User:TheLongTone/Caudron C.430

The Caudron C.430 Rafale was a 1930s French two-seat sports aircraft developed from the single-seat Caudron C.360.
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Design
The Rafale was a low-wing cantilever monoplane constructed of wood with a fixed undercarriage and split trailing-edge flaps. It was powered by a high-compression version of the Renault Bengali inverted four-cylinder inline air-cooled engine. A single-seat version was also produced, the C.430/1. This was built to compete for the 1934-5 Michelin Cup.

Operational history
On March 31 1934, flown by Raymond Delmotte accompanied by a mechanic, set a world record for two-seat aircraft weighing less than 560 kg, covering the course of 100 km (62.5 mil) in 20 min 22 sec, an average speed of 292 km/hr (181.4 mph).

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6553677b/f36.image.r=Coupe%20Michelin

On July 8 Rafaels won the first three places in the Angers 12-hour competition: Yves Lacombe was the winner, flying 1805 mi in the time. Hélène Boucher was second with 1,765 147 m.p.h., and third Arnoux, who covered 1,745 145 m.p.h., http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1934/1934%20-%200741.html?search=helene%20Boucher|title Les Douze Heures d'Angers|date=19 July 1934|page=743}}

Capt Puget won Coupe Zenith, for a circuit Orly&mdash;Poitiers&mdash;Bordeaux&mdash;Carcassonne&mdash;Nîmes&mdash;Lyons&mdash;Orly completed in  6h 5m 9s Six Rafaels were entered in the Grand Prix at Deauvillehttp://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65536832/f40.image.r=rafale|le Coupe Zenith 1934|date=October 1934 |page=310

On 11 August Maurice Arnoux and Gaston Brabant flew a Rafale to establish a new light aircraft record for a distance of 1000 km, completing the distance at a speed of 268.49 kph>: on 19 August 1934 Capt. Puget and Lieut. Montignat, also flying a Rafale broke this record covering the distance in 3h 35m 2s, a speed of 278.99 kph. 25 August broke the record for 100km 292.16

Also flown with success in the 1935 AeCF Grand Prix, Maurice Arnoux winning second overall and other examples winning both first and second places in the individual stages. http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6554758n/f44.image http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6554758n/f11.image.r=Rafale Arnoux also won the 1935 Michelin Cup, completing the 2902 km course in 10h 7m, a speed of 286.85 kph.

5, multiplaces, battu par M. Maurice Arnoux et Mlle Gracieuse Lallus, passagère, le 14 novembre 1937, sur appareil Caudron « Rafale », moteur Renault Bengali de 140 CV, sur le circuit : ChartresEtampes-Boncé5, monoplace, battu par M. Maurice Arnoux, le 13 novembre 1937, sur appareil Caudron « Rafale », moteur Renault Bengali 140 CV, sur le circuit : ChartresEtampes-Boncé http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k6555153t.image.r=arnoux

30 Dec 1937 Henry Boris, rafale aicraft with engine beteen 4 &6 litres 309.347 over 1000 km and 295.896 over 2000.http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65551562/f56.image. Also a couple of Arnou records in C.686, not calles a Rafale.

Variants
Caudron produced a number of similar aircraft called Rafale:
 * C.530 http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9841&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=
 * C.530 http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9843&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=
 * C.560  (F-ANAK) http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=4490
 * C.685 http://www.fai.org/fai-record-file/?recordId=11921...I assume the engine power is wrong!
 * [[Caudron C.660 http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9843&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=

Rafale II, with a larger engine http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k65551636/f41.image.r=arnoux Fighter trainers, equipped with a gunsight and camera gun.
 * C.690, 220hp 6 cyl, 15 supplied to Armee de l'Air.http://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=384&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=
 * C.720 150hp 4-cyl

Survivors
An example is preserved in the collection of the musée régional de l'air of Angers-Marcé