The Caudron 02, the first fighter developed by the Caudron company, was a high-altitude interceptor designed by Paul Deville. The aircraft’s designation remains controversial, appearing in various sources as C.02, O2, or even simply Type O, though the latter also refers to a completely different aircraft.
High-Altitude Design and Purpose
This fighter was specifically designed for operations at altitudes of up to 9000 meters, an ambitious goal for its time. To achieve this high ceiling, a powerful engine and a flat airfoil section on the upper wing were planned for its construction.
Overall, the Caudron 02 was a conventional single-seat, single-strut biplane of mixed construction. Its armament initially comprised a single forward-firing 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun, with plans to install two such guns on production aircraft.
Engine Variants and Flight Tests
The aircraft was initially designed around a 150-hp Gnome 9N engine, with a 180-hp Le Rhône 9R as an alternative. However, while awaiting these engines, the fighter first flew in November 1917 with a 120-hp Le Rhône 9Jb. With this powerplant, it could only reach an altitude of 4000 meters.
Tests with the Gnome 9N engine were conducted in April 1918, followed by those with the 180-hp Le Rhône 9R. Although the Caudron 02 demonstrated quite good flight performance, its capabilities were only marginally better than those of the production SPAD S.XIII, leading to the cancellation of its serial production.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | Caudron 02 |
| Wingspan, m | 7. 50 |
| Length, m | 6. 43 |
| Height, m | 2.48 |
| Wing area, m2 | 17. 00 |
| Empty weight | 400 |
| Normal takeoff weight | 813 |
| Engine type | 1 Piston engine Le Rhône 9Jb |
| Power, hp | 1 x 180 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 21 0 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 185 |
| Flight endurance, h | 2 |
| Rate of climb, m/min | 400 |
| Crew, crew members | 1 |
| Armament | one 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun in the nose of the fuselage |
Image gallery of the Caudron 02
