TheCaudron C.37 was a French three-enginedbiplane passenger transport, built in 1920. It could carry six passengers.

Between 1919 and 1922 Caudron built a series of multi-engined civil passenger transport biplanes of similar design but increasing size and engine power, theC.33, C.37,C.39,C.43 andC.61.^[1] The C.37 was the firsttrimotor in this series.^[2]

The C.37 was athree bay biplane withfabric-covered, rectangular-plan wings mounted withoutstagger. The lower wing haddihedral outboard of the engines, and the upper carried theailerons, which were not balanced as they were on the later aircraft. The wings were joined by vertical pairs ofinterplane struts, the forward members attached near theleading edges, and the centre section was supported by similar, shortercabane struts from the upperfuselage. Each inner bay was defined by two close pairs of leaning interplane struts, supporting an 60 kW (80 hp)Le Rhône 9C nine-cylinderrotary engine about halfway between the wings. Each wing-mounted engine was in a long, taperedcowling, open at the rear. There was a third cowled Le Rhône in the nose. The airliner could fly on only two engines when carrying six passengers.^[2]

Behind the engine thefuselage was flat-sided, with a wide, opencockpit with its windscreen immediately under the upperleading edge. With a useful load of 450 kg (992 lb) the C.37 was capable of carrying six passengers, though it is not certain if windows or seats were fitted. Behind the wings the fuselage tapered gently to a broad, triangularfin which carried a vertical-edgedrudder that reached down to the keel. Thetailplane was mounted on top of the fuselage so itselevators had a notch for rudder movement.^[2]

The C.37 had a fixedtailskid undercarriage. There were pairs of main wheels mounted on single axles attached at their centre to a longitudinal bar held under the engine at each end on short, forward-raked V-struts. To prevent nose-overs, there was a fifth wheel mounted under the nose.^[2]

Data from Hauet (2001) p.145^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Capacity: Six seat passengers
• Length: 11.60 m (38 ft 1 in)
• Wingspan: 17.00 m (55 ft 9 in)
• Height: 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
• Wing area: 65 m² (700 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 1,300 kg (2,866 lb)
• Gross weight: 2,100 kg (4,630 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 350 kg (772 lb)
• Powerplant: 3 ×Le Rhône 9C 9-cylinder air-cooledrotary engines, 60 kW (80 hp) each
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn)
• Endurance: 5 hr

• Caudron aircraft
• 1920s French airliners
• Biplanes
• Trimotors