CANT Z.1007

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CANT_Z.1007

The CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher) was an Italian three-engined medium bomber,
with wooden structure. Designed by Filippo Zappata, who also designed the CANT
Z.506 it had "excellent flying characteristics and good stability" and was
regarded by some as "the best Italian bomber of World War II" although its
wooden structure was easily damaged by the climate, as experienced in North
Africa and in Russia. It was used by the Italian Regia Aeronautica, Italian
Co-Belligerent Air Force, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana and Luftwaffe
during World War II.

The Cant Z.1007 was developed from the CANT Z.506 seaplane, an aircraft that had
established many world records in the late 1930s. It was a land-based version
and incorporated many improvements, especially on the powerplant.

The first prototype flew in March 1937, proving superior to the Z.1011, with its
handling and manoeuvrability being praised. Its performance, however, was lower
than predicted, and Zappata therefore started a major redesign of the Z.1007,
production of the initial version being limited to the existing orders placed
before the prototype flew.

The Z.1007 was a mid-winged monoplane with a retractable tailwheel
undercarriage. It had a crew of five, consisting of two pilots, a flight
engineer, a radio operator and a bombardier/navigator. It could carry 800 kg
(1,760 lb) of bombs, and was fitted with a defensive armament of a 12.7 mm (.5
in) Breda-SAFAT machine gun in an open dorsal position and a 7.7 mm machine gun
in a ventral tunnel. After much experimentation with the prototype, the
production aircraft were fitted with annular radiators so their profile was
similar to radial 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 that year.

The Z.1007 had a standard monoplane configuration, with a mid-set wing, single
tail, retractable undercarriage 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 trimotor design was a common feature of Italian aircraft of World War
II. The aircraft had a slim fuselage as the two pilots sat in tandem rather than
side-by-side as in most bombers of the period. Visibility was good and the
aircraft was almost a three-engine fighter. This slimness reduced drag 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. Both 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 (cockpit picture showing instruments and bombardier's access
way). Although the rear pilot's view was limited, he was capable of landing or
taking off if needed. However, his primary purpose was to allow the 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.

There were five crew members: the pilot, the copilot, 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 suffered from poor defensive armament,
although it was no worse than many other contemporary designs, many of which had
no rotating dorsal turret, no waist guns, or no ventral gun, or various
combinations of such. Other issues were poor engine reliability and a weak
power-to-weight ratio due to low powered engines (the three 1,000 hp engines of
the Z.1007bis were equivalent to twin engines of 1,500 hp 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. The Z.1007's wooden structure suffered
cracks, separations and surface delamination due to the difficult climatic
conditions in North Africa and Russia, but on the contrary allowed the plane to
float in case of ditching. The surface delamination and deformation greatly
added to the aircraft drag. A total of 660 Alciones were built.


Role
Medium bomber

Manufacturer
CANT

Designer
Filippo Zappata

First flight
March 1937

Introduction
May 1939

Status
Retired

Primary users
Regia Aeronautica
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Luftwaffe

Produced
1938–1943

Number built
660

As part of Italian and German efforts to stop the British Operation Pedestal
convoy to re-supply Malta in August 1942, a few Z.1007 Alciones of 51° Gruppo
Autonomo based in Alghero, 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. Another
Z.1007bis took part in the battle, carrying out a first in the war special
mission, later copied by Allied air forces. The plan of Generale Ferdinando
Raffaelli to use a CANT Z.1007 to radio-guide a "SIAI Marchetti SM.79 ARP (Aereo
Radio Pilotato, "Aircraft Radio Guided") bomber. The SM.79, without crew and
armament, but packed with explosives and equipped with a radio control device,
was to be used as a "Flying Bomb" against big naval targets. As the Pedestal
Convoy was off the Algerian coast on 12 August 1942, the SM.79 "Drone", the
Z.1007bis guide aircraft and escort of five FIAT G.50 fighters flew out to
intercept the ships. Once the SM.79's pilot had set his aircraft on a course
toward the Allied 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 Mount Klenchela, on the Algerian mainland. The few Z.1007ter
still flying after the Allied invasion of Sicily went on to fight with the
Italian Social Republic, Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force and the 'Luftwaffe.

World War II

When Italy entered World War II on 10 June 1940, Regia Aeronautica had two
Stormi equipped with the "Alcione". One was the 16°, with 31 aircraft, equipped
with the Isotta Fraschini engine and so declared non bellici ('not suitable for
war'). The 47° Stormo had just received four CANT Z.1007bis.

Malta

The "Alcione" received its baptism of fire on 29 August 1940, when a formation
of 10 CANT Z.1007bis monoderiva of 106° Gruppo bombed Luqa airfield. The 106°,
based at Trapani-Chinisia in Sicily, 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 at Trapani-Chinisia, with
29° and 33° Gruppo, equipped with 25 "Alcione". The 9° was later joined by 50°
Gruppo, based on Sciacca. The Italian units were joined by the German II
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 with Bristol
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.

Battle of Britain

The Z.1007 saw action during the later stages of the Battle of Britain from
November 1940 to January 1941. The Regia Aereonautica sent six Z.1007Bis of the
172a Squadriglia to Belgium in the strategic reconnaissance role for the Corpo
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 draw RAF fighters away from
the main Italian attack on a convoy and the port facilities around Harwich by 10
Fiat 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.

Specifications (Z.1007bis)

General characteristics
Crew: 5
Length: 18.35 m (60 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 24.8 m (81 ft 4 in)
Height: 5.22 m (17 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 70 m2 (750 sq ft)
Empty weight: 9,396 kg (20,715 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 13,621 kg (30,029 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × Piaggio P.XI R.C.40 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine,
745 kW (999 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers

Performance
Maximum speed: 458 km/h (285 mph, 247 kn)
Cruise speed: 338 km/h (210 mph, 183 kn)
Range: 1,795 km (1,115 mi, 969 nmi)
Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)

Armament

Guns:
2 × 12.7 mm (0.5 in) Isotta-Fraschini Scotti or Breda-SAFAT machine guns
2 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Breda-SAFAT machine guns

Bombs:
1,200 kg (2,645 lb) of bombs internally. 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) externally on
underwing hardpoints. Or a combined load of 2,200 kg (4,900 lb) of bombs
internally and on external hardpoints.
2 × 450 mm (17.7 in) 800 kg (1,800 lb), torpedoes




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