CAUDRON

FRANCE

Gaston and Rene Caudron established airplane factory as Caudron Freres at Romiotte (Seine) in 1910. Initial flight of the first of a series of highly successful biplanes (G.I, II, and III) February 1911. G.lll considered extremely reliable and used widely as a trainer in the First World War. Single-seat monoplane trainer
Caudron G.3
G.3
produced in 1912. G.IIIAs were built for military use in 1914; used extensively by France, U.K., Belgium, Russia ,and Italy as two-seat reconnaissance/ artillery observation aircraft. Several hundred built, mostly in France, but also by British Caudron and in Italy. Series continued with G.IV (1915), several military variants; also in that year the prototype R.4 three- seat bomber appeared, very solid and well armed. The R.11 with five Lewis machine guns was
Caudron G.4
G.4
produced a few months before the Armistice was declared.

The company had moved to Issy-les-Moulineaux (Seine) by 1919, and postwar products included C 23 (and/or C 232) two-seat biplane, which inaugurated French commercial air services on February 10, 1919 with flight from Paris to Brussels; C 61 three-engined six/eight passenger biplane; three-engined seven-seat development of C 61 ; C 183, a further modernization of two previous aircraft of which one
Caudron R.4
R.4
only was built, in 1925.

The company, known as Societe Anonyme des Avions Caudron, ran into financial difficulties and was reorganized as Societe Caudron-Renault. Next became notable for distinctive streamlined aircraftfrom its designer Marcel Riffard, who joined in 1932. His C363 took second place in 1933 Coupe Deutsch race; developed versions took first three places in 1934 and 1935, first two places in 1936. Derivatives of these included the Rafale series
Caudron C.230
C.230
of single- and two-seat sporting/racing aircraft of the late 1930s. Fifteen C 690Ms built as advanced trainers for the Armee de I'Air; series ended with the C 720. Followed by the single-seat C 580 and C 680; C 600 Aiglon series; C 620/C 630 Simoun four-seat cabin monoplane; C 640 Typhon series; the little-known C 670 ground-attack prototype; and the single-seat C 860, built in 1938 for an attempt (never made)
Caudron-Renault C.714 Cyclone
C.714
on 1936 Paris-Tokyo flight record established by a Simoun. About 1,700 examples built in about ten years of C 440 (later AA.1) Goeland, twin-engined six-passenger transport. Two series of light fighters developed from Coupe Deutsch racers: following C 710 and C 713 prototypes, four-gun C 714 entered service. Improved variants CR 760 and 770 under development when France collapsed. The factories built aircraft for Germany during the Occupation. Later nationalized as Ateliers Aeronautiques d'lssyles-Moulineaux; incorporated into SNCAN in late 1945.


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