Caudron

The Société des Avions Caudron was a French aircraft company founded in 1909 by brothers Gaston Caudron (1882-1915) and René Caudron (1884-1959). It was one of the earliest aircraft manufacturers in France and produced planes for the military in both World War I and World War II.

Alphonse (Gaston) (1882-1915) and René Caudron (1884-1959)

Born in Favières, Somme to parents who farmed nearby in Romiotte, the Caudron brothers were educated at a college in Abbeville. Gaston, as Adolphe was always known, intended to become an engineer but his education was cut short by heath problems; René was interested in the development of mechanics and was a sportsman. After military service in a artillery regiment they returned to work on the farm.

They began to build their first aircraft, a large biplane, in August 1908. Initially unable to obtain an engine, they flew it as a glider, towed by a horse and tested it through the summer. In September 1909 they finally flew it under power. By April 1910 they were able to make an out and return flight of 10 km (6 mi) to Forest-Montiers.

Caudron C. 02

The Caudron 02 was a French high altitude single seat fighter, flown at the end of 1917, but not put into production.

Design and development

The proper name and even the existence of this aircraft have been disputed in the past, but plans for the Type 02 high altitude fighter aircraft have since been found in the French Musée de l'Air. Hauet also refers to it as the C.02 and Green and Swanborough as the Type O, though the latter was a quite different sports aircraft from 1914.

The Type 02 was designed to fight at altitudes up to 9,000 m (29,500 ft) through a combination of engine power and flat airfoil section. It was a conventional single bay biplane with fabric covered, unswept, parallel chord wings ending in angled tips. The lower wing was smaller than the upper one, with a span reduced by 13% and a narrower chord. The wings had neither stagger nor dihedral and only the upper wing was fitted with ailerons. There was a pair of parallel, upright, streamlined interplane struts on each side, with the usual diagonal wire bracing. The upper wing was close to the fuselage, linked by four short, leaning cabane struts.

Caudron Simoun

The Caudron Simoun was a 1930s French four-seat touring monoplane. It was used as a mail plane by Air Bleu, flew record-setting long-range flights, and was also used as a liaison aircraft by the Armée de l'Air during World War II.

Variants

Operators

Specifications (C.630)

General characteristics

Performance

See also