Caudron R.11

The Caudron R.11 was a French five-seat escort twin-engine biplane fighter aircraft developed and produced during World War I.

Development
The R.11 was originally intended to fulfill the French Corps d'Armee reconnaissance category. Its design was similar to the Caudron R.4, but with a more pointed nose, two bracing bays outboard the engines rather than three, no nose-wheel, and a much larger tail. The engines were housed in streamlined nacelles just above the lower wing.

Operational history
The French army ordered 1000 R.11s. Production began in 1917, with the first aircraft completed late in that year. In February 1918 the first Escadrille (squadron) R.26 was equipped. The last escadrille to form before the Armistice (and production ended abruptly) was R.246, at which point 370 planes had been completed.

Variants
The Caudron R.12 was an experimental version of the R.11, with a larger engine. Development ended when the Caudron R.14 variant appeared in August 1918.

Operators

 * American Expeditionary Force
 * American Expeditionary Force
 * American Expeditionary Force

Units using this aircraft

 * Escadrille R.46
 * Escadrille R.239
 * Escadrille R.240
 * Escadrille R.241
 * Escadrille R.242
 * Escadrille R.246