
Flight reported the event:
“. . . The attempt consisted of four trial flights over a regulation three-kilometre straight course, the average time made during all of them being taken as the final result. Delmotte made a preliminary attempt in the morning, but, owing to a crosswind of 10 m.p.h. then prevailing, he was able to attain only 478 km./hr. as the average result. He then waited until the afternoon, when, the wind having fallen to about 2½ m.p.h., he took off again and accomplished an average speed of 505.84 km./hr., according to the official timers, who will submit this figure to the F.A.I. for homologation.”
—FLIGHT The Aircraft Engineer & Airships, No. 1358, Vol. XXVII, Thursday, 3 January 1935 at Page 16
The New York Daily News reported that Delmotte won a prize of 300,000 francs, equivalent to $19,000 U.S. dollars.


The airplane was primarily constructed of spruce, covered with doped fabric, with the engine cowling and fuel tanks fabricated of magnesium. It was 7.125 meters (23 feet, 4½ inches) long with a wingspan of 6.75 meters (22 feet, 1¾ inches) and overall height of 1.8 meters (5 feet, 11 inches). The C.460’s empty weight was 520 kilograms (1,146 pounds) and it had a gross weight of 875 kilograms (1,929 pounds).

Prior to Delmotte’s speed record attempt, the C.460’s engine was changed to a larger, more powerful 9.501 liter (579.736 cubic inches) Renault 6Q engine, also a direct-drive engine, which produced 370 chaval vapeur (364.9 horsepower) at 3,250 r.p.m. The engine’s centrifugal supercharger turned 26,000 r.p.m. The variable-pitch Ratier propeller was retained.


There is little biographical information available about Raymond Delmotte. He was born at Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France, 11 November 1894. He married Mlle Louisa Dagneaux, and they had three children, Fernande, Raymond, and Ann Marie. He held ten FAI records for speed and distance. He died 13 December 1962.
The Rue Raymond Delmotte in Saint-Quentin is named in his honor.

¹ FAI Record File Number 8749
© 2018, Bryan R. Swopes
All the very best for Xmas Bryan. I have followed TDiA everyday for many years and appreciate the superb effort you put in. Regards from a rainy UK!
Thank you very much, Adrian. Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year.
Has it really been another year?
Happy Xmas Bryan, TDiA is still my go to thing every morning!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Adrian. Thank you very much for being such a regular reader.
“Tailwind” is probably a “misleading” name for a dog… scnr.
Merry Christmas everyone! 😉
What a beautiful designed airplane! The name ‘Rafael’ ….. perfect.
Another wonderful story in TDiA.. thanks, Bryan.
Thank you, Chris.
Merry Christmas Bryan….And thank-you for the always informative posts !
And a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Tom. Thank you for being such a loyal friend of the site.
Merry Christmas Bryan.
Seems like just 12 months since my last greetings!
Thank you, Adrian. A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. 🙂
Thank you Bryan, TDIA is always interesting, I look forward to every read. I hope you are having a great Christmas, and let’s all hope for a better 2025.
Thank you very much, Colin. Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.