Caproni Ca.316

The Caproni Ca.316 was a reconnaissance seaplane produced in Italy during the Second World War, intended for catapult operations from the capital ships of the Italian Navy. It belonged to the large family of Caproni designs derived from the Ca.306 airliner prototype of 1935 and was more directly a modification of the Ca.310 Idro seaplane. The basic Ca.310 design was fitted with large pontoons carried under the engine nacelles on streamlined pylons, and a revised nose with extensive glazing on the underside. Fourteen examples were built and in 1942 they were assigned to the 3a Squadriglia of the Scuola Osservazione Marittima. The listed specification gives a crew of three, a length of 12.89 metres, a wingspan of 15.9 metres, two Piaggio P.VII radial engines of 460 kilowatts each and a maximum speed of 331 kilometres per hour.