CAP-1 Planalto

The CAP-1 Planalto was a military trainer aircraft built in Brazil during World War II. It was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage that accommodated the pilot and instructor in tandem open cockpits. The project had been initiated by (IPT) under the designation IPT-4 and although the design work had been contracted to CAP, IPT insisted on a wing profile of its own choosing that led to serious stability problems in the final product.

The CAP-3 replaced the CAP-1's Franklin 4AC engine with a de Havilland Gipsy with double its power, but the stability problems remained unaddressed until CAP engineer redesigned the wing in the CAP-6. The firm attempted to sell this latter type to the Ministry of Aeronautics, but succeeded only in selling conversion kits for the existing CAP-1s and -3s in the military's inventory.

Specifications[]

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1951–52^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 6.4 m (21 ft 0 in)
• Wingspan: 8.6 m (28 ft 3 in)
• Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 12 m² (130 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 6.16:1
• Empty weight: 335 kg (739 lb)
• Gross weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Franklin 4AC four-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed, 67 kW (90 hp)

Performance

• Cruise speed: 155 km/h (96 mph, 84 kn)
• Stall speed: 85 km/h (53 mph, 46 kn)
• Endurance: 2.5 hours

References[]

• Bridgman, Leonard (1951). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1951–52. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd.
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 230.

External links[]

• Aeroclube de Joinville website