Caudron-Payen CP-730 Fléchair

[RAFF-35]

In 1936, the French military sought a rapid boost to its fighter strength by commissioning a "light fighter"—a wooden aircraft that could be mass-produced without interfering with existing manufacturing lines. This initiative led to three competing designs: the Arsenal VG-30, the Bloch MB.700, and the Caudron C.710, all of which were ordered for prototype testing.

The C.710 was a sleek, all-wood monoplane, its design influenced by Caudron's air racing heritage. It featured an unusually long nose with the cockpit positioned far back, giving it a distinctive silhouette. The aircraft had a fixed, spatted landing gear and a semicircular vertical stabilizer. Armed with twin 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.9 cannons housed in small pods beneath the wings, the C.710 packed a formidable punch. Powering the aircraft was the Renault 12R-01, a 450-horsepower supercharged inverted V-12 engine, essentially two Renault 6Qs combined.

Taking to the skies for the first time on July 18, 1936, the C.710 demonstrated impressive speed, reaching 455 km/h (283 mph) at 4,000 meters. However, it ultimately lost out to the Morane-Saulnier M.S.405, which boasted a superior rate of climb. The lone C.710 prototype met a tragic end, crashing on February 1, 1938.

Unwilling to concede defeat, Caudron sought ways to enhance their fighter's performance despite the limited engine options. They turned to Roland Payen, a visionary aircraft designer known for his radical ideas. Payen was convinced he could achieve remarkable results with only 500 horsepower.

By June 1938, the reimagined fighter—now dubbed the Caudron-Payen CP.730 Fléchair—was unveiled for testing. It was a striking aircraft, featuring Payen's signature delta wings coupled with a smaller set of conventional wings. A tricycle landing gear system was introduced, with the nose wheel retracting beneath the cockpit. The vertical stabilizer, sharply swept back, seamlessly merged with the rear fuselage.

The CP.730 was lightly armed yet effective, carrying a 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon firing through the propeller spinner, supplemented by a 7.5mm MAC 1934 machine gun in each wing. Weighing just 1,382 kg empty, thanks to its wooden construction, it achieved an impressive top speed of 362 mph and a range of 750 miles.

Despite its promise, the Fléchair faced serious challenges. Deliveries began in January 1940, but testing revealed severe reliability issues. The Renault engine was prone to failure, and the wooden airframe couldn't support a more powerful replacement. Although its agility and firepower impressed some pilots, others criticized its difficult handling and frequent mechanical problems.

On May 18, 1940, 35 Fléchairs were handed over to the Polish Warsaw Squadron (Groupe de Chasse polonais I/145) at Mions airfield. The fighter's performance divided opinion—while its speed and firepower made it competitive against German aircraft, its fragility and unreliable engine frustrated pilots.

By the time France fell in June 1940, only 97 Fléchairs had been produced. The majority were captured by the Germans, though 20 to 30 aircraft managed to escape to England. Polish and Free French pilots flew them during the Battle of Britain, but by 1941, losses and a lack of spare parts forced them out of service.

In occupied France, captured CP.730s were sent for evaluation. The renowned German designer Alexander Lippisch showed interest in refining the design for the Luftwaffe, but ultimately, the project was abandoned, leaving the Fléchair as an intriguing footnote in aviation history.

[Wardukw]

That looks so French it's scary 😆
Great build Raff mate 👌 👍

[Old Wombat]

Weird! ... ... Interesting! ... ... But weird! ...

[PR19_Kit]

I like the look of that, specially the Warsaw Squadron add-on markings. 

[NARSES2]

That's come out very well 

[The Rat]

Nicely done! 

[su27rules]

  

[kerick]

Wow, that's cool! I'm trying to figure out the parts you used but no luck.

[RAFF-35]

Wow, that's cool! I'm trying to figure out the parts you used but no luck.

The base kit is a Caudron CR.714. I cut up the main wings and rebuilt them as the front winglets. For the rear wings, I used some trimmed down Mig-21 wings. The tail was scratch built 

[PR19_Kit]

It's all excellently done, no matter which bits are what. A true kitbash. 

[stevehed]

That is amazing, definite lateral thinking.

[Captain Canada]

That is crazy cool ! Love the shape. I want one !