CAUDRON C.460 RAFALE — 505.85 KM/H OF FRENCH ATTITUDE
Before carbon fibre, computer modelling and turbine power, there was polished wood, a Renault engine, a very determined French test pilot and absolutely no interest in taking things slowly.
This artwork celebrates the legendary Caudron C.460 Rafale, one of the most striking racing aircraft of aviation’s golden age. On 25 December 1934, French pilot Raymond Delmotte flew the C.460 over a 3 km course at an average 505.85 km/h (314.32 mph), setting a world speed record for light aircraft.
Five hundred kilometres an hour. In 1934.
Apparently Christmas lunch could wait.
The C.460 was the work of aerodynamicist Marcel Riffard, whose sleek racing machines helped turn Caudron-Renault into one of the great names of pre-war competition aviation. Low, narrow and beautifully streamlined, the Rafale looked fast standing still and Delmotte proved it wasn’t bluffing.
Our artwork pays tribute to that record-breaking run with period-inspired French detailing, racing typography and the unmistakable blue Caudron racer charging through the design.
Wear it if: You appreciate proper aeroplanes, heroic amounts of horsepower, French engineering with attitude, and an era when “aerodynamic optimisation” often meant making it smaller, smoother and then asking the pilot to go faster.
The shirt itself is considerably more relaxed than the aircraft.
Made from 100% organic ring-spun cotton, this unisex T-shirt combines premium comfort with a substantial 180 g/m² fabric — built for regular wear rather than a one-lap qualifying run.
• 100% organic ring-spun cotton • Fabric weight: 5.3 oz./yd.² (180 g/m²) • Single jersey • Medium fit • Set-in sleeves • 1 × 1 rib at collar • Wide double-needle topstitching on sleeves and bottom hems • Self-fabric neck tape at the inside back of the neck • Organic cotton certified under GOTS and OCS standards • OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certified fabric — Certificate No. 1112055, Centexbel • PETA-Approved Vegan • Blank garment sourced from Bangladesh
FIT NOTE
This garment runs smaller than typical US sizing. US customers should order one size up.
