The Caudron C.690 was a single-seat training aircraft developed in France in the late 1930s to train fighter pilots to handle high-performance aircraft. It was a conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane that bore a strong resemblance to designer Marcel Riffard's racer designs of the same period. Caudron attempted to attract overseas sales for the aircraft, but this resulted in orders for only two machines - one from Japan, and the other from the USSR. In the meantime, the first of two prototypes was destroyed in a crash that killed René Paulhan, Caudron's chief test pilot.
Despite this, the Armée de l'Air eventually showed interest in the type, and ordered a batch of a slightly refined design. The first of these was not delivered until April 1939, and only 15 C.690Ms were supplied before the outbreak of war.
Variants
C.690 Single-seat fighter trainer aircraft. Four aircraft built. C.690M Slightly refined version for the Armee de l'Air. Only 15 aircraft were built.
Operators
Armee de l'Air
Imperial Japanese Air Force - One aircraft only (KXC1) .
soviet Air Force - One aircraft only.
Specifications (C.690M)