URL : https://www.valka.cz/CANT-Z-511A-t69041#242692
Version : 0
CRDA (CANT) Z.511
History: This aircraft was an interesting design, the chief engineer of the CRDA factory (formerly CANT), Fillipo Zappaty. At the end of the 1930s, transatlantic air transport began to develop, first by post and then with the possibility of transporting passengers. Of course, Italy did not want to be left behind in this imaginary race. And that is why the Italian airline Ala Littoria awarded a contract in 1937 for the construction of an aircraft that would have a long range and a large carrying capacity. The CRDA factory responded to this order with the project of the Cant Z.511 floatplane. The project was prepared in 1938. The aircraft itself was an elegant four-engine dololane, all-metal construction, with two floats. The aircraft was to be powered by two-star Alfa-Romeo 135 engines, on long routes it could carry 16 and on shorter up to 48 passengers. The airline Ala Littorio, did not even wait for the first prototype to fly, and in September 1938 ordered three machines, called Cant Z.511A (A-like Atlantic). There was also talk of six other serial machines. The problem arose with the engines, the company Alfra-Romeo, was unable to deliver the promised power units and so had to improvise. There was no engine available in Italy with the required power, so the CRDA factory decided to buy in December 1939, the American Wright R-2600-A2B engines. In the end, however, the deal did not take place, and the choice fell on the Italian engines Piaggio P.XII RC.35. After all the problems, the first prototype was flown on September 8, 1940 in Monfalcone, by test pilot Mario Stoppani. Further tests, which mostly took place on Lake Bracciano near Rome, showed excellent performance of the aircraft. During the tests, the aircraft was taken over by Regia Aeronautica and marked with the serial number MM396, its civilian use was no longer considered. The possibility was considered of converting the aircraft to a torpedo bomber, armed with 533 mm torpedoes (Italian air torpedoes had a caliber of 450 mm) or a long-range bomber capable of bombing bases in the Black Sea or oil resources in the Persian Gulf. The only prototype produced finally ended in the summer of 1944, at the bottom of Lake Bracciano. The second prototype, which was under construction, was destroyed by the workers themselves in the CRDA factory, already in 1943, so that it would not fall into German hands, after Italy switched to the side of the Allies by a separate peace. The Cant Z.511 was a four-engine all-metal glider with two floats. It was powered by four two-star fourteen-cylinder Piaggio P.XII RC.35 with an output of 1350 horses. An interesting feature of the construction was the corridor in the wing, through which the mechanic could walk to the engines or to the floats. The speed of the aircraft was 424 km/h and the cruising speed was 360 km/h. The fuel supply was 16,340 liters. The plane flew without weapons.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/CANT-Z-511A-t69041#242694
Version : 0
Join us
We believe that there are people with different interests and experiences who could contribute their knowledge and ideas. If you love military history and have experience in historical research, writing articles, editing text, moderating, creating images, graphics or videos, or simply have a desire to contribute to our unique system, you can join us and help us create content that will be interesting and beneficial to other readers.
