Caudron C.800

C.800
Role	Two-seat basic training glider Type of aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	SNCAN
Designer	Raymond Jarlaud
First flight	April 1942
Number built	315

The Caudron C.800, at first also known as the Epervier (English: Sparrowhawk) is a French two seat

Two prototype C.800s were flown during World War II, the first in April 1942.^[3][4] A single-seat version, the C.810 was also flown in 1942 but these two prototypes were destroyed by bombing. An improved single-seat variant, the C.811 was flown after 1945 but not developed; it was seen by the French Air Ministry as too similar to existing types such as the Grunau.^[3]

In 1951 an improved version of the C.800 named C.801 was designed by Raymond Jarlaud. This had a reinforced structure, an enlarged rudder and balanced ailerons. Cockpit visibility was improved by simplifying the frames with more curved glazing and ground handling was made easier by moving the monowheel forward.^[3][5]

Operational history

After the liberation of France in 1944, the French government ordered 450 as part of an effort to revive French aviation, though this was later reduced to 248.

Ten C.801s were built at Aire-sur-Adour[3] but were withdrawn from use in 1957 on safety grounds.^[5]

In 2010 six C.800s remained on the French civil aircraft register and one on the Dutch.^[6]

Variants

C.800

Original 1940s production; 302 built.

C.800 Motorized version

Little is known of this one-off modification.

C.801

Improved 1950s version; 10 built.

C.810

Single-seat variant, flown 1942. The two prototypes were destroyed by bombing.

C.811

Improved C.310 flown post-war but not developed.

Aircraft on display

Data from Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe.^[7] C.800s are on public display at

• The Army Museum, Brussels

• Musée de l'Agriculture et de la Locomotion, Uzès
• Musée Maurice Dufresnes, Azay-le-Rideau
• Musée Régional de l'Air, Angers
• Musée de l'Aviation de Mas Palegry, Perpignan
• Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, le Bourget
• Ailes Anciennes Toulouse, Blagnac

Specifications (C.800)

Data from The World's Sailplanes:Die Segelflugzeuge der Welt:Les Planeurs du Monde^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Length: 8.35 m (27 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 16.0 m (52 ft 6 in)
• Height: 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 22.0 m² (237 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 11.6
• Airfoil: root Göttingen 654, tip Göttingen 676
• Empty weight: 240 kg (529 lb)
• Gross weight: 420 kg (926 lb)

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn)
  
• Rough air speed max: 85 km/h (52.8 mph; 45.9 kn)
• Aerotow speed: 90 km/h (55.9 mph; 48.6 kn)
• Rate of sink: 0.93 m/s (183 ft/min) at 68 km/h (42.3 mph; 36.7 kn)
• Lift-to-drag: ~21 at 78 km/h (48.5 mph; 42.1 kn)
• Wing loading: 19.1 kg/m² (3.9 lb/sq ft)

Notes

Bibliography

• Cortet, Pierre (April 2000). "Rétros du Mois" [Retros of the Month]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (85): 5.
  ISSN 1243-8650
  .
• Hardy, Michael (1982). Gliders & Sailplanes of the World. London: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 25.
  ISBN 0 7110 1152 4
  .
• Ogden, Bob (2009). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd.
  ISBN 978 0 85130 418 2
  .
• OSTIV (1958). The World's Sailplanes. Vol. 1. OSTIV & Schweizer Aero-Revue. pp. 31, 34.
• Partington, Dave (2010). European registers handbook 2010. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd.
  ISBN 978-0-85130-425-0
  .
• "French glider production" (PDF). Vintage Glider Club News. 44: 11–22. Summer 1982. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-24. production figures as stated in a special edition of AVIASPORT for French glider types, published by Pierre Bonneau in 1960
• "Caudron C.800 - j2mcl Planeurs". Retrieved 2012-11-10.
• "Caudron C.801 - j2mcl Planeurs". Retrieved 2012-11-10.

External links

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