Breguet 14, part five. European Users, part two.

 

The Breguet 14 was a French biplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the World War I, that was mass produced during and after that conflict. France was its main user, but the type saw service with many other users all around the world, among them, the following ones:

• Estonia: Apparently the Estonian Aviation Regiment, belonging to the First Estonian Republic, had one Br.14 in service during the early 1920s. We couldn't, however, find further information, so both the and the registration, should be considered as speculative. 
  
  
• Finland: Finland bought a total of 22 Br.14A.2s between 1919 and 1921. They were assigned to Flying Division 1, based at Utti, for reconnaissance duties and Flying Division 2 for bomber duties based at Viipuri. In 1923 one machine was fitted with floats , acquired directly from France, and tested at a lake. By 1927 every Br.14 was already been phased out. As Finland's IVL company had a license to manufacture the Hansa-Brandenburg W.33, that was powered by the same Fiat A-12 model that the exported Br.14s were powered by, some few machines were fitted with Lamblin radiators, plus a modified rounder nose in 1922, however, it proved to be too problematic and it wasn't continued. As we couldn't find graphical information about the Lamblin-equipped Finnish Br.14, the colours should be considered as speculative. 
  
  
• Greece: The Greek Government bought enough Br.14B.2s to equip a squadron. They entered service in Greece in November 1917 with the 532 Mira Vomvarthismou ke Anagnorisseos (532rd Bombing and Reconnaissance Squadron) and saw action against Bulgarians during the Battle of Skra-di-Legen by bombing enemy positions along the Axios river. 
  A second squadron, 533 Mira Dioxes (533th Fighter Squadron) was formed in June 1918 composed by a mixture of Dorand A.R.1 and Breguet 14A.2s. By late 1918 the total amount of Br.14s serving with the Hellenic Army Air Service was 12, both A.2 and B.2s. In April 1919, following a reorganization, both 523 and 533 Miras, were renamed to "A" and "C" Miras and a detachment, brought from those two units, was sent to Turkey to take part in the Greco-Turkish War, together with the Royal Hellenic Navy's Airco DH-9s. "A" Mira remained in Orestias, which back then was part of Greece, and "C" Mira was sent to Turkey, where it flew various reconnaissance missions and tactical bombing missions over Ankara. However, due to fear of reprisals from local Turkish population, they saw limited action in the tactical bomber role.
  By late August 1919 both A and C Miras returned to mainland Greece, after providing aerial cover for the Greek withdrawal. Both Miras saw action again during the Revolution of Chios, in September 1922.
  Later, in 1923 another Mira was formed, "E Mira Dioxes" ("E" Fighter Squadron) and, among other types, it had a single Br.14A2 in strength. It was formed just in case the Greco-Turkish hostilities escalated again, but it was disbanded in July 1924. After these series of events, every Mira was regrouped into a single one, named "A Mira Aeroplanon and were equipped both with Nieuport Nighthawks and Breguet 14s, until 1925 when the Breguet 19 replaced the Br.14s.
  
  
• Italy: Some machines (the actual number is unknown) were sent to Italy during 1918, according to some photos. They received Italian Corpo Aeronautico Militare (Military Air Corps) markings and tested at Montecelio (nowadays Guidonia) before being assigned to 29a Squadriglia (29th Flight).
  They were powered by Fiat A-12 engines and it's known that Mario de Bernardi, famous Italian ace and racer, flew one Br.14 in April 1921
  

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

4th https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breguet_Bre_14 (translated)

Further reading about the Breguet 14 in Finnish service

http://www.virtualpilots.fi/hist/WW2History-Bregue14.html

Thulin D

Today it's the turn for a Swedish version of the Morane-Saulnier L.
The Thulin D was made by the Thulins Aeroplanfabrik, at Landskröna. It was a parasol monoplane with a mast that held the wing in its place with ropes. The first aircraft was manufactured in autumn 1914 and was presented to the public in May 1915 at Stockholm. Later, in 1918, it was tried to replace the two-bladed propeller with a four-bladed one. Only five airplanes were manufactured and the first one was donated to the Swedish Army by the Skane country women association on 20th August 1915. The next year, in 1916 they donated another airplane. All of them were withdrawn from the active service in 1918 as they were deemed obsolete. The other three were employed by the Thulins airline at Ljungbyhed and another one, that belonged to Eric von Rossen, who donated it to Finnish whites to use it in the Finnish Civil War of 1918. In fact, that airplane, is considered to be the first one in the Finnish Army Corps of Aviation. It was delivered in a flight piloted by Nils Kindberg and von Rossen himself as a passenger on 6th March 1918, which is regarded as the founding day of the Finnish Army Corps of Aviation. For that action, Eric von Rossen was charged with violations of the Swedish neutrality act for the World War I and was sentenced for it.
In Finnish hands, still wearing von Rossen's personal emblems, it performed up to 30 missions, mainly for Finnish General Mannerheim's headquarters, mainly scouting and light-bombing. It operated mainly from improvised airfields in Tavastland, but it crashed in Tampere on 16th April 1918 killing the Swedish volunteer Westman who was the pilot and Nylund the mechanic-observer who was in the second seat.
Finland bought a second Thulin D but it was destroyed by a fire when it was storaged at the base of Orivesi on 28th March 1918.
Nowadays a full-sized replica is being hold at the Finnish Air Force's museum

Sources:
1. https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thulin_Typ_D (translated)
2. http://flyingmachines.ru/Site2/Crafts/Craft29888.htm

Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard - Part one

The Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard was a powerful and fast biplane fighter that was developed for the Royal Air Force, but as the World War I ended, its mass production was cancelled. No more than 400 of them were produced and most of them were exported.
After the Great War, Belgium bought at least two of them to equip their Aviation Militaire (Military Aviation). They tested it at the Evere airfield but it was rejected for service.
The airplane was among of the few that founded the Bolivian Cuerpo de Aviación (Bolivian Aviation Corps) as nine of them served there from 1925 until 1929 when they were replaced by more modern types, most probably the Curtiss Hawk IA.
With its native users, only 57 of them were put into service with the Royal Air Force, but they weren't put into operational use. In the inmediate postwar, two of them were used as high speed transports during the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 and some others served in the Central Flying School. As the post-war RAF didn't want the type, it never served as a fighter.
The Finnish Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Corps) bought a single airplane for testing purposes in April 1923 with 14 more of them being purchased in 1927. They initally served in the Maalentsoskadeer Ut until 1929 and since they served as trainers in the Kauhava School of Aviation until 1939. Nowadays, the Aviation Museum of Central Finland has the only remaining one in exhibition.

Sources:
1. http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Belgian_Aviation_History/BAFAircraft/Bafallaircraft_1919_1945.htm
2. http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/bolivia/Bolivia-af-CMA.htm
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinsyde_Buzzard
4. https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinsyde_F.4_Buzzard (translated)

Avro 504K - European Users, Part One

As the Avro 504K was one of the most produced World War I airplanes, it was widely used by many European countries, we're covering them with this post.

• Belgium: First presented to the Belgian authorities in 1920 at the airfield of Evere, it convinced the Belgian observers who ordered six of them which were delivered from April 1921 onwards. The third and final delivery was made in late 1921 making fifty machines delivered from British sources. In 1924 the Belgian company SABCA built some some additional licensed machines. They were used in the flying schools of Asch and Wevelgem as well as in the liaison role serving with different squadrons and groups. They were replaced in 1929 by the Avro 504N which was a much refined version of the 504K.
• Denmark: Danske Luftfartselskab company, the Danish Airline Company bought some Avro 504K in the United Kingdom on 1919 but, as they never used them, they were sold to the Royal Danish Army who adquired two additional airplanes which were used until 1931 when they were replaced by the Avro 504N. The Royal Danish Navy, bought six of them in 1920 which were also replaced by the 504N in 1931.
• Finland: The Finnish government bought one 504K for evaluation (which is nowadays preserved at the Tikkakoski air base's museum) in as late as 1926. It was extenisvely used until November 1930 when it was written off.
• Estonia: The Estonian government bought seven airplanes in order to equip their training squadrons in 1921. They weren't manufactured by Avro itself but by one of their delegated companies, Grahame-White. They were replaced by the Avro 504R on 1928.
• Germany: The Germans managed to capture some Avro 504K during the World War I. Not very much is known about the fate of these airplanes beyond some pics of the era.
• Greece: Greece got some small number of Avro 504K airplanes after the World War I which were used to train pilots at their school of Dekeleia during the Turkish independence war. It's known that some of them were also destined to the Turkish city of Izmir. They were replaced in 1925 by the Avro 504N.

Sources:

1. http://www.belgian-wings.be/webpages/navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/interbellum/Avro%20504K/Avro%20504K%20Frontpage.html

2. http://www.natureandtech.com/?cat=121

3. http://www.avro504.org/ActualAircraft.html

4. http://greek-war-equipment.blogspot.com.es/2010/10/1920-1936-avro-504.html

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_504

Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 - Foreign Users Part one

Today, we take some rest from the French SPADs and we start another project that, hopefully, won't take too long.

The Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 was a German monoplane floatplane fighter that served in the closing months of the Great War.
Designed originally to replace the W.12 it proved to be a successful design with less drag and much more speed than the W.12. It was designed by Ernst Heinkel, the founder of Heinkel aviation company.

It was much more used after the war as it was developed in Norway, in the Kjeller factory and was manufactured under license in many parts of the world.

• Austro-Hungarian Empire: Ordered 25 W.29 to be built at UFAG factory in Budapest. Only one was completed. As we couldn't find graphical info, the best we could do with the colours was to speculate about them.
• Denmark: Bought one from Germany, and manufactured under license another 15 more, used by the Royal Danish Navy. It featured a locally produced engine and it's local designation was HM.1. They remained in active service until 1930.
• Finland: Apparently the Finnish air service had one in commission during 1920. As we couldn't find graphic info about this one, we are speculating about it's colours.
• Hungarian Soviet Republic: When the Hungarian Soviet Republic was declared the W.29 that was completed to serve with the K.U.K. was pushed into service with their new owners. It was based at Cspel, near Budapest.

SPAD S.VII - First entry, foreign users vol. 1

We start this series of entries with another heavyweight of the Great War: The SPAD S.VII

The SPAD S.VII was the first of a successful saga of French biplane fighters. It was designed by Louis Béchereau and was produced by the Société Pour L'Aviation et ses Dérivés (SPAD) (Society for aviations and it's derivatives). It was renowned for being a sturdy and hard to destroy airplane with good climbing and diving characteristics. It was also good as a gun platform although apparently it was too heavy and less maneouvrable than the contemporaneous Nieuport fighters. Many famous WW1 aces like Guynemer, Baracca or Pentland flew it.

As it was widely used both in the Great war and in the aftermaths it suffered many small field modifications, being the most notorious one the inclusion of skis by the Russian DUX factory.

This entry covers the usage by the next countries:

• Argentina: Bought two aircraft for evaluation purposes.
• Belgium: Widely used by their national aviation corps (Aviation Militaire) during World War I and the post-war period. Most precisely it was used by the 5éme and 10éme escadrilles (5th and 10th squadrons).
• Brazil: Used by their national military aviation service (Serviço de Aviação Militar) in 1920.
• Chile: Another evaluation-only user. The colours are speculative as we couldn't find any photographic or visual evidence.
• Czechoslovakia: One of the main post-war users. It constituted the backbone of the very early Czechoslovak Army Air Force (Československé Letectvo) and some of them were employed during the brief Polish-Czechoslovak war of 1919.
• Estonia: It's been said that some captured ex-Russian airplanes were among the first airplanes that formed the Estonian aviation regiment in the aftermath of the Great War. Just like Chile we couldn't find any supporting evidence and therefore the colours are speculative
• Finland: Finland used DUX-built airplanes in both versions, with skis and without them. However they didn't see action during the Finnish civil war of 1918, as far as we know.
• Imperial Germany: Germany captured various airplanes during 1917, mostly from the French SPA 31 unit and SPA 65. Most of the SPA 31 retained the unit insignia when flying with their new German-owners.