Caudron
Caudron Simoun
The Caudron Simoun was a French high‑performance touring and racing monoplane built by the Caudron company in the late 1930s. First flown in 1934, the Simoun series evolved from earlier Caudron racers such as the C.460, incorporating a sleek, low‑wing, all‑metal airframe and a powerful inline engine, most commonly the Renault 4Pei‑Bis delivering about 140 hp. Its enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear and streamlined fuselage gave it a top speed near 320 km/h (200 mph), making it one of the fastest civilian aircraft of its era. The Simoun became famous for setting numerous speed and distance records, notably the 1935 Paris‑Berlin flight and the 1937 world distance record for aircraft under 1 000 kg. During World War II the type was pressed into service as a liaison and communications aircraft, valued for its reliability and modest operating cost. After the war the Simoun continued to appear in air races and record attempts, cementing its reputation as a versatile bridge between pre‑war racing designs and post‑war general aviation. Its elegant lines and technical innovations influenced later French light aircraft and highlighted Caudron’s contribution to high‑speed aeronautical engineering.
