Caudron J Marine

The Caudron J Marine was an amphibious, two-seat biplane equipped with floats and wheels. It was similar to the earlier Caudron J floatplane.

J Marine
Caudron Type J "Marine" seaplane being lifted on the Foudre in 1914
Role	Reconnaissance Amphibian
Manufacturer	Caudron
Designer	René Caudron
First flight	1914
Primary user	Marine Française
Number built	3

Design

The Caudron J was essentially a seaplane version of the two-seat Caudron G and single-seat Caudron F. The F, G, and J all followed a similar layout with 2½-bay biplane wings, a tail unit with a single fin and rudder, supported on struts attached to the wings at the first inter-plane struts and a central fuselage nacelle housing the cockpit and mounting the tractor engine. Two main floats were strut-supported under the wings and a small tail-float was attached to the tail unit. A 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani 10-cylinder radial engine powered the plane.^[1]

Operational history

The French Navy (la Marine Française) used the three production Caudron J Marine aircraft for reconnaissance and artillery observation. On 8 May 1914, René Caudron flew the second example from a wooden platform erected over a gun turret, on the French Navy seaplane carrier Foudre.^[2] The first example was powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Gnome 9 Delta rotary engine and the other two by 80 hp (60 kW) Gnome 7 Lambda rotary engines.

Variants

Caudron J

The initial 1913 version of the Caudron floatplane with 15 m (49 ft) span and 100 hp (75 kW) Anzani 10-cyl radial. Winner of the Deauville contest in August 1913.^[1]

Caudron J Marine

1914 production version of the Type J, with three examples purchased by the French Navy^[2]

Operators

 France

• French Navy

Specifications (variant specified)

Data from ^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2, pilot and observer
• Length: 8.05 m (26 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 40 m² (430 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 510 kg (1,124 lb)
• Gross weight: 730 kg (1,609 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Le Rhône 9C 9-cylinder air-cooled rotary piston engine, 60 kW (80 hp)
• Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 95 km/h (59 mph, 51 kn)