SNCAO CAO.600
SNCAO · France · first flew 1940 · bomber
The SNCAO CAO.600 was a French twin-engined prototype torpedo-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, intended to operate from the new French Navy carriers Joffre and Painleve. Only one example had been completed and flown when France surrendered in June 1940.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 12.22 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engined French carrier torpedo-bomber prototype with two Gnome-Rhone 14M radials
- All-metal monoplane with an inverted gull wing and retractable tailwheel undercarriage
- Navigator in the extreme nose, pilot above the wing leading edge, gunner behind the wing
An all-metal twin-engined monoplane with an inverted gull wing, a glazed nose for the navigator and separate stepped windscreens for pilot and bombardier. A torpedo could be carried beneath the fuselage.
Specifications
- The SNCAO CAO.600 has a length of 12.22 m (40 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.5 m (54 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 380 km/h (236 mph).
- Typical crew: 2-3.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Built to the 1937 A47 specification, which demanded a twin-engined carrier aircraft with a crew of two or three, the CAO.600 first flew on 21 March 1940. It had completed 35 flying hours when testing stopped in June. The first prototype was stored and scrapped after the German occupation of southern France in November 1942.
Variants
The second prototype, with the folding wings needed for carrier use, was abandoned incomplete. No production variants were built.
Where you'll see it
The CAO.600 saw no operational service. It competed with the Dewoitine D.750 for the Aeronavale requirement.
Related aircraft
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