The replica Caudron Rafale C.460, one of the most iconic French racing aircraft of the 1930s, returned to the skies once again following an extensive restoration effort. Originally flown in 1934, the sleek racer established a legacy that continues today in Renault’s modern Rafale production model, the flagship of the company’s premium ambitions. Nearly 90 years after the aircraft first earned its place in aviation history, the restored Caudron Rafale C.460 once again reflects the values that have driven car manufacturer Renault for more than a century: pioneering spirit, bold technological vision, and the pursuit of performance.
The restoration also revives a legacy echoed in today’s Renault Rafale automobile. By reviving the Rafale name, Renault is creating a link between its aviation heritage and its modern vision of performance, design, and innovation. Behind the scenes, a team of dedicated experts spent months in the workshop overcoming the technical challenges required to return the aircraft to flying condition. Through a meticulous restoration process and close attention to detail, the historic aircraft is now preparing to write a new chapter in its story. Renault says it will soon unveil an immersive “making-of” video documenting the restoration and preparations for the aircraft’s upcoming post-restoration flight. The production will highlight the restoration process, the technical expertise involved, and the people behind the project.
Tom Wathen commissioned AeroCraftsman, led by Mark Lightsey, to build a faithful replica of the French Caudron C.460 racer despite having almost no original documentation. Using only a few engineering sketches, historical photos, and partially completed components from earlier builders, the team spent two and a half years recreating the aircraft as accurately as possible. The replica was constructed almost entirely from wood and aluminum, avoiding modern composites. While preserving the original aircraft’s appearance and design, AeroCraftsman modernized some systems, including replacing the original pneumatic landing gear with a hydraulic system and installing a 260-hp LOM turbo engine in place of the unavailable Renault Bengali engine. The aircraft features carefully engineered retractable landing gear, balanced flight controls, and custom-built internal systems fitted into the compact fuselage. The completed Caudron C.460 replica made its first flight on January 28, 2009, at Flabob Airport and debuted publicly at the 2009 Paris Air Show, coinciding with the centennial of the Caudron brothers’ first powered flight. The aircraft eventually returned to the US after 2009, Le Bourget, and was flown occasionally for the next few years. Renault purchased the aircraft in 2023 and displayed the replica Rafale at Le Bourget the same year, where it was the first aircraft to arrive for the 2023 Salon, albeit on a flat-bed.
About Renault
Renault is France’s leading automotive brand and has more than a century of history in innovation and vehicle design. The company’s current strategy focuses on electrification, hybrid technology, and premium vehicle development through its “Renaulution” and “futuREady” plans, aimed at strengthening long-term competitiveness in Europe and abroad.
(Image credit: Renault)
