Caudron C.714

The C.710 were a series fighter aircraft developed by Caudron-Renault for the French Armée de l'Air just prior to the start of World War II. One version, the C.714, saw limited production, and were handed off the Polish pilots flying in France after the fall of Poland in 1939. A small number were also supplied to Finland.

The original specification that led to the C.710 series was offered in 1936 in order to quickly raise the number of modern aircraft in French service, by supplying a "light fighter" of wooden construction that could be built rapidly in large numbers without upsetting the production of existing types. The contract resulted in three designs, the Arsenal VG-30, the Bloch MB-700, and the C.710. Prototypes of all three were ordered.

The original C.710 model was an angular looking design developed from an earlier racing design series. One common feature to all of the Caudron line was an a extremely long nose that set the cockpit far back on the aircraft. The profile was the result of using the 450 hp (336 kW) Renault 12R-01 12-cylinder inline engine, which had a small cross section and was fairly easy to streamline, but very long. The gear were fixed and spatted, and the vertical stabilizer was a seeminly WWI-era semi-circle instead of a more common triangular design. Armament consisted of a Hispano-Suiza 20 mm HS-9 cannon under each wing in a small pod, with a option for a third firing through the propeller spinner.

The C.710 prototype first flew on July 18th, 1936. Despite its small size, it showed great potential and was able to reach 470 km/h in testing. Further development continued with the C.711 and C.712 with more powerful engines, while the C.713 which flew in December 1937 introduced retractable landing gear and a more conventional triangular vertical stabilizer.

The final evolution of the 710 series was the C.714 Cyclone, a variation on the C.713 which first flew in April 1938. The primary changes were a new wing airfoil profile, a strengthened fuselage, and instead of two cannons the fighter had four 7.5 mm MAC 1934 machine guns in the wing gondolas. It was powered by the newer 12R-03 version of the engine, which introduced a new carburettor that could operate in negative gee.

The Armee de l'Air ordered 20 C.714s on November 5, 1938, with options for a further 180. Deliveries didn't start until January 1940, and in February it was decided to give them over to the Polish squadron, GC 1/145. In March the order was reduced to 90, as the performance wasn't considered great enough to continue production. Fifty were diverted to Finland to fight in the Winter War. Six were on their way and a further ten on the docks when the war ended and further shipments were haulted, and while the six were delivered and assembled they were never used in combat. By the end of June when France fell, only 53 production machines had been delivered (although the number varies, 98 is another common figure). The plane was hopelessly outdated compared to the Messerschmitt Me 109E's it faced, but the Polish pilots nevertheless claimed 12 kills in three battles before France fell, losing 9 in the air and 9 more on the ground.

Other projected versions were the C.720 trainer with a 100 or 220 (75 or 164 kW) engine, the C.760 fighter with a 750 hp Isotta-Faschini radial engine, and the C.770 fighter with a 800 hp (597 kW) Renault V-engine.

Specifications (variant described)

General characteristics

• Crew:
• Capacity:
• Length: m ( ft)
• Wingspan: m ( ft)
• Height: m ( ft)
• Wing area: m² ( ft²)
• Empty: kg ( lb)
• Loaded: kg ( lb)
• Maximum takeoff: kg ( lb)
• Powerplant: Engine type(s), kN (lbf) thrust or
• Powerplant: Engine type(s), kW ( hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: km/h ( mph)
• Range: km ( miles)
• Service ceiling: m ( ft)
• Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: or
• Power/mass:

Related content
Related development
Similar aircraft	SAI-207 - SAI-403 Dardo
Designation series
Related lists	List of aircraft of the Armée de l'Air - List of fighter aircraft

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