Pursuing a broad technical education, Gianni Caproni graduated with a degree in civil engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Munich. As a result of his pursuits in education, he earned an electrical engineering degree from the Montefiore Institute of Liege and a degree in aeronautical engineering from his studies in Paris. After returning to native Italy in 1910, he designed and built his first airplane, a single-engine, twin-propeller biplane, the CA-1. In the next year, he established the Caproni Company and Flight School, the forerunner of the Caproni organization, which continued on to build 180 different types of aircraft over the next half a century. During World War I, Caproni designed a number of heavy bombers which played a major role in the allied strategic bombing campaign. The highly successful CA-33 bomber design was mass produced in England, France, and the United States as well as Italy, with an unprecedented total of 745 bombers manufactured by the Milan Caproni works alone. After the war, Caproni turned his design talents to civil aviation, converting his famous bombers to passenger and cargo aircraft. Among these were the CA-60 transport, capable of carrying 60 passengers; the six-engine, 6,000 horsepower, CA-90 biplane which set a world's record for altitude and duration in 1930; and the CA-161 which flew to an altitude record for propeller driven aircraft of 65,000 feet in 1938. During World War II, he was in charge of all aircraft production in Italy. Caproni was awarded the title Count of Taliedo by the King of Italy in 1940. He remained active in the Caproni Company until his death.
Inducted in 1983.
Portrait Location: Hall of Fame Hallway