History

The Caproni Vizzola F.4 was an Italian fighter developed in the late 1930s. Having an in-line engine, it was developed in parallel with the radial engined Caproni Vizzola F.5. Only one F.4 was made.

Design of the Caproni Vizzola F.4 began in late 1937 at the same time as the radial engine F.5.

It had a welded steel-tube construction fuselage and stressed plywood wing.

The F.4 was to be fitted with an Isotta-Fraschini engine but the Italian air force preferred not to used that engine in fighters and so the F.4 project was halted in favour of the F.5.

Italy received its first Daimler-Benz engine in mid 1939, the Italian air force approved its use in fighters and it was installed in the F.4.

Although it flew for the first time in July 1940 no further F.4s were ordered, Caproni Vizzola focussing instead on the more advanced F.6. The F.4 was tested operationally during 1942.

This model represents the sole Caproni Vizzola F.4 in mid 1940.

Dujin 1/72 kit with Sky decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in March 2011.

Data

MODEL: Caproni Vizzola F.4

ROLE: fighter

TIME PERIOD: 1940-1942

ENGINES: one Daimler-Benz DB601A V-12 piston engine of 876kW

WING SPAN: 11.29m

LENGTH: 8.90m

GROSS WEIGHT: 3,000kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: 550km/h

RANGE: 700km

CREW: 1

ARMAMENT: two 12.7mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns

SCALE: 1/72

KIT:

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