CAP-4 Paulistinha

Picture - Brazilian Navy CAP-4 preserved at the Museu Asas de um Sonho

Role: Trainer
Manufacturer: EAY, CAP
First flight: 1935
Number built: ca. 840

The CAP-4 Paulistinha was a military and civilian trainer aircraft built in Brazil during the 1930s and 40s. It was originally developed by Empresa Aeronx¡utica Ypiranga (EAY) as an unlicensed copy of the Taylor Cub powered by a Salmson 9Ad radial engine. It featured a high strut-braced wing, two enclosed tandem seats, and a steel-tube fuselage with fabric covering. Its tailwheel undercarriage was not retractable.

EAY had built five examples by the time that the firm was purchased by Companhia Aeronx¡utica Paulista (CAP) in 1942. CAP continued manufacturing the type under the designation CAP-4.

The type was widely successful, with nearly 800 units being produced for Brazil's flying clubs and armed forces, as well as for export to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay and Portugal. At the time of peak production in 1943, a new CAP-4 left the factory every day, and production continued until 1948.

In 1956, Sociedade Aeronx¡utica Neiva (Neiva) acquired the rights renaming it to P-56 Paulistinha, the design was used as the basis for an agricultural aircraft, the P-56 Agricola, adding a fibreglass chemical hopper and spraybars, but this was unable to compete with imported, purpose-built agricultural aircraft.

Variants

EAY-201 - original radial engined version
CAP-4 - main production version
CAP-4B - air ambulance version (2 prototypes built)
CAP-4C - artillery spotting version
P-56 Agricola - agricultural version by Neiva (60 built)

Operators

Brazil

Brazilian Navy

Paraguay

Paraguayan Military Aviation 4 aircraft bought in the early 1960s
Paraguayan Aeroclub 4 aircraft bought in the 1950s

Specifications (CAP-4)

General characteristics

Crew: Two, pilot and instructor
Length: 6.65 m (21 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 10.10 m (33 ft 2 in)
Height: 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 17.0 m (183 ft)
Empty weight: 320 kg (705 lb)
Gross weight: 540 kg (1,190 lb)
Powerplant: 1 x— Franklin 4AC, 48 kW (65 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 155 km/h (97 mph)
Range: 500 km (312 miles)
Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,120 ft)

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 230.
Aeroclube de Joinville website

CAP-4 Pictures

More airplane videos.

Source: WikiPedia