Caudron C.860 • wp.archivoaereo.com

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A Dream for Distance Record

In early 1938, engineer Marcel Riffard, chief designer of Société des Avions Caudron, began work on his next record-breaking aircraft. This time, the primary goal was to achieve a new world record for flight distance. The new aircraft, designated C.860, was specifically designed to surpass previous achievements by completing an ambitious non-stop flight from Paris to Tokyo.

Innovative Design and Specifications

The sole example of the C.860, which later received the registration number F-ARER, made its inaugural flight in September 1938. It was a two-seater, low-wing monoplane featuring mixed construction, combining lightness with structural integrity. Powering this advanced machine was a potent 240 hp Renault 6Q-03 engine.

According to Riffard and his team’s calculations, this engine configuration was expected to enable an impressive non-stop flight of 8000 kilometers. The C.860 was poised to set a new benchmark in long-distance aviation.

A Dream Interrupted by War

Regrettably, the highly anticipated record-breaking flight never took place. Barely a year after its first flight, the outbreak of World War II drastically shifted global priorities and aviation efforts.

The C.860 thus became the last record-breaking aircraft designed by Marcel Riffard and produced by the renowned Caudron company, marking the end of an era of ambitious aeronautical record attempts before the global conflict.

Technical Specifications

Modification	C.860
Wingspan, m	10.40
Length, m	8.60
Height, m	3.28
Wing area, m2	16.00
Empty weight	1160
Maximum takeoff weight	2400
Engine type	1 Piston engine Renault 6Q-03
Power, hp	1 x 240
Maximum speed, km/h	340
Cruising speed, km/h	290
Practical range, km	8000
Crew, crew members	2