CAP-1
Encyclopedia
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 cockpit
s. The project had been initiated by Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (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 Oswaldo Fadigas 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.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was a low-wing cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
with fixed tailwheel undercarriage
Conventional landing gear
thumb|The [[Piper PA-18|Piper Super Cub]] is a popular taildragger aircraft.thumb|right|A [[Cessna 150]] converted to taildragger configuration by installation of an after-market modification kit....
that accommodated the pilot and instructor in tandem open cockpit
Cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. Most modern cockpits are enclosed, except on some small aircraft, and cockpits on large airliners are also physically separated from the cabin...
s. The project had been initiated by Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (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
De Havilland Gipsy
The de Havilland Gipsy is a British air-cooled 4-cylinder in-line aircraft engine designed by Frank Halford in 1927 to replace the ADC Cirrus in the de Havilland D.H.60 Moth light biplane....
with double its power, but the stability problems remained unaddressed until CAP engineer Oswaldo Fadigas 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.