Caudron C.460
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| C.450 and C.460 Rafale | |
|---|---|
| Type | Racing aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Caudron |
| Designed by | Marcel Riffard |
| Maiden flight | 1934 |
| Number built | 6 |
The Caudron C.450 and C.460 Rafale ("Squall") were French racing aircraft built to participate in the Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe race of 1934. They were low-wing cantilever monoplanes of conventional configuration derived from the Caudron C.362 flown in the previous year's race. In the event, the C.450 took first place, piloted by Maurice Arnoux, and one of the C.460s took third, piloted by Albert Monville.
In August that year, Hélène Boucher set an airspeed record for aircraft in its class with the C.450, of 455 km/h (284 mph) and on Christmas Day, Raymond Delmotte set a new landplane world airspeed record of 506 km/h (314 mph) in a C.460, although the absolute airspeed record was still held by a seaplane.
The C.450 won the Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe again in 1935, this time piloted by Yves Lacombe. It was joined in the race by two C.461s, a highly-modified version of the C.460 with the cockpit sunk entirely within the fuselage. Forward vision for the pilot was provided via two glazed-over scallops in the fuselage sides. One of these aircraft, flown by Maurice Arnoux, placed second in the race. A C.460 piloted by Michel Detroyat also won the Greve Trophy and Thompson Trophy at the 1936 National Air Races in the United States.
[edit] Variants
- C.450 (1 built)
- C.460 (3 built)
- C.461 (1 built)
[edit] Specifications (C.460)
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Length: 7.11 m (23 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 6.73 m (22 ft 1 in)
- Gross weight: 948 kg (2,090 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Renault 456, 224 kW (300 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 500 km/h (310 mph)
[edit] References
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions, 240.
[edit] See also
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