CAPRONI IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR
Rosario Abate - Giorgio Apostolo

Editorial consultant Maurizio Pagliano

The most significant milestones in the development of Italian bomber aircraft, a celebration of Gianni Caproni, the foresighted constructor of those early wings, synonymous with "strategic bombing".

The complete history of this complex all-Italian aircraft from the design phase to the completion of the prototype, from the results of the first test flights until acceptance by the military administration, continuing later with the demanding phase of national production and concluding with the operational service of the various versions.

In the most organic presentation possible, an examination was made of all the most important facts which led to the creation and development of these aeroplanes, and all their individual technical characteristics, together with an ordered study of the production figures.

Great emphasis was placed on the photographic documentation, in the main previously unpublished, and which, better than any document, illustrates the evolution of the Caproni biplane and triplane bombers.

Constant and fundamental support was provided by the Caproni Family, who placed documents and photographic material at disposition.

The text and the original structure of the work, published in 1970, have been in part reworked or modified, and now incorporates some new sections, such as an English translation, the replacement of many illustrations, updated captions, and a colour photographic appendix.

The volume appears in the period of the major celebrations of the 150 years of Italian Unity, and the 1915-1918 war is considered by many experts to be the fourth war of independence. However, research works like this stand apart from simple anniversaries, and contribute to the recording of the design and entrepreneurial capabilities of a man like Gianni Caproni, born at Arco, in the Trentino, territory then in the possession of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and who elected to become Italian and make his contribution to the victory of the Tricolour.

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