{{Short description|Italian experimental high-altitude aircraft}} {{no footnotes|date=June 2013}} <!-- This article is a part of Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft. Please see Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout. --> {{Infobox aircraft |name=Ca 161 |image=Caproni Ca.161.jpg |caption= |type=High-altitude experimental aircraft |manufacturer=Caproni |designer=Rodolfo Verduzio |first_flight=1936 |introduction= |retired= |status= |primary_user= |more_users= |produced= |number_built= |variants= }}
The '''Caproni Ca.161''' was an aircraft built in Italy in 1936, in an attempt to set a new world altitude record. It was a conventional biplane with two-bay, staggered wings of equal span, based on Caproni's Ca.113 design. The pressure-suited pilot was accommodated in an open cockpit.
==Operational history== thumb|left|Ca.161's pressurized pilot suit. On 8 May 1937, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Pezzi broke the world altitude record with a flight to 15,655 m (51,362 ft). The following year, Pezzi broke the record again in the more powerful '''Ca.161bis''', making a flight to 17,083 m (56,047 ft) on 22 October 1938.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-07-25 |title=Flight in the Depression Timeline |url=https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/classic/flight-in-depression-timeline.htm |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=HowStuffWorks |language=en-us |archive-date=2023-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420135927/https://science.howstuffworks.com/transport/flight/classic/flight-in-depression-timeline.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Grob Strato 2C broke this record for piston-powered crewed airplanes generally in 1995, but as of 2024 it still stands for piston-powered biplanes, and for crewed single-engine piston aircraft.
A final altitude record for floatplanes was set on 25 September 1939 in the float-equipped '''Ca.161''Idro''''', piloted by Nicola di Mauro to 13,542 m (44,429 ft). As of 2024, this record also still stands.
==Variants== * '''Ca.161''' – original version with Piaggio P.XI R.C.72 engine * '''Ca.161bis''' – improved version with Piaggio P.XI R.C.100/2v * '''Ca.161''Idro''''' – floatplane version
==Specifications (Ca.161''bis'')== thumb ''Data from Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930–1945 apart from weights''
{{Aircraft specs |prime units? = met |crew=one, pilot |length m=8.25 |length ft=27 |length in=1 |span m=14.25 |span ft=46 |span in=9 |height m=3.50 |height ft=11 |height in=6 |wing area sqm=35.5 |wing area sqft=382 |empty weight kg=1205 |empty weight lb=2657 |gross weight kg=1650 |gross weight lb=3638 |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Piaggio P.XI R.C.100/2v 14-cylinder radial driving a 4-blade propeller |eng1 kw=560 |eng1 hp=750 |max speed kmh=100 |max speed mph=60 |ceiling m=17083 |ceiling ft=56047 |climb rate ms=10.3 |climb rate ftmin=2020 }}
==See also== {{aircontent |related= |similar aircraft= *Bristol Type 138 *Caproni Ca.113 *Junkers Ju 49 *Potez 506 |lists=<!-- related lists --> |see also=<!-- other relevant information --> }}
==References== {{reflist}} {{commons category|Caproni Ca.161}} * {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |page=236 }} * {{cite book |title=Italian Civil and Military Aircraft 1930–1945|last=Thompson |first=Jonathan |year=1963|publisher=Aero Publishers, Inc|location=Fallbrook, California |page=93}}
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Ca.161 Category:1930s Italian experimental aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1936 Category:Biplanes Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft