Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Hi
At eBay here there is a photo of what appears to be a Caudron C.272 or 275. The aircraft is wrecked. The upper wings show a balkenkreuz, although I am not totally convinced that the fuselage markings are German. Luftwaffe personnel are using the aircraft as a photo opportunity. I suspect this might have become an airfield decoy…but is there any evidence of this type in Luftwaffe service?


Ian

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

There are a couple of losses for Caudron-Renaults and a Caudron-Simone, but no other type details. Don't know if either of those might fit.

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Thanks Jim
The Caudron-Simone would be the Caudron-Simoun liaison monoplane which served with the Luftwaffe in limited numbers. The Caudron-Renault is presumably the the Caudron-Renault C.714/760. This was a fighter which was swiftly found to be of poor quality. Some served with Finland.
…so neither of these are Caudron biplanes.

Ian

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Ian

I don't think that Caudron-Renault means the type 714.
The Renault engine was practically a synonym with French light-medium weight aircraft during the 1920s and 30's.

With regard to Caudron it is probably easier to state the types which DIDN'T use a Renault engine than those who did!

I think the Luftwaffe term Caudron-Renault stood for all those light Caudron aircraft captured and put into service from 1940 and on, the model 714 would be far too specific for them to simply lump together under such a nomenclature.

The photo you give us a pointer to is probably a former Adl'A aircraft still using the code 5 from its former masters.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Hi,

Partial markings fuselage available on this new print !

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Frankreich-Fl...item27c18d6f1e

French codes for Luciole were W-xxx. This E5 seems to be german markings.

Bertrand

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Thanks Bertrand for the new photo. A further photo at eBay here shows the other side of the aircraft and clearly shows it as a very distressed wreck. There are no other 'German' markings visible. The ??E5 marking would also not correspond with any obvious German codes.

I do suspect, that as suggested earlier, that this was a French aircraft, probably already wrecked when captured. The balkenkreuze was then painted on the upper wings as an airfield decoy.

Ian

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Guys

I agree with Ian, I still think this is some remnant of a French training unit code.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

[A further photo at eBay here shows the other side]

yes but "here" = Not Found

BH

Re: Luftwaffe Caudron C.272?
 

Sorry...the link is now working

Happy New Year
Ian