Caudron G.3

Caudron G.3
French Caudron G.3
Role	Reconnaissance aircraft
Manufacturer	Caudron
First flight	Late 1913[1]
Introduction	1914[1]
Primary users	Aéronautique Militaire US Army Air Service Finnish Air Force Polish Air Force
Developed from	Caudron G.2

The Caudron G.3 was a single-engined French biplane built by Caudron, widely used in World War I as a reconnaissance aircraft and trainer.

Contents

• 
  1 Development
  


• 
  2 Operational history
  


• 
  3 Variants
  


• 
  4 Survivors
  


• 
  5 Operators
  


• 
  6 Specifications (G.3)
  


• 
  7 See also
  


• 
  8 References
  


• 
  9 External links
  

Development

The Caudron G.3 was designed by René and Gaston Caudron as a development of their earlier Caudron G.2 for military use. It first flew in May 1914 at their Le Crotoy aerodrome.^[2]

The aircraft had a short crew nacelle, with a single engine in the nose of the nacelle, and an open tailboom truss. It was of sesquiplane layout, and used wing warping for lateral control, although this was replaced by conventional ailerons fitted on the upper wing in late production aircraft. Usually, the G.3 was not armed, although sometimes light machine guns and small bombs were fitted.

It was ordered in large quantities following the outbreak of the First World War with the Caudron factories building 1423 of the 2450 built in France. 233 were also built in England and 166 built in Italy along with several other countries. The Caudron brothers did not charge a licensing fee for the design, as an act of patriotism.^[2]

It was followed in production by the Caudron G.4, which was a twin-engined development.

Operational history

French operational Caudron G.3

Caudron G.3 operated by the American 800th Aero Squadron as a trainer

Caudron G.3 floatplane trainer in Chinese service

The G.3 equipped Escadrille C.11 of the French Aéronautique Militaire at the outbreak of war, and was well-suited for reconnaissance use, proving stable and having good visibility. As the war progressed, its low performance and lack of armament made it too vulnerable for front line service, and it was withdrawn from front line operations in mid-1916.^[2]

The Italians also used the G.3 for reconnaissance on a wide scale until 1917, as did the British RFC (continuing operations until October 1917), who fitted some with light bombs and machine guns for ground attack.^[2] The Australian Flying Corps operated the G.3 during the Mesopotamian campaign of 1915–16.

It continued in use as a trainer until well after the end of the war. Chinese Fengtian clique warlord Caudron G.3s remained in service as trainers until the Mukden Incident of 1931, when many were captured by the Japanese.

In 1921 Adrienne Bolland, a French test pilot working for Caudron, made the first crossing of the Andes by a woman, flying between Argentina and Chile in a G.3.

Variants

Most G.3s were the A2 model, used by various airforces for artillery spotting on the Western front, in Russia and in the Middle East. The G.3 D2 was a two-seat trainer, equipped with dual controls and the E2 was a basic trainer. The R1 version (rouleur or roller) was used by France and the United States Air Service for taxi training, with the wing trimmed down to prevent its becoming airborne. The last version, the G.3. L2, was equipped with a more powerful 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani 10 radial engine. In Germany, Gotha built a few copies of the G.3 as the Gotha LD.3 and Gotha LD.4 (Land Doppeldecker – "Land Biplane").

Survivors

Caudron G.3s are displayed in several museums, including at the RAF Museum Hendon, the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Paris, the Royal Army and Military History Museum, Brussels and the Aerospace Museum (Musal), Rio de Janeiro. One aircraft is being restored at the Hallinportti Aviation Museum in Finland.

Operators

Caudron G.3 in the Airspace Museum (Museu Aeroespacial) in Rio de Janeiro.

A Caudron G.3 E2, one of the first aircraft of the Colombian Air Force.

 Argentina

Argentine Air Force

 Australia

• Mesopotamian Half Flight


• Central Flying School AFC at Point Cook, Victoria.

 Belgium

Belgian Air Force

 Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force

 China

• 
  Republic of China Air Force - Purchased 12 from France in 1913.^[3]
  

 Colombia

Colombian Air Force – Three aircraft became Colombia's first military aircraft.

 Denmark

Royal Danish Air Force

 El Salvador

Air Force of El Salvador – Three aircraft.

 Finland

Finnish Air Force – 12 from France in 1920, six built in Finland by Santahaminan ilmailutelakka from 1921 to 1923. One from Flyg Aktiebolaget in 1923. Withdrawn 1924. Nicknamed Tutankhamon.

Caudron G.3 replica in "Museo del Aire", Madrid.

 France

• 
  French Air Force – Operated by 38 escadrilles.^[1]
  

 Greece

Hellenic Air Force

 Guatemala

• Guatemalan Air Force

 Honduras

Honduran Air Force

 Kingdom of Italy

• Corpo Aeronautico Militare

 Japan

• Imperial Japanese Army Air Service

 Peru

• 
  Peruvian Air Force – One aircraft only.

 Portugal

Portuguese Air Force

 Poland

Polish Air Force

 Romania

Royal Romanian Air Force

 Russia

Imperial Russian Air Force

 Serbia

• Serbian Air Force and Air Defense

Kingdom of Spain

• 
  Spanish Air Force – Eighteen bought in 1919 for training at Getafe, Seville and Los Alcázares, replaced by Avro 504Ks in 1924.

 Soviet Union

Soviet Air Force – ex-Imperial Russian Air Force.

 Turkey

Turkish Air Force – Postwar.

 United Kingdom

Caudron G.3 at the Royal Air Force Museum London

• 
  Royal Flying Corps
  
  
  
  • No. 1 Squadron RFC
  
  
  • No. 4 Squadron RFC
  
  
  • No. 5 Squadron RFC
  
  
  • No. 19 Squadron RFC
  
  
  • No. 23 Squadron RFC
  
  
  • No. 25 Squadron RFC
  
  
  • No. 29 Squadron RFC
  
  
  
  


• 
  Royal Naval Air Service – operated 140 primarily as trainers^[4]
  

 United States

• American Expeditionary Force


• United States Army Air Service

 Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force

Specifications (G.3)

Caudron G.3 drawing

Data from Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneet

General characteristics

• 
  Crew: 1


• 
  Length: 6.40 m (21 ft 0 in)


• 
  Wingspan: 13.40 m (44 ft 0 in)


• 
  Height: 2.50 m (8 ft 3 in)


• 
  Wing area: 27.00 m² (290 ft²)


• 
  Empty weight: 420 kg (933 lb)


• 
  Max. takeoff weight: 710 kg (1,577 lb)


• 
  Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9C rotary, 60 kW (80 hp)

Performance

• 
  Maximum speed: 106 km/h (57 kn, 68 mph)


• 
  Service ceiling: 4,300 m ^[2] (14,110 ft)

Armament

One light machine gun (optional) and hand released bombs (optional)

See also

• 
  Aviation portal
  

Related development

• Caudron G.4


• Caudron R.4


• Caudron R.11

References

1. 
   ^ ^abc Holmes, 2005. p 26.
   


2. 
   ^ ^abcde Donald 1997, p.233.
   


3. 
   ^ Jowett, Philip (2010). Chinese Warlord Armies 1911-30. Osprey Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 978 1 84908 402 4..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
   


4. 
   ^ Thetford, Owen (1994). British Naval Aircraft Since 1912. London: Putnam. p. 415. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.
   

• 
  Donald, David (Editor) (1997). The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Aerospace Publishing. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.CS1 maint: Extra text: authors list (link)
  


• 
  Holmes, Tony (2005). Jane's Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide. London: Harper Collins. ISBN 0-00-719292-4.
  


• Kalevi Keskinen, Kyösti Partonen, Kari Stenman: Suomen Ilmavoimat I 1918-27, 2005.
  ISBN 952-99432-2-9.


• Kalevi Keskinen, Kari Stenman, Klaus Niska: Suomen ilmavoimien lentokoneet 1918-1939', Tietoteos, 1976.
  


• 
  Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1920). L'Année Aéronautique: 1919-1920. Paris: Dunod. p. 17.
  


• 
  Hirschauer, Louis; Dollfus, Charles, eds. (1921). L'Année Aéronautique: 1920-1921. Paris: Dunod. p. 23.
  

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caudron G.3.

• Caudron G.3 (airminded.net)


• RAF Museum


• Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's Caudron G.III page

v t e Aircraft produced by Caudron
Letter designators & Early	Type A Type B Type B2 Type B Multiplace Type C Type D Type E Type F Type G Caudron-Fabre Type H Type J Type K Type L Type M Type N Type O Type P Type R
Gaston Caudron (G) types	G.2 G.3 G.4 G.6
René Caudron (R) types	R.2 R.3 R.4 R.5 R.6 R.8 R.9 R.10 R.11 R.12 R.14 R.15 R.19
Numerical Designations	C.02 C.17 C.20 C.21 C.22 C.23 C.25 C.27 C.33 C.37 C.39 C.43 C.51 C.59 C.60 C.61 C.65 C.66 C.67 C.68 C.74 C.77 C.81 C.87 C.91 C.92 C.97 C.98 C.99 C.101 C.103 C.104 C.107 C.109 C.110 C.113 C.117 C.125 C.127 C.128 C.140 C.150 C.160 C.180 C.183 C.190 C.220 C.230 C.240 C.250 C.270 C.280 C.320 C.340 C.360 C.362 C.366 C.400 C.410 C.400 C.430 C.440 C.450 C.460 C.480 C.490 C.500 C.510 C.520 C.530 C.560 C.570 C.580 C.600 C.610 C.620 C.630 C.640 C.660 C.670 C.680 C.690 C.710 C.720 C.760 C.770 C.800 C.801 C.810 C.811 C.860 C.870 C.880
Names	Aiglon Frégate Goéland Kangourou Luciole Pélican Phalène Phalène Junior Rafale Simoun Super Phalène Super Rafale Typhon

v t e Aircraft produced by Gothaer Waggonfabrik
Company designations pre-1918	LD.1 LD.2 LD.3 LD.4 LD.5 LD.6 LD.7 LD.10 LE.1 LE.2 LE.3 WD.1 WD.2 WD.3 WD.4 WD.5 WD.7 WD.8 WD.9 WD.11 WD.12 WD.13 WD.14 WD.15 WD.17 WD.20 WD.22 WD.27
Idflieg designations 1914-1918	B.I B.II G.I G.II G.III G.IV G.V G.VI G.VII G.VIII G.IX G.X
Reichsluftfahrtministerium designations 1933-1945	Go 145 Go 146 Go 147 Go 149 Go 150 Go 229 Go 241 Go 242 Go 244 Go 345 Ka 430

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