Caudron C.460
Notes from Chris Parent
This model was built from George Bredehoft's plans with some minor changes. The wings are slightly bigger, and the tail surfaces slightly smaller with reshaped tips to match the great 3-view I have (Harry Robinson). I have also hinged the elevators and rudder.
The Specs:
Wingspan: 24"
Weight w/o Rubber: 37 grams
Prop: 20 cm Union with the blades thinned a lot, and the pitch increased.
Finish: Blue Japanese Tissue dyed with Pantone #294 ink. White "100" and stripe of bond paper; red and blue stripe from Japanese tissue. All of the stuff on the tail is freehand painted with Testor's enamel and a 5/0 brush. (Looks cruddier up close.) Light spray of Krylon CCA over everything. The pilot is from Small Scale, (Lindsey Smith) U.K. The spinner is from a G.A. Reproductions kit, probably the Hurricane.
Oh, and the oil coolers are from Aleene's Silver tissue with black dots on the back. They look just like the oil coolers in a photo of the plane. I put in the pilot and a documented scale instrument panel for unlimited rubber scale events as well.
It flies GREAT! I am a limited talent trimmer, but had it tweeked on the third short test flight. Flies L/L with a touch of left rudder. About 1.5 to 2.0 degrees of right and down thrust. Both wings are at about 2.5 to 3.0 degrees at the root washing out to maybe 1.5 degrees at the tips. (As always, never bet the ranch on my measurements.)
The plane handles wind very well and is very stuff-resistant as it turns downwind. I have only flown it in one mass launch event, so I have yet to time it. On 15% rubber it is very competitive. The glide is very smooth and shallow. I'll wait for a very calm day, and a very big field, to try it on unlimited rubber. The plane has a definite "fly away" look in the air.
It is a pretty quick and easy build. The only tricky part is the canopy. Mine is from thin acetate and a piece of hollowed soft balsa. Tricky to set up correctly onto the fuse. I think that a plunge molded job would be easier.
Thanks George!
- cp
Copyright 1998, Thayer Syme. All rights reserved