Caproni

Caproni is an Italian aerospace manufacturer and historic aircraft company founded in 1908 by Giovanni Battista Caproni. Based at Taliedo, near Milan, it became one of Italy’s leading producers of military and civil aircraft during the First World War and the interwar years, developing a family of large, multi‑engine bombers and transports that helped shape Italian aviation capabilities.

During the 1920s and 1930s Caproni expanded its product line to meet the demands of the Regia Aeronautica, producing bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and trainers. The company is also known for ambitious projects and experimental designs, including the Caproni Ca.60 Transaereo, a large flying‑boat concept pursued in the early 1920s; the aircraft reached flight tests but did not enter production.

After World War II, Caproni underwent restructuring and its role as an independent manufacturer diminished, with its assets passing through various reorganizations within Italy’s aerospace sector. The Caproni brand, however, remained associated with aviation history and engineering in the country.

The legacy of Caproni is preserved in the Caproni Museum of Aeronautics (Museo Caproni) in Trento, founded by Count Gianni Caproni. The museum houses a sizable collection of Caproni aircraft and related artifacts, illustrating the company’s influence on early Italian aviation and its contributions to aircraft design and production.