The SIMOUN C500 and C620 Caudrons presented at the Aeronautics show in November 1934, were designed by the famous Marcel Riffard, father of the brand's racing aircraft. The aircraft is immediately presented as a luxurious plane, combining it with the Renault Viva Grand Sport car, presented in 1934, and also designed by Marcel Riffard. The C500 is powered by a Renault Bengali 4 cyl. 170 hp and the C620 by a 6cyl Bengali 170 hp.
The construction of the new aircraft uses the same techniques as those of racing aircraft. The structure of the wing is based on the rectangular spar with variable section, and in the central part, spruce souls arranged vertically, provide stiffness to the right landing gear. The curvature flaps occupy the entire trailing edge and the wing is fully boxed birch plywood and interlining. The fuselage is of mixed construction, steel and wood and can carry 4 passengers in addition to the two crew members. The drawing of the vertical and horizontal empennages takes again the characteristic drawing of the Caudrons. The C500 and C620 were produced in few copies, and it was not until the C630 that mass production began. It is recognizable externally from previous versions by its two side windows instead of three.
The Simoun C630 is powered by a 6 Cyl Renault Bengali 6Q-07 180 hp driving a two-blade propeller variable pitch: the mechanism is pneumatically actuated in flight after being pressurized on the ground with a bicycle pump ... This version , produced about twenty copies is one of the only tourism devices capable of reaching 300km / h. It will be followed by the main version: C635 and C635M for the military version. The unit is then motorized by a 6 cyl. Renault Bengali 6Q-09 220 hp and the wing receives a dihedral of 4 ° to improve stability. These two versions will be produced more than 500 copies.
The young company "Air Bleu", founded in 1935, and whose main shareholder is none other than Louis Renault, bought a dozen C630 and C635 to transport the mail. The first four connections took place on July 10, 1935, with flights from Le Bourget to Lille, Le Havre, Strasbourg and Bordeaux at a very good average of 250 km / h. These daily connections, were ensured by all time until August 1936, date when "Air Bleu" in financial difficulty was forced to stop, for a time, its activity, with for principal reason, the appearance of a tax put in place by the Post Office. It was not until July 1937 that "Air Bleu" was able to take over the operation of the lines.
The Caudron Simoun, by his performances attracted many pilots raids. December 18, 1935, it is on board that the crew Genin-Robert realizes the trip Le Bourget-Tananarive, or 8 665 km, in 57 h 36 min. At the end of 1937, Maryse Hilsz made a Paris-Saigon raid in less than four days, and on December 30, 1936, Maryse Bastié crossed the South Atlantic aboard a C635. Also mention André Japy, who succeeded on November 15, 1936, to join Japan, or 14000 kms in 75hres of flight ... before crashing on the landing and to be seriously wounded. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry also made numerous flights on board, including an attempted flight Paris-Saigon, December 29, 1935, to beat the record of André Japy.
The aircraft interessa the Air Force who commanded the Simoun in the military version C635M, as liaison and training aircraft for flying schools. At the time of the German attack, on May 10, 1940, nearly 500 copies had been delivered out of the 650 ordered. To these, we must add the Caudrons "civil" requisitioned from September 1939.
After the Armistice, the Germans seize a hundred aircraft that will fly under German colors until 1945. Other copies, present in North Africa were used by the Vichy Air Force before passing to the hands FAFL. They stole until spare parts were exhausted.
Today, only two Caudron Simouns are visible, including one at the Air and Space Museum. The second is being restored thanks to the association "Renaissance du Caudron Simoun". .
Type |
4-seat Communications aircraft |
Engine |
1 Renault 6Q-09 |
Dimensions |
Length 9,10 m , height 2,15 m , span 10,40 m , wing area 16,0 m2 , |
Weights |
Empty 952 kg, loaded , max. take off weight 1330 kg |
Performance |
Max.. speed 310 km/h , cruising speed 280 km/h , range 1125 km, endurance , service ceiling 7300 m , climb |