Société Nationale de Construction Aéronautique (SNCA) du Sud-Est was formed in 1936 by the nationalisation of Loiré-et-Olivier, Romano and Société Provençale de Constructions Aéronautiques; SNCA du Midi, previously Dewoitine, was added in 1941. Having enjoyed modest success with its Languedoc and Armagnac airliners, Sud-Est responded eagerly to a 1951 French Government specification for a medium-range airliner capable of carrying up to 65 passengers and 1,000 kg of cargo at speeds of up to 600 km/h on routes from France to North Africa. Initially conceived with three engines, the availability of more powerful Avon turbojets led to the adoption of the then-novel layout of one engine mounted on each side of the rear fuselage. Sud-Est saved on developmental costs through use of the nose and cockpit sections from the De Havilland Comet.
A contract for two prototypes was awarded to Sud-Est by the French Government on 2 July 1953, with the first production order following on 3 February 1956, an Air France commitment for 12 aircraft. Other orders were received from Scandinavian Airlines System (for six aircraft) and United Air Lines (for 20), and production was launched in mid-1957. A highly anticipated order from Trans World Airlines led to a change in the transatlantic partner from Republic to Douglas, but an order was not forthcoming, TWA selecting the Boeing 727 instead. Despite this setback, Caravelle production continued steadily for a further 10 years. The last active Caravelle, operational in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was retired in July 2005.
First flight: 27 May 55 (c/n 01, F-WHHH)
Production: 282, at Toulouse-Blagnac
First delivery: 2 Apr 59, to Air France (c/n 1, F-BHRA)
Last delivery: 16 Mar 73, to Air Inter (c/n 280, F-BTOE)
Variants: Caravelle – prototype airliner powered by 2 Rolls-Royce Avon RA.26 Mk.521 turbojets, with seating for up to 99 passengers (2 built);
Caravelle I – initial production version with increased weights, powered by Avon RA.29 Mk.522s (20 built, survivors converted to Caravelle III);
Caravelle IA – Caravelle I powered by Avon RA.29 Mk.526s (12 built, all converted to Caravelle III);
Caravelle III - Higher weight version of Caravelle I, with Avon RA.29 Mk.527s (78 built, of which 5 converted to Caravelle VIN and 1 to Caravelle VII; first flight 30 Dec 59);
Caravelle VIN - Increased weight version of Caravelle III with Avon RA.29 Mk.531s (53 built, first flight 10 Sep 60);
Caravelle VIR - Caravelle VIN with Avon RA.29 Mk.532R or Mk.533R with thrust reversers, improved flight deck and larger cockpit windows (56 built, first flight 6 Feb 61);
Caravelle VII - converted Caravelle III powered by General Electric CJ805-23Cs;
Caravelle 10A - stretched fuselage version of Caravelle VII developed for TWA with raised cabin window line, double-slotted flaps and other aerodynamic improvements, and an auxiliary power unit in rear fuselage (1 built, first flight 31 Aug 62);
Caravelle 10B3 - Caravelle 10A powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans (22 built, first flight 3 Mar 64);
Caravelle 10R - Caravelle VIR powered by JT8Ds (20 built, first flight 18 Jan 65);
Caravelle 11R - Caravelle 10R with forward cargo door and provision for mixed passenger/freight loads (6 built, first flight 21 Apr 67);
Caravelle 12 - stretched fuselage version of Caravelle 10B3 powered by JT8D-9s, with seating for up to 140 passengers, (12 built, first flight 29 Oct 70).