# CASA III

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The **CASA III** was a 1920s [Spanish](/source/Spain) two-seat [monoplane](/source/Monoplane), designed by [Luis Sousa Peco](/source/Luis_Sousa_Peco) and built by [Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA](/source/Construcciones_Aeron%C3%A1uticas_SA) (CASA) at [Getafe](/source/Getafe) near Madrid.[1]

## Design and development

In 1929 using experience from the production of licence-built aircraft the company built the CASA III. It was originally designed as a [light bomber](/source/Light_bomber) monoplane for the *Aeronáutica Naval* air arm of the [Spanish Navy](/source/Spanish_Navy), but since its performance was poor the prototypes were used as touring aircraft, ending up as [trainers](/source/Trainer_aircraft) at [Pollensa](/source/Pollensa)´s Naval Air School.

The CASA III was a [parasol wing](/source/Parasol_wing) monoplane with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage. It had two tandem open cockpits and wide track fixed [conventional landing gear](/source/Conventional_landing_gear) with a tail skid.[1] The wings were hinged at the rear spar and they could be folded for storage or transport.[1]

The *M-CAGG* [registered](/source/Aircraft_registration) prototype first flew on 2 July 1929 and was powered by a 90 hp (67 kW) [Cirrus III](/source/Cirrus_III) piston engine.[1] Within a few weeks the aircraft took part in a handicap air race between Madrid and [Burgos](/source/Burgos) and on 25 December 1929 it became the first light aircraft to land in the [Canary Islands](/source/Canary_Islands).[1] The second aircraft was fitted with a 100 hp (75 kW) [Isotta Fraschini Asso 80](/source/Isotta_Fraschini_Asso_80)A engine but it was not a success. In 1930 three CASA III aircraft entered the [1930 Aerial Tour of Europe](/source/International_Touring_Competition_1930), but only two actually competed; the prototype which retired with a broken landing gear, and the [de Havilland Gipsy I](/source/De_Havilland_Gipsy_I) powered third-aircraft (M-CMAM) which arrived too late for the start although it completed the course.[1] A total of nine aircraft were built, all with different engines, including the [de Havilland Gipsy III](/source/De_Havilland_Gipsy_III) and the [Elizalde A6](/source/Elizalde_A6) radial engine.[1] The last aircraft built was delivered to the Spanish Navy.[1]

Suitable power plants included:- [de Havilland Gipsy I](/source/De_Havilland_Gipsy_I), [de Havilland Gipsy II](/source/De_Havilland_Gipsy_II), [de Havilland Gipsy III](/source/De_Havilland_Gipsy_III), [Isotta Fraschini Asso 80 R.](/source/Isotta_Fraschini_Asso_80_R.), [Lorraine 5P](/source/Lorraine_5P), [Walter Venus](/source/Walter_Venus) and [Elizalde D V](/source/Elizalde_D_V).[2][3]

## Operational history

During the [Spanish Civil War](/source/Spanish_Civil_War) all the remaining CASA IIIs were operated by the Republican forces and none of them survived.[1]

## Operators

**(Kingdom)**

- *[Aeronáutica Naval](/source/Spanish_Navy)*

**[Spain](/source/Spain)**

- [Spanish Republican Air Force](/source/Spanish_Republican_Air_Force)

## References

1. "CASA III, head-on View No. 29". *Air-Britain Archive*. **2008** (4): 153–156. 2008. [ISSN 0262-4923](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0262-4923)

1. *Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1931*. London: Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd. 1931. pp. 231c-232c.

1. ["AviationCorner.net - Aircraft photography - CASA III"](https://www.aviationcorner.net/show_photo_en.asp?id=277529). *www.aviationcorner.net*. Retrieved 17 January 2019.

## Further reading

- *The [Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft](/source/Illustrated_Encyclopedia_of_Aircraft) (Part Work 1982-1985)*. Orbis Publishing.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [CASA III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CASA_III) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CASA_III?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.