Caudron C.109

{{Infobox aircraft

|name=C.109

|image=Caudron C.109 F-PFLN Mitry-Mory 29.05.57 edited-2.jpg

|caption=Caudron C.109 F-PFLN airworthy at Mitry-Mory airfield near Paris in May 1957

|type=Utility aircraft

|manufacturer=Caudron

|designer=

|first_flight=May 1925

|introduction=

|retired=

|status=

|primary_user=

|more_users=

|produced=

|number_built=24

|variants=

}}

The Caudron C.109 was a light utility aircraft built in France in the late 1920s.

Design and development

The C.109 was a parasol-winged braced monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed tailskid undercarriage. The pilot and single passenger sat in tandem open cockpits. C.109s were used in a number of record attempts of the day,{{cite book |title=Les Avions Caudrons |last=Hauet |first=André |year=2001 |volume=1 |publisher=Lela Presse |location=Outreau|isbn=2 914017-08-1|pages=196-209}} and were used to set distance records in the under 350 kg class of 868 km on 19 May 1927 (piloted by Juste Thoret), and 1,581 km on 27 October 1927 (piloted by Max Knipping), a women's duration record of 26 hours 47 minutes on 27 July 1929 (piloted by Maryse Bastié), and the first crossing of Mediterranee by a woman, Léna Bernstein (19 August 1929), 2,268 km.

Survivors

At least one aircraft survived to fly postwar, F-PFLN, F-AIQI prewar, being airworthy at Mitry-Mory airfield near Paris in 1957. This aircraft is held in the collection of the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget but is not currently on public display.

Variants

;C.109

:Two-seat light utility aircraft.{{cite web|last1=Parmentier|first1=Bruno|title=Caudron C.109|url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=192&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=|website=Aviafrance|accessdate=22 February 2018|location=Paris|language=French}}

;C.109.2

:One surviving C.109 was fitted with an {{convert|85|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip|0}} Salmson 5Aq radial engine.

;C.110

:Only two aircraft were built. Fitted with a {{convert|60|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip|0}} Salmson 5AC radial engine.{{cite web|last1=Parmentier|first1=Bruno|title=Caudron C.110|url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9687&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=|website=Aviafrance|accessdate=22 February 2018|location=Paris|language=French}}

;C.113:A development of the C.110, powered by a {{cvt|60|hp}} Anzani 6A-3 engine.{{cite web|last1=Parmentier|first1=Bruno|title=Caudron C.113|url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=10201&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=|website=Aviafrance|accessdate=22 February 2018|location=Paris|language=French}}

;C.114

:Fitted with an Anzani 6-cylinder radial engine.

;C.117

:Fitted with a {{convert|60|hp|kW|abbr=on|order=flip|0}} Salmson 5Ac radial engine.{{cite web|last1=Parmentier|first1=Bruno|title=Caudron C.117|url=https://www.aviafrance.com/aviafrance1.php?ID=9686&ID_CONSTRUCTEUR=313&ANNEE=0&ID_MISSION=0&MOTCLEF=|website=Aviafrance|accessdate=22 February 2018|location=Paris|language=French}}

Operators

;{{FRA}}

French Air Force

Specifications (C.109)

File:Caudron_C.109_3-view_L'Aéronautique_October,1927.png

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Les Avions Caudrons, Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928{{cite book |title=Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1928 |editor1-last=Grey |editor1-first=C.G. |year=1928 |publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & company, ltd |location=London |pages=95c-96c}}

|prime units?=met

|crew=2

|length m=6.44

|span m=11.50

|height m=2.53

|wing area sqm=19.14

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=328

|gross weight kg=572

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity={{cvt|653|kg}} (ca. {{cvt|460|L|USgal impgal}})

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Salmson 9AD

|eng1 type=9-cylinder engine

|eng1 hp=40

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=fixed pitch propeller

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|max speed kmh=122.5

|max speed note=at sea level

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed kts=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed kts=

|never exceed speed note=

|range km=

|range miles=

|range nmi=

|range note=

|endurance=4 hours

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|glide ratio=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude= {{cvt|500|m}} in 8 minutes

|wing loading kg/m2=

|wing loading lb/sqft=

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass={{cvt|0.0395|hp/lb|kW/kg|order=flip}}

|more performance=

}}

References

Bibliography

{{cite journal |last1=Moulin|first1=Jacques|last2=Cony|first2=Christophe|name-list-style=amp |title=L'aviation était toute sa vie: Léna Bernstein |journal=Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire |date=May 2001 |issue=98 |pages=59–60 |trans-title=Aviation was Her Whole Life: Léna Bernstein |language=fr |issn=1243-8650}}