U.S. Air Service




AIRCRAFT


OF THE


A E F



Caudron G.IV



Development and Operation

The Caudron G.IV was produced in response to an Aviation Militaire request for a more powerful Army Coordination aircraft capable of carrying a forward firing machine gun. The aircraft was a revision to the Caudron G.III. A second engine was added and the central nacelle was lengthened to allow for a nose gunner, and the number of rudders was increased from two to four. The armament consisted of a 7mm Hotchkiss or Lewis gun on a flexible mounting. The aircraft first flew in March 1915.

The United States Air Service of the A.E.F. purchased ten Caudron G.IV's for use as trainers at Tours. American cadets undergoing flight training at Tours leading to assignment as Army cooperation/reconnaissance/bombing pilots trained on this machine.

 

Aircraft and Flight Characteristics

Caudron G.IV 2-seat reconnaissance aircraft with two 80 hp Le Rhône engines

Length

7.19 m

Height

2.55 m

Empty Weight

733 kg

Loaded Weight

1232 kg

Maximum Speed

     

   At Sea Level

130 km/hr

   At 2000 m

125 km/hr.

Wing Span

16.85 m

Climb

     

   To 1,000 m

6 minutes 30 seconds

   To 2,000 m

15 minutes

Endurance

5 hrs.

Payload

210 kg.

Armament

One nose-mounted 7-mm Hotchkiss or Lewis machine gun. Crew was also equipped with a carbine or a Chauchat gun



References:

  1. Davilla, J. and Art Soltan, French Aircraft of the First World War
  2. Photo from the author.

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