(by Rosario Abate and Giorgio Apostolo; ISBN 978-88-96381-06-9; Vaccari s.r.l., ViaM. Buonarroti, 46, 41508 VIGNOLA (Modena), Italy; 9¾in x 8½in hardback; 297 pages, illustrated; €45.00 plus p&p)

THIS MUCH-REWORKED edition of an Italian-language book that first appeared in 1970 benefits from a parallel English text, many replaced illustrations with updated captions and an “appendix” (at the front of the book) of colour photographs. During the First World War Caproni was noted for its impressive large biplane and triplane bombers, and these form the principal subjects of this nicely produced and profusely illustrated volume, in which the authors’ aim is to “trace the most significant milestones in the development of Italian bomber aircraft”.

The book is divided into sections, each subdivided into chapters. The first three sections cover the 300 h.p., 450h.p. and 600 h.p. biplanes respectively, tracing their development and operation The fourth chapter deals with “other users”: the Regia Marina, service on the Western Front, the American Northern Bombing Group, American pilots at Foggia and “trimotors in the reconquest of Libya”.

Although the Ca.4 series of triplanes have already made a brief appearance, they then have their own section, and a few pages are devoted to the company’s single-engine designs of the era. A 12-page section of generalarrangement drawings is then followed by a chapter on “Flying the Trimotor”.

The 12-page colour section includes drawings, maps, unit badges, artists’ impressions and photographs of the three surviving Ca.3-series biplanes. Data tables are positioned through the text, and the black-and-white illustrations include drawings of details and components.