The Caproni Ca.161 was an aircraft built in Italy in 1936, in an attempt to set a new world altitude record.

It was a conventional biplane with two-bay, staggered wings of equal span, based on Caproni's Ca.113 design.

On 8 May 1937, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Pezzi broke the world altitude record with a flight to 15,655 m (51,362 ft).

The following year, Pezzi broke the record again in the more powerful Ca.161bis, making a flight to 17,083 m (56,047 ft) on 22 October 1938.

A final altitude record for floatplanes was set on 25 September 1939 in the float-equipped Ca.161Idro, piloted by Nicola di Mauro to 13,542 m (44,429 ft).