The Caproni-Campini CC.2

[Ratsel]

On 27 August, 1940, the first prototype was tested for 10 minutes over the Taliedo airfield by the great pilot, Mario De Bernardi (Schneider Trophy winner of 1926, RT). On 16 September that same year it was flown for another 5 minutes, thus undergoing the acceptance flight test in order that the second prototype was upgraded. The latter made its maiden flight on 11 April, 1941. On 30 November, 1941, at 2:47 pm, Mario De Bernardi and Ing. Giovanni Pedace flew the second prototype on an official flight from the airport of Milan Linate and that of Rome Guidonia. After flying over Pisa, they landed at 4:58 pm after covering 475.554 km at the average speed of 217.147 km/h. According to the pilot's wish, the afterburner was never actuated in order to save fuel.

The flight was a tremendous success, so much so that Mussolini personally complimented De Bernardi, and low-altitude flights were made over Rome, preceded by announcements repeatedly broadcast by radio. The event took the world by storm, and no less than 33 countries congratulated the Italian government. These flights were recognized by the F.A.I. (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) to be the first ever made by a jet. Truth to tell, the plan conceived by the German, Hans von Ohain, and the Heinkel group, whereby the extraordinary He.178 aircraft was flown precisely a year before, on 27th August, 1939, had been kept secret.





The engine designed by Ing. Campini had many other drawbacks. That is, it was heavy and bulky, the type of engine used to drive the compressor was rather complex, the efficiency of the burner was low - although it came close to the best possible performance of the day -, and maximum power was considerably limited. This is why the German design - which came into use when World War II was drawing to an end, is the forerunner of the modern jet engines, while the Italian version has a purely historical value

[razor1uk]

An elegant DF+AB/MLS kite, although oversized for its power, it was one of the first 'real aircraft' looking ducted fan airplanes that caught the World's attention.

[Crimea_River]

Interesting.Thanks for posting.

[Ratsel]

Ducted fan with three rotors, of which two are rotating, and one is fixed (a "fixed rotor" is a contradiction within itself, RT); burners provide 700 kg thrust; engine of the compressor, 900 hp Isotta Fraschini L. 121/R.C. 40; length, 12.10 m; height, 4.70 m; span, 14.63 m; wing area, 36 sq m; weight empty, 3,640 kg; total weight, 4,217 kg; useful load, 577 kg; maximum speed at an altitude of 3,000 m without burner, 325 km/h; maximum speed at an altitude of 3,000 m with burner, 359.5 km/h; climb, 1,000 m in 9 min. (with burner); maximum altitude attained in the course of acceptance flight tests, 4,000 m.



The Engine of the CC-2 Aircraft
Like a gun, which 'reacts' with a quick backward movement (i.e. the recoil) when a projectile is shot forward at high speed, a jet engine derives its thrust by reaction to its high-speed ejection of combustion products, and by the expansion of heated air, which is pushed out at a higher speed than when the air is drawn in. (After all, ordinary propellers work in a similar way. They accelerate backwards the air mass that moves through their rotating blades.) These introductory remarks are meant to help our visitors gain an insight into the workings of Ing. Campini's thermojet. It is, in effect, to be considered more as a hybrid than as a jet engine proper. An internal combustion engine characterized by reciprocating motion of pistons in its cylinder - in our case, a 900 hp Isotta Fraschini L. 121/R.C. 40 engine - drove a compressor incorporating 2 ducted propellers and a propeller designed to direct the flow and minimize the breakdown of the smooth airflow. A ring of injectors (i.e. the burners) introduced kerosine, whose combustion increased the volume of the thermojet and the exhaust velocity.



A ducted propeller worked as an air compressor pumping fresh air in a Venturi duct: the injection of fuel worked as the first afterburners used on F-100 Super Sabre during 1950#8217;s. There were not annular combustion chambers and the ducted propeller was unable to change hydraulically the inclination of the blades (pitch). Also the jet exhaust had no flux adjustment by changing the outer diameter of the outlet, like it happens on modern jets. These were the reasons of the too long venturi duct crossing the fuselage.