr.42. 

There was also an Idro (Italian word for "Hydro") version, equipped with floaters. This was intended to be used for naval reconnaissance purposes and had reduced bow glazing and no weapons. In August 1940 when the Italian Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) was looking for a replacement for the IMAM Ro.43 observation biplane, Caproni presented the Ca.310 Idro. There was a single prototype of this variant, which was converted later into the Ca.316. It seems that the Kingdom of Yugoslavia showed interest on this variant, after a demonstration flight was made at hydroplane station in Divulje, as they ordered six Ca.310bis Idro machines to serve with the Royal Yugoslav Navy in February 1939. These aircraft were intended to perform reconnaissance and target towing duties and their delivery deadline was 30th June 1941. However, by April 1941, when Yugoslavia was invaded by the Axis, only two Piaggio engines had been delivered. We drawn a hypothetical version of this aircraft serving with Yugoslavia. The Italian one should be regarded as speculative.

After the Italian Armistice in September 1943, some machines served with the Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force which, after the end of the war, were kept on active service with the Aeronautica Militare (Post-War Italian Air Force) until 1948. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caproni_Ca.310

2. https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235096763-caproni-ca310/

3. https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/16154/Caproni-Ca-310-Libeccio

4. https://comandosupremo.com/caproni-ca-310/