| Caudron C.27 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Basic trainer |
| National origin | France |
| Manufacturer | Caudron |
| Designer | |
| Number built | more than 20 |
| History | |
| First flight | first half of 1922 |
TheCaudron C.27 was a Frenchbiplane, a two-seatbasic trainer which also competed successfully in the 1920s.
.jpg)
When it was shown at the 1922 Paris Salon, the C.27 was presented as the second in a triplet of increasingly demandingtrainers, starting with theCaudron G.3 and ending with the more powerfulCaudron C.59,[1] though Hauet[2] describes it as a basic trainer.
It was atwo bay biplane, withoutstagger or significantdihedral. It had rectangular plan wings,[2] each built around two woodenspars[3] andfabric covered. These were braced with parallelinterplane struts, assisted by piano-wire bracing. There were simple parallelcabane struts between the upper wing centre section and the upperfuselagelongerons.[2]Ailerons were fitted only to the upper wing.[3]
The C.27 was powered by an 80 hp (60 kW)Le Rhône 9C nine cylinder air-cooledrotary engine, driving a two bladepropeller and with acowling which surrounded its upper three-quarters.[2] Behind the engine thefuselage had a cross-braced beam structure.[3] The opencockpits were intandem between the wings, the pupil's slightly forward of mid-chord and the instructor's close behind under the trailing edge, which had a rounded cut-out to improve his vision. At the rear a long, shallow triangularfin carried a straight edgedbalanced rudder which reached down to the keel. Thetailplane was mounted on top of the fuselage and theelevators were cut away centrally to allow rudder movement. The C.27 had a fixedtail skid undercarriage with its wheels on a single axle supported by two pairs of V-struts from the lower fuselage. The forward members of these were originally double with a shock absorber in their upper parts, together with an elaborately wire braced central skid to prevent nose-overs, but the skid was soon abandoned and the double struts replaced by single ones.[2]
At least one C.27 flew with an 80 hp (60 kW)Anzani engine.[2] The name C.27 was used to at least mid-1924 but at the Paris SalonL'Aérophile noted that the designation had changed toC.127.[3][4] From 1925 several were fitted with 130 hp (97 kW)Clerget 9B nine cylinderrotary engines and designatedC.125.[5]
TheC.128 was again very similar but powered by a 120 hp (89 kW)Salmson 9AC, a nine-cylinder, air cooledradial engine. This had a smaller diameter than the rotaries and was mounted in a tapered nose with its cylinders exposed. There was a 14% increase in empty weight from the C.127 and a slight increase in span and area.[6] At least five were built or converted.[7]
At least twenty-one C.27, C.125, C.127 and C.128 aircraft appeared on the French civil register.[7]
The exact date of the first flight, piloted by Boulard,[2] is not known but the aircraft was flown publicly at Orly at the end of June 1922. It was piloted by Thoret, who particularly impressed onlookers with a polishedaerobatic performance, the last part with his engine off.[8] Two years later a C.27 piloted by Patin won the 1924 Zenith Cup, a trophy based on fuel consumption and load carrying ability, andAdrienne Bolland set a women's record in another C.27 when she completed 212 consecutive loops.[2]
A C.128 came second in the 1926 Zenith Cup and in September 1927 one carried five people to win a competition at a rally inAuvergne. In September 1927 a C.128 won a prize by carrying five people. In September 1928 pilots Mauler and Baud, with cameraman Cohendy set out on a flight, made in stages of about 350–400 km (220–250 mi) fromParis to theCape of Good Hope via theWest African coast. The flight was organised byLe Peit Paisien newspaper and by Paramount films, for whom Cohendy recorded their journey. It was the first flight from France to the Cape. They then flew back to Paris after a round trip of about 35,000 km (22,000 mi).[6]
In 1930 a modified C.128, ordered by the Société Pour le Développement de l'Aviation (Society for the development of aviation) and designatedC.128/2 was equipped to allow an acrobat to hang on a trapeze under the aircraft and also to permit wing-walking.[6]
Data from Hauet (2001) pp.188-9[4]
General characteristics
Performance
