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Another flying barrel model built 7 years ago I bet that the first images of this project reminded you immediately of the Caproni-Stipa. More seasoned modelers perhaps made a connection too with the Caproni-Campini. If you have guessed, then you know that ducted fan is the keyword here. The Mattioni "Botte Volante" (Flying Barrel as it was christened by Firenze’s locals) imposes its evident beauty upon the modeling masses. Rumors that it was used to hang and dry the laundry, or to smoke herring are not only disrespectful but also spurious. I found an article on this plane in a somewhat old Italian Aerofan magazine (issue 2 1978). There is not much, but I was able to draw a 3 view based on the photos of the first incarnation of the “Mattioni Botte Volante”. This first avatar didn’t really fly, due to concerns about the tail surfaces ability to effectively control the plane that arose during taxiing trials. The plane was adjusted with some modifications and then successfully took to the air. More experimentation went on, and about four or five configurations were tried. The plane had a “flower petals” arrangement inside the tube-like fuselage, used to control the amount of air passing through (not dissimilar to some contemporary jet engine exhausts). I love this first prototype stage of the plane because of its bizarre yet stunning looks. I have already modeled the Stipa, so the Botte Volante would be a good companion. By the way, I also have the venerable Delta 2 Caproni-Campini kit, and although it is a bit rough, I plan to build it some day too. The article I mentioned on Aerofan seems to have a few inaccuracies. First, it is extremely unlikely that the span was 6 meters as quoted, since comparing the size of the people on the photos with the wings you find the span to be obviously larger than that, at least by 1.5 meters. Then it states that the engine was a 7 cylinder one, when in photos again you can easily count nine cylinders. I won’t be too hard on the writer, since perhaps he was referring to other sources’ data or other versions or trials of the same plane. No decals were necessary for this one, which was a welcome break. I think my Italian friends, aviation writer Paolo Miana and scholar Fabrizio D’Isanto might enjoy this one. For what I could gather online there was recently an exhibit/tribute in Italy centered on this plane and its creator, Antonio Mattioni. One of the brochures read: “I nostri sogni e desideri cambiano il mondo” (Our dreams and wishes change the world) Karl Popper