Breguet 14. French Users. Part three.

 

The most widely employed engine on the Breguet 14 was the Renault 12 Fcx which could yield a power of up to 300 hp. It was present on most machines of the A.2, B.2 and Et.2 (trainer) variants of the Br.14. Bréguet, Michelin and Renault manufactured most of the machines, but licenses were granted to Darracq (330 aircraft), Farman (220 aircraft) , Paul Schmitt (275 aircraft) , Ballanger (300 aircraft) and Sidam (300 aircraft) to manufacture the type. Production was divided evenly between the A.2 and the B.2 variants. For the licensed aircraft, serial numbers 1101 onwards were allocated, being 1106 the first aircraft delivered.

Some licensed-built machines were powered by the Italian Fiat A-12 engine rated at 260 hp. This was done because of a shortage of Renault engines and the first aircraft of this kind, powered by a Fiat, is listed to have flown for the first time in 1917. These machines could be distinguished by its tapered cowling and its underslung radiator. This engine, however, reduced Br.14's performance significatively so an improved version of the engine, the Fiat A-12 bis was developed. This engine yielded the same amount of power as the A-12 but it could be fitted to the airframe without further modifications in the cowling. The Fiat engines were used mainly in the A.2, B.2 and Et.2 variants and was employed by a total of 24 Escadrilles during the war (unfortunately we couldn't find which escadrilles employed it) and the type was exported to various countries like Belgium, Finland, Spain and the United States. One single prototype was also fitted with the 600 hp Fiat A-14 engine.

Operationally, the Br.14A.2 the type also served in the artillery cooperation role. For which end some escadrilles were created, which were attached to the Artillerie Lourde (Heavy Artillery) units of each Groupe d'Armée (Army Group). 
One of those unit was Escadrille BR 221 which was created from SOP 221 (equipped with the Sopwith Strutter) in May 1918. It was assigned to 7e Armée (7th Army) and was based at Chaux aerodrome, in the Vosges department, where it took part in the many battles of that sector of the frontline. It was disbanded in 1919. 

In the bombing role, the B.2 enhanced the day-bombing capabilities of the Aéronautique Militaire and it allowed the French to use massed formations against targets close to the frontlines. Initial targets were railway stations and communications hubs but, as the war went on, the Br.14B.2 was also used in strafing attacks and close-range bombing against enemy frontlines. First attacks took place in November 1917 when railway stations of Juniville and Attigny and the iron works of Neufchatel-sur-Aisne were bombed. 
During late 1917 the Br.14B.2 was available in limited numbers only, so, approximately, just a dozen could be sent to attack. It was, however, possible to assemble larger formations of bombers as 1917 came to an end. On 22nd December 1917 a total of 25 Br.14B.2 attacked Montcortnet (Aisne department), Asfield (Ardennes department) and Bussr-les-Pierpont. The Br.14B.2 was also employed as a night bomber. Thirteen B.2s attacked the railway station at Lumes (Ardennes) and the airfield at Maimoisors on the night of 26 to 27th December 1917.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bréguet_14

2nd Flying Machines Press  - French Aircraft of the First World War

3rd https://www.valka.cz/Breguet-Bre-14-A-2-t18101

4th https://www.valka.cz/Breguet-Bre-14-B-2-t1841

Bréguet 14. French users. Part two.

 

The STAé (Section Technical Aeronautique - Aeronautics Technical Section) requested that the new plane they opened a requirement for, had to be powered by a 200 hp Hispano-Suiza engine. However, Bréguet decided to employ the 220 hp Renault 12Fb as it had powered their previous Bréguet-Michelin 5. The engine cowling had many cooling louvers, which eventually came out being a distinctive feature of the Br.14. 

The Bréguet 14 was an angular biplane. Its wings had negative stagger and both were slightly swept back. Upper wing was larger than the lower one and ailerons were fitted to the lower wing only. Later models featured horn-balanced ailerons to improve lateral control.

It had a crew of two. A pilot, who sat in the front and an observer/bomber who sat in a separate cockpit behind the pilot. The observer's post was armed with T.O. 3 or T.O. 4 flexible gun mount with two 0.303 in Lewis machine guns. The pilot had a single fixed 0.303 in Vickers machine gun placed on the left side of the fuselage, synchronized to fire through the propeller. The undercarriage was strongly fixed with two wheels separated by a strut with an airfoil-cross section.

Earlier versions of the B.2 variant had Michelin-built bomb racks under lower wings, adjacent to the bracing struts of the undercarriage. It could carry a total of 368 kg (811 lb) of bombs,. The most usual configuration was thirty-two 11.5 kg (25 lb) small bombs. The A.2 reconnaissance variant carried four small bombs, a camera and a wireless radio set. Generally the lower wings of the B.2 had a longer span and bungee-sprung flaps were added in order to allow it to carry heavier bomb loads. In some experimental flights, a total of 730 kg (1609 lb) of bombs and fuel. When fully loaded the B.2 could climb to an altitude of 4.000 m high (13.1234 ft) in 26 minutes attaining a speed of 165 km/h (102.5 mph). In the B.2 variant the observer had an extra set of windows in both sides of the fuselage, the purpose of which had never been explained, however it has been speculated that they were there to provide enough light to allow him to use the bombsight. The underside of the aircraft was also equipped with transparent panels to allow both pilot and observer to have a view of the ground. 

In operational service the Br.14 received many field modifications, like the addition of an additional Lewis machine gun on top of the wing, armoured seats and a gun rigged to fire underneath fuselage. This last modification, however, was rare. 

The Bréguet 14B.2 replaced mostly the Sopwith 1 and-a-half Strutter and the not so famous Paul Schmitt P.S.7 biplanes, as they were obsolete and suffering heavy losses. The Br.14B.2 proved to be an excellent platform for a light bomber. The first units to receive the B.2 were two escadrilles equipped with the Breguet-Michelin 4 and Breguet 5. BM 117 (BM stands for Bréguet-Michelin), assigned to G.B. 5 (Groupe de Bombardement - Bomber Group) which was re-equipped with Br.14B.2s in August 1917. This unit was soon followed by BM. 120 of the same GB in September 1917, becoming BR 117 and BR 120 respectively. 

Two units, PS 126 of the GB 3 and PS 127 of the GB 5 equipped with the Paul Schmitt 6 and 7s were re-equipped with the B.2 in November 1917, being renamed to BR 126 and BR 127.

SOP 111 of GB 6, was the first day bombardment escadrille out of ten, to replace their Sopwith Strutters with the Breguet 14 B.2, becoming BR 111 in October 1917 and being followed by many other escadrilles like BR 66 (GB 6), BR 108 (GB 6), BR 128 (GB 3), BR 107 (GB 3), BR 123 (GB 9), BR 129 (GB 9), BR 131 (GB 4) and BR 134 (GB 4). 

Some other non-bomber escadrilles that employed the A.2 variant were:

• BR 11: Formed from C11 escadrille in November 1917, this unit was among the first units to receive the A.2 variant and proved to be an example of the kind of missions the Br.14 performed in the Western Front. As it was found that the A.2 was effective at 6.000 m high (19.685 ft) in the reconnaissance role. This unit performed not only reconnaissance missions but also liaison and artillery co-operation ones. 
  During the Second Battle of Picardie (Operation Michael) BR 11 performed many photo-reconnaissance missions to help the French counter-offensive in the Ourcq canal sector. During this offensive this unit was rebased up to four times, from one aerodrome to another, supporting the 2e Armée (2nd Army). This Escadrille was also active during the Battles at Champagne and photographed German lines before the Lorraine offensive. After the armistice it was part of the Rhineland occupation Force, assigned to the 33éme Regiment d'Aviation.
• BR 220: This unit was formed from C220 in October 1917. It was commanded by Lieutenant Brédiam and was initially based at Dugny, close to Paris. It was assigned to Groupe Féquant in April 1918 until June when it joined the Division Aérienne de Duval and Groupe Weiller in October, where it was based at Champagne until the armistice. It became the 1ére Escadrille of the 2e Régiment Aérienne d'Observation (RAO) in January 1920.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bréguet_14

2nd Flying Machines Press  - French Aircraft of the First World War

Bréguet 14. French users. Part one.

 

The Breguet 14 became the best French bomber of the World War I. It was designed by aeronautical engineer and aviation pioneer Louis Bréguet, who had already made himself a reputation for producing capable aircraft with innovative ideas, including the use of metal for aircraft construction. 

At the outbreak of World War I, Bréguet turned to the military industry, therefore, designing a number of versatile aircraft, such as the Br. 11, the Br. 5, which could act both as recon aircraft or even as heavy escort fighters. The firm, however, run out of orders and they switched to manufacture the Dorand AR.1 under license. Further development of the B.M. (the letter M stands for Michelin) pusher bomber series was ruled out as they proved to be ineffective in their role as day bombers and long-range escort fighters, so Bréguet realized that their next design should be capable of surviving the harsh environments of the Western Front. 

Despite of the official Aéronautique Militaire (French Air Arm) preference for pusher aircraft, Bréguet insisted on his AV idea (AV probably standing for "Avant" - tractor configuration) and, in June 1916, he began working on his design for a Renault-powered tractor biplane, with a wing with low wing loading. The AV 1 was also innovative for the widespread usage of duralumin, which, at the time, was only employed by the Germans in the airship construction, as this metal was light, resistant but too hard to work with. 

The first prototype, AV 1, was powered by a single 263 hp Renault engine, while the second prototype, AV 2, was powered by a 272 hp Renault engine, had a longer fuselage and was slightly heavier. Flight tests showed that the aircraft had a tendency to pull to the left, so vertical fin had to be offset slightly to the left. Upper wing was also given a sweepback to improve stability and give a better field of fire to the rear gunner. 

AV 1 flew for the first time on 21st November 1916 following six months of design and testing. Tests were carried out at Villacoublay, a village close to Paris, with Louis Bréguet at the controls. By January 1917 flight tests were completed and results showed that, for once, they had produced a bomber aircraft more advanced than any British (whose their Airco DH.4 was still under development) or German bomber of the time.

The AV 2, second prototype, was officially tested by the STAé (Section Technical Aéronautique - Aeronautics Technical Section) of the Aéronautique Militaire during early 1917, and it showed very promising results, being very useful for the day bomber role, hence they gave the AV 1 the official denomination of Bréguet 13 and the AV 2 the denomination of Bréguet 14. 

Bréguet received an initial order for 150 AV 1s, intended for reconnaissance on 6th March 1917 and that same day Michelin got another order for 150 AV 2s intended for the bomber role. The Bréguet 13 denomination was soon discarded and both variants received the Bréguet 14 denomination, with the "A" variant being the reconnaissance one and the "B" variant being the bomber one. 

From May 1917 onwards the type began to be introduced in many Escadrilles of the Aéronautique Militaire, most of them in the Western Front, although some few were also deployed on the Salonika Front. 

Some of those squadrons were:

• BR 7: Formed from SOP 7 in June 1917, this unit received the Br.14A.2 at Plessis-Bellevile, in the Oise department. In June it was sent to the Vosges front and was assigned to the 6e Corps De Armée (6th Army Corps). One year later, in 1918 it was sent to the Oise front to take part in the Battle of Picardie, and then to Bruthécourt, Meurthe-et-Moselle department, to take part in the Lorraine Offensive. After the war it was renamed as 7e Escadrille and, based at Dijon, was part of the 2e Régiment d'Aviation d'Observation (2e RAO).
• BR 504: Bomber Escadrille formed from V 388 on 14th June 1917. It was initially employed as a reconnaissance unit for the Armée Française d'Orient (AFO - French Army of the East). After the war it became the 5e Escadrille of the 7éme RAO. As it took part in the Salonika front, most of the bombing runs were carried out by other Escadrilles. See this post for more information.
• BR 218: Established from F 218 in late 1917, it was assigned to the 33éme Corps De Armée, and ended the War attached to the 10e Corps De Armée. One Br.14A.2 from this unit became famous for carrying King Albert I of Belgium during a flight.

Regarding the drawings, the B.1 variant, was a single-seat variant of the B.2 bomber with an enlarged wing area, automatic flaps and extra fuel tank in lieu of the original cockpit, as it was relocated to the observer's position. This variant was conceived by Jules Védrine as a long-range bomber to raid Berlin. It was tested by pilot De Bailliencourt, who found, while testing, that the Solex carburetor froze at altitude so he had to make a forced landing, provoking another prototype that was being tested at the same place and the same time, the Blériot 71 to crash-land while attempting to avoid the incoming Br.14B.1. 

The B.1 could carry up to 180 kg (397 lbs) of bombs with an endurance of up to seven hours. Two were ordered and Jules Védrine test-flew one machine from Paris to Cancale (in Brittany) in July 1917 in preparation for the raid on Berlin. However, the reluctance of the French Government to bomb German cities, as they feared retaliations, mixed with the marginally better performance of the B.1, when compared to the B.2, and its vulnerability against enemy fighters, led to the cancellation of the project.

Sources: 

1st Flying Machines Press  - French Aircraft of the First World War

2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bréguet_14

Breguet 14, part eight. European Users, part five. Polish users.

 

Preliminary note: Almost every Polish word has been translated by Google, as none of us speaks Polish, so expect typos, and even grammar failures when you read that language. Apologies.

The Bréguet 14 was a French biplane of the World War I which was used both in the bomber and reconnaissance roles. It was employed by many nations around the globe, among them, Poland.
The newly created Government of the Second Polish Republic acquired both the Br.14A and Br.14B in vast numbers from French Escadrilles that were in Poland as part of the occupation force. 
Those escadrilles were:

• BR 39: Equipped with 15 Br.14A.2s, this unit was initially based at Lublin, to take part in the Ukrainian Front against the Soviets, as both Poland and the Russian SFSR were in war against each other. In September 1919, the French gave the aircraft of this escadrille to the Wojska Lotnicze (Polish Air Force) who transferred them to the 16 Eskadry Wywiadowczej (16th Reconnaissance Squadron). This unit served until June 1920 when it ran out of serviceable aircraft and was, therefore, disbanded.
• BR 59:  Equipped also with 15 Br.14A.2, this unit was also based at Lublin and was transferred to the Wojska Lotnicze in September 1920. It was renamed as 17 Eskadry Wywiadowczej (17th Reconnaissance Squadron) and by mid-July 1921 the unit was disbanded.
• BR 66: Based at Wilno in January 1919, this unit was designated as 4 Eskadry Wywiadowczej (4th Reconnaissance Squadron) and was equipped with Br.14B.2, the bomber variant. It was disbanded in July 1920 as there were no serviceable aircraft available and some machines passed on to the Republic of Central Lithuania.

Apart from those French units, some native units of the Wojska Lotnicze employed the Br.14 as the Polish Government ordered seventy additional Br.14s directly from France and, in November 1919 there were enough machines to form a new squadron:

• 10 Eskadry Wywiadowczej (10th Reconnaissance Squadron). This unit was initially based at Lwow, but it was sent to Brzesc in August 1920 and then to Poznan-Lawica airfield in October, to be re-equipped with Bristol F.2B fighters in early 1921. 
• 1 Pulk Powietrzny (1st Aerial Regiment): This unit was formed when even more machines arrived in 1921 (which were ordered in 1920). Based in Warsaw, this regiment was composed of two squadrons, each one of them hosting two Eskadras (flights). Those squadrons were 1 and 4 Dyon Wywiadowczej (1st & 4th Intelligence Squadrons) with 12 , 16 and 3 and 8 Eskadras respectively. This unit replaced their Br.14 with Potez 15 in 1924. 

After the mid-1920s, when almost every Br.14 was withdrawn from active service, they were used as elementary trainers, forest dusters or even bomber trainers until 1933 when the last Polish Br.14 was written off.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bréguet_14

2nd Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War

3rd Windsock Datafile Special - Breguet 14