Caproni CA-60
triple triplane flying boat
The Caproni CA-60 was made as a cross between a house-boat and a
plane. This 1920 triple-wing monstrosity used three sets of triplane
wings left over from WW1 bombers, bolted to a 100 {!} passenger flying
boat hull. It had twice the wing area of a B-52 bomber and weighed
55,000 pounds. The 9000 square foot wings were equipped with ailerons
and the rear set were elevators. Power was by eight 400 hp American
Liberty engines in pusher and tractor sets, ten times as much as the
average passenger aircraft of the time. Miraculously, this machine DID
fly the first time in 1921- it reached a height of 60 feet, collapsed,
and plummeted toward the lake just after take off, killing both
pilots. The test pilot was named Semprini. It was "mysteriously"
destroyed in a fire while undergoing repairs. Despite it's massive
size, it was merely a prototype for a 150 seater designed to cross the
Atlantic.
The Caproni CA-60 under
construction (within an airship hangar).