This restless French engineer, called François Baudot, made several engines.

-At the MAE, there appears a double engine that consists of two joined inverted 6-cylinder Regnier type R-161 engines, increasing its power until 380 CV.  It drives two contra-rotating propellers.

"Baudot de 8 cilindros"

-He made another 8-cylinder engine that gave 150 CV, and that should have given rise to a 16-cylinder, and another 32-cylinder engine.

-It occurred around 1932 and in collaboration with the Belgian Minerva.

From appendix 10: In a correction made on the main text, it is said that this engine in its prototype stage was installed in a Caudron C-360 (perhaps C-362).

"Caudron C-360"

"Caudron C-362"

-As they mentioned there that plane with a Baudot engine was prepared for the 1933 "Deutsch de la Meurthe" Trophy. It did not show up, but another plane of the same model with a Renault engine did make the race.

-The reason was that Louis Renault acquired the Caudron aircraft brand, equipping the aircraft with his own engines from that time.

-Aeronautical engineer François Baudot was also the inventor of the "Complex-Securité" engines.

-According to his advertisements the principle of these engines was suppressing total breakdown and its serious consequences.

-We provide a part of one of his ads where he defends his theories.

"F. Baudot's stamp on the advertisement"

-Separate and amplified we have a vision of the engine concept, with not less than 24 cylinders for 120 hp only.

"Complex, debe ser de Complejo"

-We can see four crankshafts, each of them connected to three small two-cylinder Vs.

-And all crankshafts are united by a gear train at the front.

According to the report on the engine's concept, it says:
"The Complex-Securite engine consists of many elementary or sub-system engines that are rigorously independent. These are grouped around a central "tube" that is attached to the propeller. If any elementary motor stops, the others continue in action. This avoids the "dry" failure of the current engines, which is the cause of numerous accidents. The "Complex" engine also allows cannon shots through the inner propeller shaft. It allows propeller declutching and many other advantages are added to solve problems of "Sécurité" (Safety), which is the basis for Aviation development ".

"Front view of the engine"

"Photo of F. Baudot"