Caudron G.3

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Caudron G.3
Role Reconnaissance/Bomber
Manufacturer Caudron
First flight 1913 [1]
Introduction May 1914 [2] or Sep 1914[3]
Primary users France
Italy
U.K. (RFC/RAF)
Russia
Number built 2800 [note 1]
Developed from Caudron G.2
Wingspan 13.4 m (43 ft 11.5 in) [6][3][7][5] [note 2]
Engine 80-100hp Anzani radial or
80hp Gnome rotary or
80hp Le Rhône rotary or
70hp Renault inline
Crew 2
Max Speed 110 km/h (68 mph)[5]-112 km/h (70 mph)[7][6][4] to 136.0 km/h (84.5 mph)[3]
Climb 1,000 m (3,280 ft) in 7:00[6]-8:00[5]
2,000 m (6,560 ft) in 16:00[6]-18:00[7][4][5]-20:00[3]
3,000 m (9,840 ft) in 30:00[5]-32:00[7][6][4]
Ceiling 4,000 m (13,100 ft)[5]
Endurance 4:00 [7][6][3][4][5]

The Caudron G.3 was a tractor biplane with the engine mounted at the front of a small central nacelle in which a crew of one or two resided. The view from the nacelle was fairly obstructed, and swapping the crew -- as was sometimes done -- did little to improve it. Despite these limitations, around 2,800 G.3's were built and they served with not only Aviation Militaire but with five Italian squadriglia, Romania (12 aircraft), Russia (20), and the U.K., where they were used in small numbers from March-October 1915. U.K.-built G.3's had a somewhat smaller wingspan and greater length than the original design.

The G.3 saw an even longer life as a trainer, where it was used well into the 1920's. [1]

The plane was very stable and mild-mannered, an advantage with the lightly-trained pilots of 1914 and with student flyers. While early models all used warping (even on the elevators), later models used hinged elevators. As with the earlier Caudron G.2, two small fins with rudders were used for yaw control. A variety of engines was used, with Anzani being most common in trainers. As a trainer, it also saw service with China and the US. Many famous French pilots got their start in the G.3.[8]

170 G.3's were built in Italy under license by A.E.R. Finding the low-power rotary engines inadequate for bad-weather and high-altitude flying, the Italians replaced some of their Le Rhône engines with the Fiat A.10 or 150hp Isotta-Fraschini engines.[5]

For more information, see Wikipedia:Caudron G.3.

Timeline [note 3] [note 4]

Game Data

Wings of Glory

Unofficial Stats
Availability Maneuver Damage Dmg Points Max Alt. Climb
14Q3-17Q4 XC - or B 12 10 6
Card Links

Blue Max/Canvas Eagles

Aircraft Chart

Miniatures and Models

1:144 Scale

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

Resources

Orthographic Drawings

  • U.K.-built model

    U.K.-built model

References

Notes
  1. ↑ ≥2450 in France[2][3][4], 50[4]-350[2] in Britain, 170 in Italy[5]
  2. ↑ G.3's built by British Caudron had a wingspan of 13.26 m (43 ft 6 in).[7][4]
  3. ↑ Plane counts are approximate and based of escadrille usage in Davilla'97.
  4. ↑ British usage numbers are approximate, derived from the squadron histories.[9]
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Davilla'97, p.142.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Guttman, p.3.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Ferry'14, p.51.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Guttman'02, p.36.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Davilla Italian Vol.2, pp.181-185.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Lamberton, pp.216-218.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Davilla'97, p.147.
  8. ↑ Guttman'02.
  9. ↑ Philpott'13, pp.379-444.
Bibliography
  • Dr. James J. Davilla and Arthur M. Soltan. French Aircraft of the First World War. Flying Machines Press, 1997. ISBN 0-9637110-4-0.
  • James Davilla, MD, Italian Aviation in the First World War, Volume 2, Aircraft A-H. USA: Aeronaut Books, 2023. ISBN 978-1-953201-80-5
  • Vital Ferry. French Aviation During the First World War. Paris: Histoire and Collections, 2014. ISBN 978-2-35250-370-5
  • Jon Guttman, Windsock Datafile 94: Caudron G.3. Great Britain: Albatros Publications Ltd., 2002. ISBN 1-902207-49-1
  • Jon Guttman, Windsock Datafile 96: Caudron G.4. Great Britain: Albatros Publications Ltd., 2002. ISBN 1-902207-51-3
  • W.M. Lamberton and E.F. Cheesman, Reconnaissance & Bomber Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Great Britain: Harleyford Publications Ltd., 1962. ISBN 9780900435027
  • Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2
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