A Ghostly Apparition from Milan.
The latest addition to the site is the unique and rather special Caproni Ca.22 parasol monoplane. Constructed in 1913 by Giovanni Battista 'Gianni' Caproni's aircraft company Società de Agostini e Caproni of Milan, the Ca.22 was a two place research aircraft built to trial a variable incidence wing, which pivoted about the forward spar. Powered by an 80 hp Gnome Lambda seven cylinder rotary radial, only the one Ca.22 was built, which makes this machine an extraordinary survivor. In 1913 it reached the astonishing altitude (for its time) of 11,800 feet, or 3,600 metres, which it took 32 minutes to get to. Formerly with the Museo dell'Aeronautica Gianni Caproni (Gianni Caproni Museum of Aeronautics) at Trento, previously at Vizzola Ticino, the former Caproni Vizzola factory airfield in the province of Varese, since 2006 it has lived in New Zealand and is now located within the Knights of the Sky exhibition at the Aviation Heritage Centre at Omaka, Blenheim. As visitors enter the darkened room, they are greeted by the Ghostly Apparition of the Caproni. Because the hall is black throughout, photography is difficult and this is evident in some of the images; no tripod was used and despite my best efforts some of the shaded areas are grainy and poorly exposed. Click on the image to go to the Caproni Ca.22 walkaround.
