CANT Z.1007 Alcione

what is it?

The CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher) was a three-engined medium bomber designed and produced by the Italian aircraft manufacturer CANT. It was regarded by some as "the best Italian bomber of World War II", although its wooden structure was easily damaged by the climate in North Africa and in Russia. Designed by Filippo Zappata, who also designed the CANT Z.506 Airone, the Z.1007 had a wooden structure and "excellent flying characteristics and good stability". The prototype performed its maiden flight during March 1937, and the type entered service with the Regia Aeronautica in the following year.

🔎How to recognise it: 3 piston engines with propellers · 24.8 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 458 km/htop speed
• range 1,795 kmwithout refuelling
• size 13.6 tmax take-off weight
• built 533made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 89 years ago, in 1937.
• 🏎️Top speed is 3.5× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 24.8 m: about 6 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 2 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 🌍Range of 1,795 km: 10× Amsterdam to Brussels.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1937-03

introduced

1939

status

retired

number built

533

role

medium bomber

makers

Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini

engines

3× Piaggio P.XI R.C.40

crew

5

length

18.4 m

wingspan

24.8 m

height

5.2 m

max take-off weight

13.6 t

top speed

458 km/h

cruise speed

338 km/h

range

1,795 km

ceiling

7,500 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.