Caudron C.500 - C.620 - C.630 to C.635 Simoun
The Caudron Simoun (Sandstorm) was a 1930s French four-seat touring monoplane designed by Marcel Riffard. It made its maiden flight in 1934 and was first introduced in 1935. It was used as a mail plane by Air Bleu, flew record-setting long-range flights, and was also used as a liaison aircraft by the Armée de l'Air during World War II.
The Simoun was often used as a light transport aircraft and famous pilots used those sport four seaters for fast mail deliveries and also remarkable records, with Tananarive, Hanoï, Saïgon and even the South Atlantic crossing.
Variants
- C.500 Simoun I - experimental, one was built.
- C.520 Simoun - experimental, one was built.
- C.620 Simoun IV - experimental, one was built.
- C.630 Simoun - initial production version with Renault Bengali 6Pri engine, 20 were built.
- C.631 Simoun - modified version with a Renault Bengali 6Q-01 engine, three were built.
- C.632 Simoun - similar to C.631, one was built.
- C.633 Simoun - modified fuselage with a Renault Bengali 6Q-07 engine, 6 were built.
- C.634 Simoun - modified wing and take-off weight with either a Renault Bengali 6Q-01 or Renault Bengali 6Q-09 engine, 3 were built.
- C.635 Simoun - improved cabin layout and either a Renault Bengali 6Q-01 or Renault Bengali 6Q-09 engine, 46 were built and conversions were done from earlier versions.
- C.635M Simoun - military version with either a Renault Bengali 6Q-09 or Renault Bengali 6Q-19 engine, 489 were built.
Operators
In France: Air Bleu and the Armée de l'Air. In Germany: The Luftwaffe. In the United States: The United States Navy.
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