Design and Early Flights
Following the successful long-distance flight of the CAMS 51 flying boat along the Berre – Beirut route, designers at the French company Chantiers Aéro-Maritimes de la Seine (CAMS) began planning a specialized long-range flying boat based on the CAMS 51.
The new CAMS 54GR (for Grand Raid) flying boat was completed in early 1928 and made its first flight in March of that year. The CAMS 54 was a three-seater, single-bay biplane, equipped with two nine-cylinder Gnome & Rhône 9Akx radial engines producing 480 hp. For long-distance flights, the aircraft received a large fuel tank holding 4110 liters of fuel.
The Transatlantic Endeavor
In May, during training flights at the Saint-Raphaël base, the CAMS 54, named “La Frégate,” was able to take off with a record load of 4400 kg for that time.
On July 28, 1928, the planned flight across the North Atlantic began. Piloted by Lieutenant Vaisseau Paris, the aircraft flew without incident for 8 hours, but then problems with one of the engines began. After flying another six and a half hours on one engine, Paris landed in Horta, in the Azores, and sent a telegram to the Ministry of Aviation requesting a replacement engine.
Unfortunately, at that very time, another flying boat, the Latham 47.02, had disappeared without a trace, and the Ministry did not risk another aircraft. The CAMS 54GR was returned to France by ship.
An Unexpected End
In February of the following year, new engines were installed on the flying boat: two twelve-cylinder V-type Hispano-Suiza 12Mbr engines, producing 500 hp (370 kW). However, after receiving civil registration F-AIQN, it never flew anywhere again.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | CAMS 54 |
| Wingspan, m | 20. 40 |
| Length, m | 14. 84 |
| Height, m | 5. 22 |
| Wing area, m2 | 113. 00 |
| Empty weight | 3940 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 6740 |
| Engine type | 2 Piston engines Gnome & Rhône 9Akx |
| Power, hp | 2 x 480 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 200 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 150 |
| Practical range, km | 4400 |
| Practical ceiling, m | 2500 |
| Crew | 3 |
Image gallery of the CAMS 54
