Tuesday 14 March 2023

Breguet 14, part four. European Users, part one.

 
The Breguet 14 was a French biplane bomber of the First World War which was also employed as a reconnaissance plane. 
With more than 8.000 machines manufactured between March 1917 and 1926, it was exported all around the globe and saw usage with various countries and factions, among them, the following ones:
  • Belgium: Belgium acquired 31 or 35  (sources vary about the exact number) Breguet 14 A.2 before the end of World War I, and 12 or 15 after the war.
    The type entered service with the Belgian Aviation Militaire (Army Aviation) in 1918 serving both with Nos 2 and 3 squadrons based at Les Moëres (De Moeren) airfield, in West Flanders province. The Breguets replaced the Sopwith 1 ½ Strutters the squadrons were equipped with. Nos. 4 5 6 and 7 Squadrons also employed the type, in some cases, operating together with the SPAD S.XI. No.5 Squadron was based at Houtem airfield, in West Fladers too. 
    Every Breguet 14 delivered during the war was powered by either the Italian Fiat A-12 or A-12bis engine, but some of those delivered after the war, were powered by the Renault 12F engine (distinguishable by its unique exhaust pipe).
    After the war, the A.2 also equipped some squadrons of the Flying School Group and, by 1923, the A.2 was already withdrawn from operational squadrons, with the exception of some few machines which were employed as communications aircraft until 1928. 

  • Czechoslovakia: The newly created Czechoslovak Army Air Force acquired 10 Breguet 14A.2 in 1919. They were assigned to the Letecká setnina 4 (4th Air Company), based at Cheb, western Bohermia,  and then, after reorganization, they were inherited by the Letecká rota 8 (8th Air Company), based at Nitra, Bratislava. In 1923 they were assigned to Prozorovaci rota 3 based at Olomouc, Moravia and the Hlavni Letecke Dilny, 81 Bombardobaci Letka, based at Prague-Kbely airport.

  • Denmark: Denmark obtained four unarmed Br.14A.2s for civilian usage with the Ministeriet for Offentlige Arbejder (Ministry of Public Works) between 1921 and 1922. They were used for training commercial pilots until April 1927 when they were sold for scrap.








Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bréguet_14
2nd Flying Machines Press -  French Aircraft of the First World War
3rd https://www.armedconflicts.com/4th-Air-Company-t73424
4th https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/43381/Letecka-rota-8-1920-1924
5th http://www.milfly.dk/pdf/islander.pdf (translated)

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