CANT Z.511

The design for the construction of a large four-engine, twin-float seaplane began at the end of September 1937, when the technical department of CRDA accepted the specifications of the LATI (Compagnia Ala Littoria) company, created in 1939{{Clarify|reason=The company can't issue a requierement in 1937 if it was created in 1939|date=August 2023}}, who required a long-range seaplane for carrying mail, cargo and passengers to Latin America.

These plans were cancelled on the outbreak of World War II, but a version of the aircraft was adapted for long-range maritime patrol, armed with 10 single-mount {{convert|12.7|mm|in|abbr=on|3}} machine guns in both side gun positions, in two upper turrets, and belly positions. Plans were made to install {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on|3}} cannon in a front turret or in a glazed nose position, and more machine guns in a tail position {{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}.

For bombing, it was adapted to carry up to {{convert|4,000|kg|lb|abbr=on}} of bombs in an internal bomb bay and on outer wing positions: up to four launch racks, for {{convert|454|mm|in|abbr=on|1}} air-launched torpedoes for surface attack {{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}, or "Maiale" manned torpedoes or midget submarines for special operations.

The original engines were relatively underpowered, so Zappata asked the authorities for permission to acquire {{convert|1193|kW|abbr=on}} Wright R-2600 Double Cyclones from the United States. Due to the deteriorating international situation, however, he was unable to obtain authorization. The CANT Z.511 civil aircraft could theoretically carry 16 passengers over {{convert|5000|km|nmi mi|abbr=on}}. Later, when adapted as a military transport, four {{convert|1119|kW|abbr=on}} Piaggio P.XII R.C.35 were used, giving only adequate power to an aircraft weighing up to {{convert|34|tonnes|lb|abbr=on}}, giving it a maximum range of {{convert|4500|km|nmi mi|abbr=on}}.

File:CANT Z.511.jpgThe Z.511 had its first test flights at Monfalcone, Venezia Giulia (north-eastern Italy) between October 1940 and March 1942. Between 28 February and 1 March 1942, test pilot Mario Stoppani succeeded in taking off and landing fully loaded in very rough seas, with {{convert|1.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} waves and winds of {{convert|55|–|65|km/h|kn mph}}. The Z.511 prototype was then transported to Grado, Venezia (further away from the insecure Yugoslavian border) for further evaluations; the last test and operational flight occurred on 1 September 1943, two days before the Italian Armistice was signed.

After the division of the Italian forces, one aircraft was appropriated by the Fascist Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. However, it had been damaged only three weeks before by British fighters, which had strafed it on Lake Trasimeno where it was undergoing final trials. It was transferred to the seaplane base at Vigna di Valle. There it suffered from sabotage by base personnel to prevent it falling into the hands of either the Allies or the Germans. The other aircraft, still under construction at the CRDA factory, was retained by Axis forces and scrapped.

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Italian Civil & Mil{{cite book|last=Thompson|first=Jonathan|title=Italian Civil & Military Aircraft 1930–1945|publisher=Aero Publishers Inc.|location=New York|year=1963|edition=1|pages=62–64|isbn=0-8168-6500-0}}

|prime units?=met

|genhide=

|crew=6

|capacity=16 passengers (airliner)

|length m=28.5

|length ft=

|length in=

|length note=

|span m=39.86

|span ft=

|span in=

|span note=

|upper span m=

|upper span ft=

|upper span in=

|upper span note=

|mid span m=

|mid span ft=

|mid span in=

|mid span note=

|lower span m=

|lower span ft=

|lower span in=

|lower span note=

|swept m=

|swept ft=

|swept in=

|swept note=

|dia m=

|dia ft=

|dia in=

|dia note=

|width m=

|width ft=

|width in=

|width note=

|height m=11

|height ft=

|height in=

|height note=

|wing area sqm=195

|wing area sqft=

|wing area note=

|swept area sqm=

|swept area sqft=

|swept area note=

|volume m3=

|volume ft3=

|volume note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=20,692

|empty weight lb=

|empty weight note=

|gross weight kg=34,200

|gross weight lb=

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|lift kg=

|lift lb=

|lift note=

|more general=

|eng1 number=4

|eng1 name=Piaggio P.XII RC.35

|eng1 type=air-cooled radial piston engines

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=1,500

|eng1 shp=

|eng1 kn=

|eng1 lbf=

|eng1 note=

|power original=

|thrust original=

|eng1 kn-ab=

|eng1 lbf-ab=

|eng2 number=

|eng2 name=

|eng2 type=

|eng2 kw=

|eng2 hp=

|eng2 shp=

|eng2 kn=

|eng2 lbf=

|eng2 note=

|eng2 kn-ab=

|eng2 lbf-ab=

|eng3 number=

|eng3 name=

|eng3 type=

|eng3 kw=

|eng3 hp=

|eng3 shp=

|eng3 kn=

|eng3 lbf=

|eng3 note=

|eng3 kn-ab=

|eng3 lbf-ab=

|more power=

|prop blade number=

|prop name=

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|rot number=

|rot dia m=

|rot dia ft=

|rot dia in=

|rot area sqm=

|rot area sqft=

|rot area note=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=424

|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=

|max speed mach=

|cruise speed kmh=330

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed kts=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed kts=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed mph=

|minimum control speed kts=

|minimum control speed note=

|range km=4,352

|range miles=

|range nmi=

|range note=

|combat range km=

|combat range miles=

|combat range nmi=

|combat range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range nmi=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling m=7,550

|ceiling ft=

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|glide ratio=

|climb rate ms=4.16

|climb rate ftmin=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|sink rate ms=

|sink rate ftmin=

|sink rate note=

|lift to drag=

|wing loading kg/m2=

|wing loading lb/sqft=

|wing loading note=

|disk loading kg/m2=

|disk loading lb/sqft=

|disk loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass=

|thrust/weight=

|more performance=

|guns=
10 × {{convert|12.7|mm|in|abbr=on|3}} Breda-SAFAT machine guns
or
10x {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on|3}} Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/77 (Scotti) cannon in beam positions, two upper turrets, and belly positions {{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}.

|bombs=Up to {{convert|4000|kg|abbr=on}} bomb-load in an internal bomb bay and mounted on outer-wing hard-points {{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

|rockets=

|missiles= 4× {{convert|450|mm|in|abbr=on|1}} aerial torpedoes or "Maiale" manned torpedoes.

|hardpoints=

|hardpoint capacity=

|hardpoint rockets=

|hardpoint missiles=

|hardpoint bombs=

|hardpoint other=

|avionics=

}}

{{Aircontent

|see also=

|related=

|similar aircraft=

|lists=

• List of Regia Aeronautica aircraft used in World War II
• List of flying boats and floatplanes

}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Garello|first1=Giancarlo|title="Objectif: New York! Quand d'Italie révait de bombarder les Etats-Unis|journal=Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire |date=June 1998 |issue=63 |pages=6–13 |trans-title= Objective New York: When Italy Dreamed of Bombing the United States|language=French |issn=1243-8650}}
• John & Elke Weale, Combat Aircraft of World War Two (pp. 193–205), Arms and Armour Press, London, 1978.
• World War Two Magazine, Article : "Germany, Italy and Japan each had plans to strike the U.S. mainland, but the plans were delayed...too long" by Frank Joseph (pp. 10–20) Published by Empire Press Inc., March 1993.
• Spanish Military Review "Serga", (Historia Militar del Siglo XX), Article "CANT, la oficina aeronautica de la Cantieri Navale Triestino", by Carlo D'Agostino (translated into Spanish by D. Garcia) (pp. 42–48), Almena Ediciones, N 10, March–April 2001.

{{commons category|CANT Z.511}}

• [http://www.vvsregiaavions.com/RegiaHTML/rz5111.htm Cantieri Z-511 IdroGigante images]

{{CANT aircraft}}

{{Portal bar|Italy|Companies|Aviation}}

Z.0511

Category:1940s Italian military transport aircraft

Category:Floatplanes

Category:Four-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Low-wing aircraft

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1940

Category:Four-engined piston aircraft