| Cant Z.1007 Alcione | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Medium bomber |
| Manufacturer | CANT |
| Designer | |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users | Regia Aeronautica |
| Number built | 660[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1938–1943[1] |
| Introduction date | May 1939 |
| First flight | March1937 |
TheCANT Z.1007Alcione (Kingfisher) was a three-enginedmedium bomber designed and produced by theItalian aircraft manufacturerCANT. It was regarded by some[who?] as "the best Italian bomber of World War II", although its wooden structure was easily damaged by the climate in North Africa and in Russia.[2]
Designed byFilippo Zappata, who also designed theCANT Z.506 Airone, the Z.1007 had a wooden structure and "excellent flying characteristics and good stability".[2][3] The prototype performed itsmaiden flight during March 1937, and the type entered service with theRegia Aeronautica in the following year. The initial production version, powered byIsotta-Fraschini Asso XI.RC inline engines, was not fully satisfactory, and thus was largely confined to use as a trainer while design work continued. An improved model, theZ.1007bis, was developed to resolve the problems with the original aircraft; it was powered byPiaggio P.XI RC.40radial engines and other design refinements.
Production of the type was relatively slow, even following Italy's entry into theSecond World War on 10 June 1940. In October of that year, the combat debut of Z.1007 took place during theItalian invasion of Greece.[1] It was subsequently used for reconnaissance and bombing missions in many theatres of the conflict, including theMediterranean,North Africa and theEastern Front. It was operated in quantity by theItalian Co-Belligerent Air Force (Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana) limited numbers were also flown by theRoyal Air Force andLuftwaffe during the conflict. Due to its vulnerability to damage and fire, the Z.1007 was largely flown at night during the latter part of its service life.
During 1935,Filippo Zappata, the chief designer of theCantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini (CANT), designed two medium bombers, the twin-enginedCANT Z.1011 and the three-engined CANT Z.1007. Both aircraft were to be powered by 619 kW (830 hp)Isotta-Fraschini Asso XI.RC inline engines and were of wooden construction. The Z.1007 was preferred by both Zappata and the Italian Aviation Ministry, which led to an order for 18 aircraft being placed on 9 January 1936. A further order for 16 aircraft followed on 23 February 1937.[4]
The Z.1007 was developed from theCANT Z.506 Aironeseaplane,[citation needed] an aircraft that had established numerous world records in the late 1930s. Unlike the Z.506, it was a land-based version and incorporated many improvements, especially of the engines. The firstprototype flew in March 1937; during flight testing, it proved to be superior to the Z.1011, being praised for its handling and manoeuvrability alike. Its performance was lower than predicted and Zappata undertook a redesign of the Z.1007 while production of the initial version was limited to the orders placed before the prototype flew.[4]
The Z.1007 was a mid-wingedmonoplane with a retractabletailwheel undercarriage.[1] It was typically operated by a crew of five, consisting of two pilots, a flight engineer, a radio operator and abombardier–navigator. The Z.1007 was fitted with a defensive armament of a 12.7 mm (0.50 in)Breda-SAFAT machine gun in an open dorsal position and a 7.7 mm (0.30 in) machine gun in a ventral tunnel.[1] It could carry up to 800 kg (1,800 lb) of bombs. After much experimentation with the prototype, the production aircraft were furnished with annularradiators so their profile was similar toradial engines that would be fitted to the improved later versions. Delivery of production Asso powered Z.1007s started in February 1939, with production ending in October of that year.[5]
Zappata had continued the development of a considerably changed version, theZ.1007bis, to resolve the problems with the original aircraft. While the new version was of similar layout, it was a new design. ThreePiaggio P.XI RC.40 radial engines (a derivative of the FrenchGnome-Rhône 14K) of 736 kW (987 hp) take-off power replaced the less powerful and unreliable liquid cooled engines of the original version.[1] Thebis was longer with wings of greater span and area, while the aircraft was considerably heavier, weighing 580 kg (1,280 lb) more unladen, with a maximum take-off weight 888 kg (1,958 lb) greater. It carried heavier offensive and defensive armament.[6][1] During July 1939, the prototypebis made its first flight; flight testing proved to be successful. The Z.1007bis was promptly ordered into mass production, permitting deliveries of pre-production aircraft to commence later that same year.[7]
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Cockpit picture showing instruments and bombardier's access way |
The Z.1007 had a standard monoplane configuration, with a mid-set wing, single tail, retractableundercarriage and a crew of five or six. It had a wooden structure and a clean shape that was much more aerodynamic than the competing SM.79. The Z.1007 had three engines, with one engine in the nose and two in the wings. The tri-motor design was a common feature of Italian aircraft of theSecond World War. The aircraft had a slimfuselage as the two pilots sat in tandem rather than side-by-side as in most bombers of the period. Visibility was relatively good and the aircraft was almost a three-enginefighter.[citation needed] This slimness reduceddrag but also somewhat worsened the task of the two pilots. Both pilots' seats were offset to port to allow a passageway for the bombardier to enter his compartment below the pilot's feet (directly behind the central engine), by ducking through an opening under the starboard instrument panel. The front and rear instrument panels contained flight and navigation instruments, while the engine monitoring gauges were located to starboard where the rear pilot could see them past the front pilot's shoulder. Although the rear pilot's view was limited, he was capable of landing or taking off if needed. His primary purpose was to allow the forward pilot to rest, and to add some "muscle" to the controls when needed, as well as acting as an extra set of eyes to notice problems and to monitor gauges while the other was occupied.[citation needed]
There were five crew members: the pilot, the co-pilot, a bombardier–navigator–ventral gunner, a dorsal gunner–radio operator, and waist gunner–flight engineer. The radio equipment was located in the center section between the dorsal turret and the waist position. Like most tri-motor Italian aircraft of the period the Z.1007 lacked adequate defensive armament, although it was no worse than many contemporary designs, many of which had no rotating dorsal turret, no waist guns, or no ventral gun, or combinations. Other problems were poor engine reliability and a poorpower-to-weight ratio due to low powered engines (the three 1,000 hp (750 kW) engines of the Z.1007bis were equivalent to twin engines of 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) each, but this was slightly offset by the added weight of the third engine). The Z.1007 also suffered longitudinal stability problems that were partly rectified later by the adoption of a twin tail arrangement.[8] The Z.1007's wooden structure suffered cracks, separations and surfacedelamination due to the inhospitable climatic conditions inNorth Africa andRussia, but allowed the aircraft to float in case of ditching. The surface delamination and deformation greatly added to the aircraft's drag.[citation needed] A total of 660Alciones were built.
The Z.1007 had a defensive armament of two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) and two 7.7 mm (0.30 in) machine-guns. The main defensive weapon was a Caproni-Lanciani Delta manually-poweredIsotta Fraschini dorsalturret armed with a 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Scotti orBreda-SAFAT machine gun.[6] The turret had a good field of fire, although it had blind spot behind the tail (as did all turreted aircraft without rear gunners or twin fins).[9] The 12.7 mm (0.50 in) Breda was a standard weapon for Italian bombers and the field of fire was improved by the twin-tail configuration on later models. An electrically powered Breda V turret carrying a similar armament was substituted in late production aircraft.[10] Another 12.7 mm (0.50 in) was in the ventral position behind the bomb bay, with a field of fire restricted to the lower rear quadrant of the aircraft. There were also two waist position 7.7 mm (0.30 in) Breda machine guns, with 500 rpg.[11] Only one of the waist guns could be used at a time since the gunner for this position manned both guns (a practice common with other aircraft, such as theHeinkel He 111,B-25 Mitchell andG4M Betty). Simultaneous attacks from both sides were rare, and waist guns are generally the least effective armament on an aircraft, mostly intended to improve morale and provide a deterrent effect. Allied reports stated thatarmour was better than usual for an Italian bomber, with the dorsal gunner receiving a large .76 m × 1.1 m (2 ft 6 in × 3 ft 7 in) armor plate, plus a small head protection plate of .36 m × .20 m (1 ft 2.2 in × 7.9 in), as well as an 8 mm (0.31 in) thick curved plate which rotated with his turret. There was rear armor plate 5 mm (0.20 in) thick for side gunners, with other 6 mm (0.24 in) all around the machine guns, and 6 mm (0.24 in) armor for ventral machine gun position, which meant that all defensive positions were reasonably protected against light enemy fire and fragments. The pilots were protected with 5 mm (0.20 in) roof and lateral armor, 6 mm (0.24 in) around the seats, 5 mm (0.20 in) overhead, and a 6 mm (0.24 in) armored bulkhead behind them.[citation needed]
The Z.1007 had a lengthy and shallow horizontal bomb bay which could carry 1,200 kg (2,650 lb) of ordnance. Many other Italian aircraft had bomb bays which carried the ordnance vertically, tip pointing up, which limited the size and variety of bombs which could be carried internally, a problem shared with the GermanHe 111 bomber. There were also a pair of under-winghardpoints which could carry up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of bombs, giving the Z.1007 a potential 2,200 kg (4,900 lb) payload and a maximum range of 640 km (400 mi), but the standard payload was 1,200 kg (2,645 lb) and 1,000 km (621 mi) range. The Z.1007's external hardpoints were a rarity in the bombers of theRegia Aereonautica. The Z.1007 could also carry two 454 mm (17.7 in), 800 kg (1,760 lb)torpedoes slung externally under the belly in an anti-shipping role,[1] an option never used operationally. The bombardier's position was just below and ahead of the pilot, behind the central engine (he could look up at the rudder pedals and see the pilot's face). This improved the layout compared to theSM.79, which located the bombardier in the ventral casemate under the rear fuselage, which meant that it was difficult to man the ventral gun while the bombardier was in position, since space was limited. The forward location of the bombardier's compartment provided somewhat better forward visibility, but was still cramped as well as being relatively loud and subject to considerable vibration, largely due to it being directly behind and very close to the central engine.[citation needed]
The first Asso-powered Z.1007s were used to equip the 50°Gruppo of the 16°Stormo from May 1939. These Asso-powered aircraft, despite being designated as bombers, were not considered suitable for operational use as a result of their engines being relatively unreliable as well as the aircraft's high maintenance requirements and their defensive armament being considered to be inadequate. Accordingly, they were typically used as trainer aircraft instead.[citation needed]
The 47°Stormo was equipped with some of the first production aircraft atGhedi. Production of the type was relatively slow, only fifteen aircraft were being completed every month at most. Gradually, Z.1007s were delivered to a number of differentStormi, such as the 9°, where it substituted the SM.79 and BR.20.[citation needed] Upon Italy's entry into the Second World War on 10 June 1940,Regia Aeronautica had twoStormi equipped with the "Alcione". One was the 16°, with 31 aircraft, equipped with the Isotta Fraschini engine and so declarednon bellici ('not suitable for war'). The 47°Stormo had just received four CANT Z.1007bis.[12]
The Z.1007 Asso replaced theSavoia-Marchetti SM.81s of 16°Stormo while 47°Stormo was equipped with Z.1007Bis, but operational readiness was only attained in August, when around thirty machines were sent to Sicily to attack Malta.Stormi 16°, 12°, 35°, and 47° operated over Greece with some losses. 175aSquadriglia da ricognizione (reconnaissance squadron), and later 176a, were deployed to Africa. The BritishdestroyerHMS Juno was sunk by an explosion caused by a Z.1007 bombing during 1941. 35° Stormo was dispatched to Africa in the bombing role; these three-engine aeroplanes were used occasionally in Russia too.[13] During 1942, Z.1007s were used by four groups and two wings in the Mediterranean theatre, in anti-ship role and against Malta, often escorted by Italian and German fighters. By November 1942, there were 10Gruppi equipped with 75 Z.1007s, with just 39 serviceable aircraft.[14]
During 1942, it was proposed to modify the remaining 16 Z.1007s for weather reconnaissance, re-engining them withIsotta Fraschini Delta engines, but only one aircraft was converted.[6] The Z.1007 participated in the bombing campaign overMalta and in the campaigns inNorth Africa and on theEastern Front. Although fast, these bombers were vulnerable when hit and prone to catch fire.[citation needed]
As part of Italian and German efforts to stop the BritishOperation Pedestal convoy to re-supplyMalta in August 1942, a few Z.1007Alciones of 51°Gruppo Autonomo based inAlghero,Sardinia, flew reconnaissance missions on the convoy between bombing and raids. Only on 14 August, at the end of that "Mid-August Battle", did three Z.1007bis bomb the convoy from high altitude.[15] Another Z.1007bis took part in the battle, carrying out a first in the war special mission, latercopied by Allied air forces.[citation needed] The plan ofGenerale Ferdinando Raffaelli to use a CANT Z.1007 to radio-guide a "SIAI MarchettiSM.79 ARP (Aereo Radio Pilotato, "Aircraft Radio Guided") bomber. The SM.79, without crew and armament, but packed withexplosives and equipped with aradio control device, was to be used as a "Flying Bomb" against big naval targets.[14] As the Pedestal Convoy was off theAlgerian coast on 12 August 1942, the SM.79 "Drone", the Z.1007bis guide aircraft and escort of fiveFIAT G.50 fighters flew out to intercept the ships. Once the SM.79's pilot had set his aircraft on a course toward theAllied ships, he bailed out leaving the Z.1007bis crew to guide the flying bomb the rest of the way by radio. The radio, however, malfunctioned. With nothing to guide it, the SM.79-Drone cruised along until it ran out of fuel and crashed on the Algerian mainland.[citation needed]
The fewZ.1007ter still flying after theAllied invasion of Sicily went on to fight with theItalian Social Republic,Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force and theLuftwaffe.
The "Alcione" received its baptism of fire on 29 August 1940, when a formation of 10 CANT Z.1007bismonoderiva of 106°Gruppo bombedLuqa airfield. The 106°, based atTrapani-Chinisia inSicily, was soon joined by the whole 47°Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre with 33 aircraft. When the war with Greece broke out, the 47° was moved onto that front. The CANT Z.1007s came back on Malta in 1941, with 9°Stormo Bombardamento terrestre, still based atTrapani-Chinisia, with 29° and 33°Gruppo, equipped with 25 "Alcione". The 9° was later joined by 50°Gruppo, based onSciacca.[12]The Italian units were joined by the GermanII Fliegerkorps, but when the German aircraft were moved to North Africa, the CANT bombing missions on Malta were reduced. The Italian bombers had to face the strengthened defences of the island, which employed radar combined withBristol Beaufighter night fighters. The "Alcione" started a third wave of night attacks on Malta between 10 and 20 October 1942. The 9°Stormo and the 8°Gruppo of 43°Stormo had on line 30 CANT Z.1007s but only 12 were operational.[12]
The Z.1007 saw action during the later stages of theBattle of Britain from November 1940 to January 1941. TheRegia Aereonautica sent six Z.1007Bis of the 172aSquadriglia to Belgium in the strategicreconnaissance role for theCorpo Aereo Italiano. They were used in force only once, on 11 November 1940, when five were used as a decoy (without bombs or guns) to drawRAF fighters away from the main Italian attack on a convoy and the port facilities aroundHarwich by 10Fiat BR 20 bombers. No Z.1007s were lost over Britain, although one of the six originally sent was lost in September on the ferry flight to its base in Belgium.[citation needed]
The first large-scale use of the CANT Z.1007s took place with the outbreak of theItalian invasion of Greece.[1] During the invasion of Greece, theRegia Aeronautica deployed the largest number of CANT Z.1007s. On 28 October 1940, first day of invasion, 47°Stormo Bombardamento Terrestre (based on Grottaglie airfield) and 50°Gruppo of 50°Stormo (based on Brindisi airfield) had on line 44Alcione. On 5 November, those units were joined by 41°Gruppo of 12°Stormo, with 16 aircraft.[16] TheStormi suffered few losses, among them two made by aPZL P.24, manned by Second LieutenantMarinos Mitralexis, who managed to bring down one of the two CANT Z.1007s by ramming its tail. During January 1941, 41° Gruppo was replaced by 95°Gruppo of 35°Stormo. It was in this war theatre that the wooden structure of the CANT Z.1007s began to show its weaknesses. The heavy rains damaged it, forcing continuous repairs by the ground crews.[17]
The CANT Z.1007s opened hostilities againstYugoslavia, on 6 April 1941, bombingMostar airfield. During that short invasion,Regia Aeronautica deployed 49 CANT Z.1007 bis, 26 of 47°Stormo, 15 of 95°Gruppo (of 35°Stormo) and eight of 50°Gruppo (of 16°Stormo).[15]
At the enactment of theArmistice of Cassibile on 3 September 1943, 72 of the 147 bombers still in the hands ofRegia Aeronautica were Z.1007s. The largest groups were inPerugia (22 aircraft) and in theAegean Sea (19 aircraft).[18] Three days after the armistice, on 11 September, the Z.1007s that were in Perugia, joined by eight more, took off for the base ofAlghero in Sardinia, losing two of their number to Germanflak. On 16 September, these bombers attacked German vessels that were carrying troops and equipment from Sardinia to Corsica, and one more aircraft was lost to flak.[19]
On 15 October, the Z.1007s, then based in Sardinia, were grouped with those in Southern Italy to form theRaggruppamento Bombardamento Trasporti (Unit for bombing and transport), under the badge of theAeronautica Cobelligerante Italiana (ACI or Air Force of the South,Aeronautica del Sud),Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force in English.[20] The worst day for the co-belligerent Z.1007s was 14 May 1944, whenGruppo 88 sent twelve Z.1007s toTito's forces to deliver supplies. The aircraft dropped 96 food containers onKolasin,Montenegro, but on the way back nine bombers lost contact with the escort ofMacchi C.205s andReggiane Re. 2001s and were attacked over the Adriatic sea by7/JG 27 Messerschmitt Bf 109s. FiveAlcioni were shot down into the sea by the German pilots (who mistakenly claimedSavoia-Marchetti SM.84) and two more landed heavily damaged at theLecce-Galatina air base inApulia. 26 Italian aviators were killed, and more injured. From that day on, the remaining Z.1007s were used for military purposes only under cover of darkness.[21]
A total of 560 CANT Z.1007s were built, 450 of them of version 1007bis that appeared in late 1939.[13]
Performances were improved with a max speed of 490 km/h (300 mph) at 6,150 m (20,180 ft) instead of 456 at 4,600 m (15,100 ft). Climbing to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 6 minutes and 28 seconds, and 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 10 minutes and 44 seconds (Z.1007 bis in 12 minutes and 42 seconds, Z.1007 Asso in 14 minutes and 34 seconds). Armament and armour were also improved. The dorsal turret was a Breda model, waist guns were replaced by 12.7 mm (.5 in) weapons. The ceiling was raised to 9,000 m (29,500 ft) from 8,400 m (27,600 ft).[citation needed]
Z.1007s were used mainly as night bombers and reconnaissance; they were also used for long range reconnaissance, with excellent results. Some, at least twenty, were equipped with an auxiliary tank that gave 1,000 km (620 mi) extra endurance. Some were adapted for flare drops when day missions were too dangerous. One modification for photo missions had six robot machines in a ventral gondola plus another in the fuselage. The long range and the ceiling helped these aircraft to obtain good results until theSpitfires appeared in the Mediterranean theatre. They were also the first victims ofP-40 Tomahawks over Alexandria.[citation needed]
Data fromThe Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II[23]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
