Caudron C.280
Encyclopedia
The Caudron
C.280 Phalène ("Moth") was a civil utility aircraft built in France
during the 1930s. It was a high-wing braced monoplane
of conventional configuration with fixed tailskid undercarriage
. The pilot and 2-3 passengers were accommodated within an enclosed cabin. The structure was wooden throughout, with the forward fuselage
skinned with plywood
, and the rest of the aircraft fabric-covered.
The type proved popular on the civil market, with a number of long-distance flights staged to promote it. The French military also purchased a number of examples under the C.400 and C.410 designations.
Spain
Caudron
The Caudron Airplane Company was a French aircraft company founded in 1909 by brothers Gaston Caudron and René Caudron . 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...
C.280 Phalène ("Moth") was a civil utility aircraft built in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the 1930s. It was a high-wing braced monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
of conventional configuration with fixed tailskid undercarriage
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
. The pilot and 2-3 passengers were accommodated within an enclosed cabin. The structure was wooden throughout, with the forward fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
skinned with plywood
Plywood
Plywood is a type of manufactured timber made from thin sheets of wood veneer. It is one of the most widely used wood products. It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, re-usable, and can usually be locally manufactured...
, and the rest of the aircraft fabric-covered.
The type proved popular on the civil market, with a number of long-distance flights staged to promote it. The French military also purchased a number of examples under the C.400 and C.410 designations.
Variants
- C.280 - Prototypes equipped the with de Havilland GipsyDe Havilland GipsyThe de Havilland Gipsy is a British air-cooled 4-cylinder in-line aircraft engine designed by Frank Halford in 1927 to replace the ADC Cirrus in the de Havilland D.H.60 Moth light biplane....
II piston engine. (5 built)- C.280/2 - Four-seat light touring monoplane, powered by a 108 kW (145 hp) Renault 4Pdi piston engine. 21 built.
- C.280/6 - This version had rounded wingtips. Only one was built.
- C.280/9 - The fuselage was lengthened by 20 cm (8 in). (three built)
- C.282 Super Phalene - Powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major piston engine. (11 built).
- C.280/4 - fitted with dual controls, automatic slots and flaps. (9 built)
- C.282/8 - Definitive production version, equipped with a 108 kW (145 hp) Renault 4Renault 4The Renault 4, also known as the 4L , is a hatchback economy car produced by the French automaker Renault between 1961 and 1992. It was the first front-wheel drive family car produced by Renault....
Pdi piston engine. Similar to the C.282/2. (89 built, plus three conversions) - C.282/10 - Equipped with the Merville seriers 601 propeller.
- C.286 - Powered by a De Havilland Gipsy III piston engine. (11 built)
- C.286/2 Fitted rounded wingtips. (10 built)
- C.286/2.S4 and C.286/3.S4' - Special luxury versions, powered by the De Havilland Gipsy Major I piston engine. (10 built)
- C.282/4 Super-Phalene - (5 built)
- C.286/5 Super-Phalène - This version was equipped with a de Havilland Gipsy III piston engine. (One built)
- C.286/6 Super-Phalène - This version was equipped with a de Havilland Gipsy Major piston engine, it was also fitted with a Merville 501 propeller. (5 built)
- C.286/7 Super-Phalene - equipped with Retier series 1175 variable-pitch propeller. (8 built)
- C.286/8 Super-Phalène - The fuselage was lengthened slightly, it was powered by a de Havilland Gipsy Major piston engine. (4 built)
- C.286/9 Super-Phalene - The fuselage was slightly shorter. (One built)
- C.289/2 -Powered by a 112 kW (150 hp) Hispano-Suzia 5Q radial piston engine. (5 built)
- C.400 - Military version. 40 were built for the French Air Force.
- C.401 - Several C.400s were modified for civilian use during the post-war years.
- C.410 - Military version, powered by a 104-kW (140-hp) Renault 4Pdi piston engine. (11 built)
Operators
- French Air ForceFrench Air ForceThe French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
Spain
- Spanish Republican Air ForceSpanish Republican Air ForceThe Spanish Republican Air Force, , was the air arm of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939...
- Caudron C.282
- Spanish Nationalist Air Force