Nieuport 11 & 16, part six. In French service.

 

The Nieuport 11, nicknamed 'Bébé' (Baby) was built upon the previous Nieuport 10, as it was a smaller and lighter version of it. Designed specifically to be a single-seat fighter, it was, like the "10", a sesquiplane, a biplane with full-sized top wing with two spars and a lower narrower wing and a single spar. Both wings were connected by "Vee" shaped interplane struts. 
The sesquiplane configuration reduced drag and improved the rate of climb and offered a better view from the cockpit than either a conventional biplane or even a monoplane, while being substantially stronger than other fighter from that era. The narrow lower-wing could lead to some aeroelastic flutter at speeds that the Nieuport 11 couldn't achieve, so it wasn't much of a problem. 
The Nieuport 11 was, in many ways a modern fighter, however its armament wasn't. As the Frenchs didn't possess a synchronization gear when the 'Bébé' was designed, a single Hotchkiss or a Lewis gun was fixed to the top wing along the center line which fired above the propeller's arc. The gun was fitted with a circular ammunition drum which contained 97 cartridges and was mounted on a hinged platform, so the pilot could tip it backward to reload the gun. Some machines were field-modified to have twin-Lewis guns and others were also fitted with some rudimentary synchronization devices. 
On the field, some Nieuport 11 were also fitted with the more powerful 110hp Le-Rhône  engine. The pilots of the Nieuport 11 often also carried a pistol of their own.
The Nieuport 11 was powered by either a 50, 60 or 80 hp Gnome or Le-Rhône 9C rotary engine, which yielded impressive performance ratios. However the aircraft was dangerous in a lateral skid. Many pilots, who learnt how to fly in the stable Caudron G.3 and Blériot XI, found the 'Bébé' to be unforgiving to handle and accidents were very frequent.

One Nieuport 11 was fitted with a 150 hp Hispano-Suiza engine and flown by pilot Albert Etéve, to test that new engine. The engine was a success, but it was decided to employ on the new SPAD S.VII fighter, so the Nieuports kept their rotary engines.

The first Nieuport 11 arrived at the frontlines on 5th January 1916 and by February there were 90 in service with Aviation Militaire (French Army's Air Wing). The aircraft allowed the French escadrilles to regain aerial superiority from the Germans , who flew the fearsome Fokker E.III. While the Nieuport 11 was hard to control and to manoeuvre, it could also be very effective at the hands of a skilled pilot. However, aiming was difficult, given the position of the gun, placed high above the pilot's head, which required to angle the aircraft to ensure the bullets struck their target. Still, many French's aces, achieved their ace status while flying a 'Bébé'.
By early 1916, records from escadrille N 38 showed that the Nieuport units still were forced to employ the Nieuport 10 as a fighter, simply because there were not enough Nieuport 11 available. This was the reason why the Nieuport 11 was only supplied to the unit's most experienced pilots which, considering how difficult it was to handle, was a fortunate decision. By the time of the Battle of the Somme, N 38 had only five Nieuport 11 available, while N 49 just seven in March 1916 and N 31 had just three by October 1916.

The Nieuport 11 was gradually supplied to the following escadrilles:

N 3, N 12, N 15, N 23, N26, N 31, N 37, N 38, N 48, N 49, N 57, N 65, N 67, N 68, N 69, N 73, N 102, N 103, N 112, N 124, plus one special escadrille, Escadrille 92.
The Armée Française d'Orient (A.F.O. - French Army of the East, the French Army serving in the Macedonian front) also had two escadrilles under its command, N 387 and N 391. 
During the famous Battle of Verdun, which began on 21st February 1916, nine Nieuport 11 escadrilles were sent to that sector to achieve aerial supremacy. Initially those units were under direct control of various Groupes d'Armée (Army Groups), meaning that they employed most of the time escorting reconnaissance and bomber units assigned to the same Groupe d'Armée, while the Nieuport units themselves were also required to perform reconnaissance missions, leaflet drops and even spy deliveries behind enemy lines. Those duties were in addition to the usual fighter patrols and attacking enemy balloons. 
However, the French realized that it was more effective to concentrate fighter units in a single group and employ them to gain air superiority over sectors of the front. 
In preparation for the incoming Battle of the Somme one new group, Groupement de Combat de la Somme (Somme's Combat Group) containing seven escadrilles was formed in April 1916. This group was tasked with the inhibition of German reconnaissance aircraft and balloons from detecting French movement of troops and supplies to the front before tha battle began in late June.
By mid-1916 the Nieuport 11 was being replaced by the Nieuport 16 and by late 1916 almost every Nieuport 11 was already withdrawn from frontline service. 
After being withdrawn from the frontlines, the Nieuport 11 were assigned to training units. 

The Nieuport 11 gave France its first modern fighter and allowed Aviation Militaire to keep supremacy over the Fokker E.III, while, as stated, at Verdun and the Somme the Nieuport 11 controlled the skies over the battlefield.

The Nieuport 16, on the other hand, was an improved variant of the Nieuport 11. It was developed in 1916 with a strengthened airframe and powered by a more powerful 110 hp Le-Rhône 9J rotary engine. Visually it was similar to the "11" but it could be distinguished for having a headrest for the pilot and a larger aperture in front of the "horseshoe" cowling. The "16" was seen as an interim type, while the better Nieuport 17 became available. Just like the Nieuport 11, the "16" lacked a synchronization gear, so it was armed with either a Hotchkiss or a Lewis machine gun, mounted over the top wing, firing over the propeller's arch. Some Nieuport 16 were also fitted with Le Prieur rockets, from the struts to attack German observation Kite balloons. 

Unlike the Nieuport 11, the Nieuport 16 wasn't employed in large quantities, as it was seen as an interim type, while the Nieuport 17 arrived. Some of the escadrilles to have employed the Nieuport 16 were: N 3, N 12, N 15, N 23, N 26, N 31, N 37, N 48, N 49, N 57, N 62, N 65, N 67, N 68, N 69, N 73, N 75, N 77, N 102, N 103, N 112 and N 124.
The Nieuport 16-equipped escadrilles were active at the Somme Front. The Groupement de Combat de la Somme was formed in April to achieve local aerial supremacy over the front, while the Groupement de Chasse Cachy (Cachy's Fighter Group) also employed the type. 

Groupe de Combat de la Somme was tasked with supporting the 6th Armée during the battle. When the Somme offensive began, the group acted in the infantry support role, performing ground attacks while attempting to control the skies over the battlefield. When the Germans sent additional aircraft to the Somme, the Aviation Militaire sent seven escadrilles from Groupement Cachy to keep the aerial supremacy. Groupement Cachy's main mission was to provide aerial cover for the reconnaissance and bombing units in the Somme.
Anyway, the Nieuport 16s were soon replaced by the better and more effective Nieuport 17, with some few escadrilles kept the "16" until early 1917. It seems likely that by late 1916 most units had already replaced the Nieuport 18 entirely.

Sources:
1st Flying Machines Press - French Aircraft of the First World War
2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_11
3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nieuport_16

Breguet 16

 

The Breguet 16 was a French night bomber biplane directly derived from the Breguet 14. It was conceived as a replacement for both Voisin VIII and Voisin X used by the night bombing squadrons of the Aéronautique Militaire (French Air Arm). 

The Aéronautique Militaire issued a specification in late 1917 calling for a Bn2 medium bomber (Bn2 stands for 'Bombardier Nuit 2' - Night Bomber 2, where the number means that it had to have a crew of two). It should not be confused with the other BN2 designation, intended for a heavy bomber.

The Breguet 16 was basically an enlarged variant of the Breguet 14 with a larger wingspan of 16.96 meters (55.64 ft) versus the 14.36 meters (47.11 ft) of the Breguet 14. This was done in order to carry heavier loads of fuel and bombs for strategic bombardment missions. 

The Breguet 16 was powered by a single Renault 12Fe engine rated at 300 hp and was armed with two 0.303 in Lewis machine guns, mounted on the observer's position. It could carry up to 550 kg (1212.54 lbs) of bombs under the fuselage.

The prototype was flown for the first time in June 1918 with M. de Bailliencourt at the controls, a test pilot working for Breguet. According to his initial evaluation, the rudder bar had to be changed as it was too near the seat. He also recommended to relocate the throttle and, because an inability to see the ground while climbing or diving, some indentations also to be performed in the edges of the lower wings. Further testing was uneventful. 

Anyway, as changes had to be made, the prototype was returned to Breguet's factory to make those suggested changes. Bailliencourt stated that Breguet was furious about the delay that those alterations caused to the Bn2 programme.

Two Breguet 16 were sent to Groupe de Bombardement 1 (GB 1) to be evaluated and soon the type was mass produced. However, it didn't make it in time to see active service as World War 1 ended. After the war, some were assigned to to the 22e Régiment Aérien de Bombardement (N) (Night Bombing Aerial Regiment - N, where the letter N stands for 'nuit', night) and the 21éme RAB (N). These units were assigned to Syria and Morocco, where they saw limited service as the nature of the conflict there wasn't adequate for a bomber of such characteristics. 

One Breguet 16 was tested with an American Liberty engine, but its wing failed during static trials so it didn't fly.

In total 200 Breguet 16 Bn2 were manufactured by Breguet, Ferbois, Lioré-et-Olivier and SECM (Société d'Emboutissage et de Constructions Mécaniques - Stamping and Mechanical Engineering Company, forerunner of Amiot). 

The Breguet 16 saw also service abroad:

• China: In 1923 the Fengtian Clique's warlords purchased 12 Breguet aircraft through Eurasia Aviation Corporation (a Shanghai based Chinese airline). Among those aircraft there were 4 or 5 Br. 16 Bn2 (sources are not clear about the definitive number) powered by the Renault 12Fe engine. They were delivered in November 1928 and there is not info about their operational service in China.
  As we couldn't find graphical evidence of the Br.16 Bn2 serving in China, the colours and registration shown should be considered as speculative.
• Czechoslovakia: The Ceskoslovenské armádní letectvo (Czechoslovak Air Service) bought an unknown number of Br.16 Bn2 bombers. They were assigned to the 1. letecký pluk (1st aerial regiment) based at Prague-Kbely. They were most likely phased-out in the late 1920s.
• Portugal: One Br.16 Bn2 was bought by the Portuguese Arma da Aeronautica Militar (Army's Aeronautical Arm) in 1921 to take advantage of the type's long range to perform a long distance flight from Lisbon to Macao, a Portuguese colony in southern China, close to Hong-Kong. This Br.16 Bn2, named 'Patria' (Homeland), flew a total of 14 stages but it had to perform a forced landing due to engine overheat at Pipar Road, British Raj on 7th May 1924. Fortunately its crew survived the landing and Patria was written off and replaced by an Airco DH.9A conveniently named 'Patria II' (Homeland II). 

Sources:

1st Flying Machines Press - James J. Davilla - French Aircraft of the First World War

2nd en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bréguet_16

3rd http://cwlam2000.epizy.com/caf07.htm (translated)

4th https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/tag/avion-breguet-type-16-bn-2/

Breguet 14. French Users. Part five.

 

The Breguet 14 saw some sub-variants, like the Br.14 Ap.2 which was done for a 1917 specification calling for a high-altitude long-range reconnaissance aircraft. A single machine was fitted with an American made Liberty 12 engine rated at 400 hp. It was tested at Villacoublay, Seine-et-Oise department, and neither this, nor its competitor, the Hanriot Dupont 9, were selected by the Aéronautique Militaire. 
A similar arrangement was tested at McCook field, Ohio, on a Breguet Br.14B.2. Tests determined that the Liberty engine neither improved nor harm Br.14's performance, so it was considered as a valid alternative to Renault or Fiat engines, should the war continued beyond 1918. On the Br.14A.2 variant, however, the Liberty engine improved performance considerably over the Renault engine.

The Breguet 14A.2 was also tested with the Lorraine-Dietrich engine, as a single machine was fitted with a 285 hp Lorraine-Dietrich 8Bd. It was considered successful enough to warrant production, with some sub-versions having blunt cowling and underslung radiator.

The French bombing groups saw less activity during the month prior to the Battle of the Aisne. It was during this period that two principal innovations were introduced: Fighter groups began to develop effective escort tactics to help bomber reach their targets and diversionary raids were also introduced to draw German fighters away from the targets. Groupes de Bombardement (GB) 5, 6 and 9 moved to Foulloy, Somme department, where they were assigned to support 1re and 3e Armée. GB 3 was based at Fourneuil, in the Oise department and GB 4 at Villenueve-le-Roi, close to Paris. Between 16th and 27th May 1918 many fighter groups were assigned to escort the bombers. Although most of the raids performed using those tactics were successful, the Commander of the Aéronautique Militaire complained that the size of such big aerial armadas made them unwieldy. As we said, during this period diversionary raids were also introduced, and such attacks were made employing a small number of bombers against objectives well away from the primary targets. This drawn attention (and German fighters) away and were periodically repeated throughout the remainder of the war.

In the Battle of the Aisne, from 27th May to 4th June, the GBs concentrated their attacks on German supply lines and communications in an attempt to slow them down. However, the units had to be rebased various times because the quick-changing situation of the frontlines endangered many of the French airfields. The activity on the eastern part of this front increased in early June, where GBs 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 bombed troop concentrations in the Ourcq valley.

During the Battles of Metz and Soissonais, which took place between 5th June to approximately 15th July, GBs 5, 6 and 9 supported ground troops, together with the Royal Air Force's 9th Brigade, and took part in the defence of those towns. 

During the next major engagement, the Battle of Champagne in late July, a new tactical innovation was introduced. The Br.14B.2s were escorted for the whole duration of their missions, by the Caudron R.11 escort fighters, which had both range and firepower to escort them, and were most of the time accompanied by the SPAD S.XIII fighter. The GBs were now fighting on the offensive, bombing retreating German troops. These kind of attacks took place during the following months at the Battles of Île de France, Santerre and St. Mihiel, where the GBs supported the American 1st Army. Thanks to those large formations, the bombers could attack German targets with relative easiness being the Luftstreitkräfte all but defeated. 

During the last year of the war, Breguet 14B.2s helped French and American armies to hold the initial German attacks first and to disrupt the German lines later, when counter-offensives began, making an important contribution to the final Allied victory in World War I.

In the recon and artillery cooperation role, some of the escadrilles that employed the A.2 during wartime were:

• BR 35: This escadrille, created from AR 35, replaced their Dorand AR.2 with Breguet 14A.2 in November 1917. It was attached to the 35e Corps d'Armée and was active in the 1re Armée sector. During the Battle of Picardie, it was based in many locations like La Ferté-sus-Jouarre (Seine-et-Marne department), Les Andelys (Eure department) and Fienvillers (Somme department). In May 1918 it took part in the Battle of Chemin-des-Dames and moved to Le Tergnier (Aisne department) afterwards. After the war it became the 5e Escadrille of the 2e Régiment Aérien d'Observation (RAO - Aerial Observation Regiment) in January 1920.
• BR 234: This unit, originally called SOP 234, transitioned from the Sopwith Strutter to the Br.14A.2 in May 1918. It was assigned to the 1re Armée and was based at Libermont, Oise department, when the war ended. After the war, when the Aéronautique Militaire was reorganized, it became the 2e Escadrille of the 1re Régiment Aérien d'Observation (RAO - Aerial Observation Regiment) in January 1920.
• BR 281: This escadrille was formed from SOP 281, which replaced their Sopwith Strutters with Breguet 14A.2s. It was assigned to the 17e Corps d'Armée (17th Army Corps) which operated in the American 1st Army Sector. The escadrille was based at Beauzée, Meuse department and was disbanded in April 1919. 

Sources:

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

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

Breguet 14. French Users. Part four.

 

The Breguet 14S was an ambulance variant of the regular Br.14. The Frenchs pioneered the ambulance aircraft technology. It was originally made to supplement the ambulance version of the  ageing Voisin X, aircraft which was eventually replaced by the Br.14S. These Br.14 were designated as Br.14S (the letter "S" standing for Sanitaire). The initial versions were regular unarmed A.2s modified to just carry two stretcher cases in the rear fuselage, however, afterwards a dedicated ambulance version was produced using a modified version of the Br.14T transport variant. The first recorded usage of a Br.14S was in 1918 over the Aisne front, when four Br.14S were employed to evacuated wounded officers from the frontlines.
After the war, they were also employed in the French colonial campaigns of Morocco, Syria and Algeria and some of them were employed in the Rif War.

Back to the bomber variant, during 1918, the Br.14B.2 equipped every day bomber group of the Aéronautique Militaire (AM - French Military Aviation), namely, Groupes de Bombardement (GB) 3,4,5,6 and 9. Between January and March 1918 those units were active all along the frontlines. Groupe de Bombardement 3 was attached to the 3e Armée and was specialized in high altitude (above 5.000 m - 16.4042 ft) bombing and GB 4 attacked targets inside Germany, with attacks on Pechlebon, Rothwreil, Karlsruhe and Stuttgart. 
GB 5 was employed on a mixture of reconnaissance and attack missions over Châlons-en-Champagne, in the Marne department, GB 6 attacked railway stations all along the front and GB 9 was formed on 11th March 1918, just before the Battle of Picardie and was assigned to Escadre 12. 
During the Battle of Picardie and Flanders which took place from 21st March 1918 until 19th April 1918, all of the five Br.14-equipped escadrilles took part. GB 3, based at Maisonneuve, while the rest of the GBs were based at Villenueve-le-Roi, close to Paris. 
On 23rd March Breguet units began their attacks, with special attention being paid to attacks on troop convoys, train stations and German troops on the frontline. Normally, those targets were attacked with bombs, but the Battle of Picardie saw the first time widespread strafing of frontline troops. Additionally the Br.14s dropped modified 75 mm shells modified as anti-personnel weapons. The combined efforts of every GB was required in order to sustain the aerial offensive on this sector of the front. Other typical targets for the Br.14B.2 were troop concentrations on the rear guard, bridges and supply lines that could slow the German advance. By late March GB 5, 6 and 9 were rebased to Plessis-Belleville, in the Oise department and GBs 3 and 4 were rebased to Cramaille, in the Aisne department. During the first week of April, the front had stabilized enough, so the GBs could concentrate on resuming their typical attacks on railroads and airfields. 
Thanks to the raids on German airfields, which destroyed a significant amount of enemy aircraft, the French bombers encountered significantly less aerial opposition. This disruption caused on the Lüftstreitkrafte (Imperial German Air Corps) allowed the Br.14s to concentrate their attacks on command centers and supply dumps far behind enemy lines. 
As the Battle of Picardie kept on, an innovative tactic took also place. Various SPAD fighters were assigned to escort the bombers. However, many times the planned rendezvous between bombers and fighters didn't take place, so the Br.14B.2s often had to proceed unescorted. On 3rd April GB 3 and 4 were rebased to Beauvais, in the Oise department and GBs 5, 6 and 9 were moved on to Montagne. During this battle the Breguet escadrilles helped to slow down the German onslaught on Picardie and Flanders giving the Allied forces a time to recover.

In the reconnaissance role, there were also various Escadrilles that employed the Br.14A.2, some of those were:

• BR 227: This unit was created in October 1917 from C 227. It was under the command of Capitaine Poucher and was active in the 4e Armée's sector. It ended the war based at Rumont, Seine-et-Marne department, attached to the American 2nd Army. After the war, in January 1920, it became the 7e Escadrille of 4e Régiment Aérien d'Observation.
• BR 287: Formed from SOP 287 in June 1918. This unit was attached to the 52e division d'infanterie (52nd Infantry Division), and was based at Roucy, in the Aisne department, in the 5e Armée sector. It was disbanded shortly after the war, in December 1918.

Finally, some A.2 were also field-modified with the addition of photo cameras installed on the sides of the fuselage in the observer's cockpit.

Sources:

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

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

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

Morane-Saulnier TRK

 

The Morane-Saulnier TRK was a triplane bomber which was completed in 1915 and intended to take part in the 1915 or 1916 contest for a heavy bomber.

It was powered by two Canton-Unné engines rated at 230 hp placed inside the fuselage. The engines drove two two-bladed propellers using a complex transmission system. Each propeller was placed on either side of the fuselage between lower and middle wings. It was equipped with a fixed landing gear consisting on a pair of wheels under each wing plus two other wheels under the nose to prevent nose-over when landing. In fact this landing gear configuration was identical to that already seen in the Type S and Type T.

Both pilot and copilot sat side-by-side in the nose cockpit with an mechanic/gunner located in another cockpit placed behind the wings and intended to attend the engines when flying or operate the defensive machine guns. It was armed with just two 0.303 in Lewis machine guns placed on a ring in the second cockpit, although it's not known if armament was ever installed. Only one prototype was built, which received the official denomination of MoS.9, and it's unknown if it ever flew. Anyway, the TRK did not enter neither the 1915 nor the 1916 heavy bomber contest. It's also unknown its bomb payload amount, however, we estimate it was similar to that of the Type S. Wikipedia claims it was intended to carry bombs internally, however, we highly doubt it. 

Considering its rather feeble defensive armament, its size and, therefore, its more than expected slow speed, the TRK wouldn't have had good performance numbers. Anyway, we decided to draw a hypothetical version. 

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_TRK

Morane-Saulnier P

 

Thanks to the success of the Morane-Saulnier Type L and Type LA Morane-Saulnier sought to design an improved parasol in 1916. By September 1915 the Nieuport 11 and 11 had replaced the Types L and LA in the frontlines of the Aéronautique Militaire in the fighter role. Although parasols were still useful in the reconnaissance role, the common feel was that with the advent of the Fokker E.III in 1915, a more powerful version of the Type L was needed.

The new design was given the denomination of "P" by Morane-Saulnier, that single letter standing for "parasol". It was a complete redesign of the Type LA with an important number of changes. It was powered by a Le-Rhône 9Jb engine which yielded 110 hp of power. Its fuselage was completely faired with a circular cross-section which contributed to the streamlining of the airplane and its higher speed. The tail unit was similar to that of the Type LA. Armament varied and some machine were field-modified with a 0.303 in Vickers machine gun on top of the wing shooting outside propeller's arc plus a second machine gun on a mounting behind observer's cockpit. The Type P was tested on 31st March 1916 and was accepted for service with the Aéronautique Militaire under the designation of MoS.21. A total of 565 Type Ps were manufactured.

The Type P was used to complement many French reconnaissance aircraft, but it didn't replace the Caudron G.4, Farman M.F.11 and Farman F.40, which were French's main recon aircraft at the time. Many of the French recon and bombing squadrons were assigned some Type Ps which were used for various kinds of missions like short-range reconnaissance, light bombing and spy-dropping behind enemy lines. 

A total of two Escadrilles (Squadrons) were fully equipped with the Type P. The first of which was the MS. 140 created in September 1917 with a total of 13 Type Ps. This squadron was part of the 4e Armée (4th Army) as an Army Co-Operation Unit. The second one was MS.215 which was formed in September too and was assigned to the 6e Armée (6th Army) with also 13 Type Ps in strength. They also served with some other squadrons. However, they didn't stay in active service for long time as they were obsolete by mid-1916. In spite of the large number of built machines, only 118 were in service by August 1917. These were 61 at the frontlines, 52 at the RGA (Réserve Générale de l'Aviation - General Aviation Reserve), three under reparation and two probably serving as a source of spare parts. Both MS.140 and MS.215 were re-equipped with SPAD 16 by early 1918.

Apparently, the Type P was withdrawn from the frontlines due to a mixture of structural failure, pilot error or improper handling of the aircraft by ground crews as it seems that the type required some extra mechanic works. During fall of 1917 the Type P was withdrawn from active service and on 9th August 1917 a memo was issued by the Aéronautique Militaire's HQ to replace all Type Ps with the MoS.26, which was an improved version with a strengthened fuselage a circular engine cowling and the addition of an enlarged spinner to improve aeronautics. It's unknown how may MoS.26 were built.

A fighter version was also built by fairing over the observer's position and with a synchronized Vickers 0.303 in machine gun placed on the nose. Two prototypes were tested and performance was satisfactory. However, it was found that the parasol obstructed pilot's vision. A second prototype was built with a lower wing and the pilot's position aft of the wing which was equipped with an adjustable seat which allowed him to see over the wing at will. This second prototype was armed with two synchronized Vickers 0.303 in placed on the nose and had bigger fuel capacity. This new fighter's performance was only slightly better than the Type P and was not selected for use.

In addition, the Type P was exported to various countries:

• Brazil: In 1919 Brazil acquired a single Type P which was modified to not be able to fly. This version was called "Rouleur" or "Penguin" by the Frenchs and in Brazil, it was used to train pilots how to taxi. It received the serial 1325 and was written off shortly later, in 1920. As we couldn't find a pic of the Brazilian Type P, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Japan: A single Rouleur or Penguin was obtained by Japan in 1919 which was used to train pilots how to taxi. Just its Brazilian counterpart, we couldn't find any pic, so the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Russian Empire: The Imperial Russian Air Service bought an unknown number of Type P from France. Most of these machines were powered by a 110 hp Le-Rhône engine, although some aircraft were uprated with 120 hp Le-Rhône ones. The Type P was clearly better than the Type L or the LA, but Russian pilots found the Type P harder to fly. Some few machines seem to have been locally built in Russia, but due to unpopularity among the pilots it was never used in large numbers.
• United Kingdom: The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) obtained a single Type P in 1916, which, with the serial number MS.746, was tested by the No.2 Aircraft Depot at Candas, in the Somme Department in France. Based on a favorable report of the Type P an order for three additional machines was placed, with some of them being armed with a machine gun and a fairing for a camera and wireless, with a machine gun for the observer in every airplane. 
  Due to a shortage in the Le-Rhône engine, deliveries were delayed. However, once that issue was solved, additional 20 machines were ordered and by September 1916 forty-four additional airplanes were ordered too. Some of those machines were equipped with the fairing for the camera and the observer's gun, but the synchronized forward-firing machine gun was not present in every machine. Instead a Lewis was mounted on top of the wing, firing outside propeller's arc. It's known that some Type Ps served with No.3 and No.1 Squadrons.
  The Le-Rhône engine was still short on supply, and some were finished with an 80 hp Le-Rhône. Of the 36 Type Ps that served with the RFC, nine did so with the No.3 Squadron. By January 1917 every Type P had been relegated to training units. 
  A total of 106 Type Ps were ordered, both of the MoS.21 and MoS.26 variants. The No.3 Squadron used some few MoS.26. By October 1917 the MoS.26 were sent to No.2 Aircraft Depot and those remaining to were relegated to Pilot School No.1 AD at St. Omer, Pas-de-Calais, in France and No.1 Reserve Training Squadron at Gosport, Hampshire, United Kingdom.

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_P

Morane-Saulnier S

 

The Morane-Saulnier S was a French two-engined World War I intended to be a heavy day-bomber. It was built in 1915 and had a crew of three to four, two of which were intended to be gunners, as the aircraft was provided with machine gun posts at the nose and aft pilot's cockpit at mid-fuselage. The fuselage was wide enough to accomodate two pilots side-by-side and was of circular cross-section. Both the fuselage and tail-assembly were similar to those of the Type P reconnaissance plane. There was a rounded fin on each of the elevators. The three-bay wing was of unequal span, with the upper wing being longer than the lower one. Power was provided by two Renault engines which delivered 220 hp of power each. They were mounted in nacelles and suspended between the upper and lower wing and were very close to crew's cockpit. Just like other French large airplanes of the time, it was equipped with twin nose wheels to prevent nosing over when landing.

The prototype received the serial number MS 625 and was designated as MoS.10 by the Aéronautique Militaire (Military Aeronautics - French Army's Air Corps). It entered in the 1916 competition for a heavy bomber with only the SPAD Type E as its rival because no other design did meet the requirements. Eventually it was the Type S the selected one for mass production with an initial production batch requested by Colonel Joseph Barès (one of French main air generals at the time) of 300 machines at the cost of 60 million Francs. The French parliament felt that the cost was excessive and reduced the order to just 90 aircraft. In response, the Aéronautique Militaire cancelled the order as the Caproni Ca.1 and Ca.5 which was being produced in France under license, already met the demands for a day heavy bomber. Oddly enough, a document of the Aéronautique Militaire dated on 1st November 1916 shows that a MoS.10 with two Renault engines up-rated at 220 hp were in service at the frontlines. However, there are no graphical documents to prove that the Type S ever entered service with the Aéronautique Militaire. Therefore the document makes reference to the Type S at the front for operational evaluation or even to the Type T, although it's very unlikely as the Type T was powered by two 110 hp Le-Rhône engines and it wasn't until August 1917 when it was evaluated.

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_S

Morane-Saulnier H, part one

 

The Morane-Saulnier Type H was a single-seat development of the previous Type G. It had a shorter fuselage and wingspan and was powered by a Le Rhône engine rated at 80 hp. It flew for the first time in 1913 and shortly later around 26 machines were ordered by the Aéronautique Militaire (French Army's Aeronautical Corps) which gave the denomination of MoS.1. 

A version powered by a de-rated 45 hp Anzani engine was also converted from previous machines, which were used as trainers. 

There are reports about some other versions powered by 50-hp or 60-hp Gnome engines with an enlarged wing which were designated as "Army Type 12", which were used as trainers.

It was employed by various users:

• Belgium: At least one Type H was used by the Belgian Aviation Militaire (Military Aviation) during World War I in 1915. 
• United Kingdom: The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) acquired many Type Hs as part of an order placed in 1915 for 12 Type G and Hs. These airplanes arrived in April 1915 and were assigned to Nos. 1, 2, 4, 10 and 11 Reserve Aeroplane Squadrons. They were used as trainers. A second order for 24 additional machines was placed with Grahame-White Aviation Company, in Hampshire, as this company produced the type under license in 1915. They received serial numbers 5693 to 5716 and most of them served with training units, but others served with Nos.7, 15 and 60 Squadrons of the RFC.
• France: Most of the Type Hs served with the Escadrille (Squadron) MS.31 which was formed shortly after the beginning of the war, on 24 September 1914. According to French documentation, at the time of its formation, this Escadrille had three single-seat Morane-Saulniers with 60-hp engines, plus two additional ones in reserve. The unit was intended to be used as an "Escadrille Artillerie" (Artillery Squadron) and was formed at Dijon-Longvic airfield, in the Côte-d'Or department, under command of Capitaine (Captain) Yence who had four pilots at his command. 
  Two days later the Escadrille was moved to Toul, in Meurthe-et-Moselle department, closer to the frontlines, where it was assigned to 1ere Armée (1st Army). It's not known if they Type Hs were used in combat, but by 6th November 1914 they were already been replaced by the Type L and the Type Hs had been sent to training units. 
  Two Type Hs were sent to C.R.P. (Camp Retranché de Paris - Paris Entrenched Camp- a series of fortifications built around the French Capital with garrison units assigned there) and armed with carbines. At least one of those had a special mount for the gun and may had also deflector plates on the propeller to allow bullets be fired through the propeller's arc. It may also had been modified with a modified cowling, spinner and undercarriage. 
  Some Anzani-powered machines were also used by some flying schools of the Aeronautique Militaire.

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_H

3. https://www.belgian-wings.be/aircraft-1909-1918

Morane-Saulnier WR

 

Apparently, there it seems to have been two (or even three) airplanes which received the WR denomination. The first was a modification of the Type G (though some sources claim it was the Type H) which, was a regular machine fitted with floatplanes. 

It was supposedly designed for the Imperial Russian Navy, but that's not entirely supported as it was most likely a Russian variant with a greenhouse fitted on the sides of the fuselage, ahead of the wing and it wasn't a seaplane. For more information about this one, check our previous post about the Russian Type Gs here. 

Anyway, the type took part in the 1913 Schneider Trophy for seaplane race in Monaco. This WR incorporated wing-warping for lateral control and had balanced all-flying elevators and balanced rudder without the fin. It was powered by an 80 hp Le-Rhône engine. It seems that the Swedish Thulin B also received this modification.

The second Type WR was an armoured airplane designed to meet a 1913 requirement for a two-seat armoured reconnaissance airplane. It was stated that it had to be powered by an 80 hp Gnome engine and the machine should cost at maximum 37.000 French Francs (that's 5,640.00 € - $6414,96). It's not known if any of these machines went beyond the drawing board.

Sources:

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

2. http://www.andonio.it/model/morane_wr/MS-WR.pdf

Morane-Saulnier G, part two. Various Users

 

The Morane-Saulnier G was a two-seat sport monoplane with shoulder mounted wings. It was produced in France just before the outbreak of World War 1. Both crew-members sat in an elongated cockpit located in the center of the fuselage between the wings. This position was later found to be unsatisfactory as it seriously limited downwards vision. Every Type G was powered by a single engine, but those powered by a 60-hp Le Rhône were designated internally as Type GA and those powered by a 80-hp Gnome engine were designated as Type GB. A total of ninety-four Type Gs were ordered by the Aéronautique Militaire (Military Aeronautics - French Army Air Corps) and they were given the official designation of Morane-Saulnier MoS.2. 

The Type G was also developed in two variants, one of them served as a testbed for the Garros-Hue version of the Morane-Saulnier bullet deflector device. The second one was a pure fighter variant with a fully faired fuselage, fixed vertical fin, reinforced landing gear struts, removal of the observer's position an 8-mm Hotchkiss machine gun placed on the nose, bullet deflectors and the same engine that powered the Type H: an 80-hp Le Rhône 9C. It was built in summer 1915. At least one Type G aircraft was fitted with the Type H wings. However, these were not adopted because both Morane-Saulnier Type L and Type N (which were more effective in the fighter role) were entering service. Various trainer sub-variants with de-rated Anzani engines were also made.

The Type G saw service with various countries:

• Argentina: The Argentinean aviation pioneer Jorge Newbery had a Morane-Saulnier G as his personal aircraft. Apparently, in 1912, he donated at least two Type Gs to the Argentine Army. 
• Cuba: The Morane-Saulnier G constituted the second airplane in the Cuban Army Air Corps which was founded in 1913. Jaime Gonzalez, a Cuban pilot who had a Type G as his personal aircraft, was promoted by the Cuban House of Representatives as Captain in order to have him as an instructor. 
• Denmark: The Haerens Flyvertropper (Danish Army Air Service) bought two Type G (though some sources state they were Type H) in 1915. These were Swedish license-built Thulin B. In Danish service they were assigned the names of M.S.1 "Hugin" and M.S.2 "Munin". Initially they were both powered by 50-hp Gnomes. Munin was written off service in 1917 and Hugin served until 1919 with his engine being replaced by am 80-hp Gnome in 1917.
• United Kingdom: One Type G was pushed into British Military Service just at the outbreak of the Great War. It received the serial number 482 and was assigned to No.1 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). Later it was re-assigned to the No.60Squadron. Twelve additional aircraft were ordered, a combination of Type G and Type Hs in 1915.
  Apparently the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) had also two Type Gs in strength. These were labelled with the serials 941 and 1242. The 941 was an impressed aircraft and served in Eastchurch airfield and was later assigned to No.2 Squadron. The second was license-built by Graham-White Aviation Co. and was delivered to Eastchurch in December 1914 and later sent to Hendon airfield.
  We couldn't find graphic information about the Type G serving with both the RFC and the RNAS, so the drawings should be considered as speculative.
• France: According to some French documents of the time both MS 23 and MS 26 were almost entirely composed of Type L, however, some few Type Gs may served alongside the recon plane. In any case, the placement of the cockpit and the inadequate downwards field of view of the Type G got the types quickly replaced by the better Type L. 
  Most of the Type Gs were assigned to trainer units which were powered by the de-rated Anzani engines and had the denomination of Morane-Saulnier 16E1 with the letter "E" meaning standing for "École" ("School" in French).
• Mexico: Back in 1912 the Mexican Government sent five army officers to the Moissant International Aviation School at Long Island, in New Jersey. These men returned to Mexico bringing with them two Morane-Saulnier monoplanes, most probably of the G Type. Those five officers, together with foreign mercenaries, formed the "Escuadrilla de Ébano" (Ebony Squadron) in 1915 which was assigned to the Nort-Eastern Army and saw action during the Mexican Revolution in Tamaulipas, Veracruz and Yucatan.

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_G

3. http://www.urrib2000.narod.ru/Mil1-1-e.html

4.https://www.facebook.com/ArchivoGeneraldelaNacionArgentina/photos/-monoplano-morane-saulnier-del-ingeniero-jorge-newbery-1914ar-agn-agas01-rg-13-3/3340549655970227/

Morane-Saulnier T

 

The Morane-Saulnier Type T was a long-range reconnaissance French aircraft designed in late 1914 and early 1915. It was a large biplane which seemed to be a scaled-down version of the Morane-Saulnier S bomber. 

According to some sources, it seems that Morane-Saulnier was granted the contract for the Type T in consolation for the failure of the Type S. The original Type T was powered by two 80 hp Le Rhône engines. The angular fuselage had initially a gunner's position with a large number of portholes. However, it was later redesigned and the portholes were eliminated. 

The pilot was placed beneath the top wing with a second gunner position placed just behind. The rear fuselage tapered sharply with a triangular fin and rudder mounted on the extreme tail. The undercarriage had an unusual configuration with a pair of wheels beneath the center of the fuselage and one wheel under each engine nacelle. A single nose wheel, larger than the main ones, was placed in the extreme nose. The engines were tightly cowled and the propellers had spinners which almost completely covered the engines. The nacelles were suspended between the upper and lower wings and were located on both sides of the pilot's cockpit.

The Type T was tested in mid 1916 with the first flight being satisfactory and an order for 90 machines being placed on 22nd August 1916. Static testing revealed, however, some structural weakness and it was stated that deliveries would be held until this problem was solved. However, attending the problems that the aircraft had to cope with when in service, it seems that those were never fixed. 

They received the official denomination of MoS.25A3 by the Aeronautique Militaire (French Military Aeronautics - the forerunner of the French Air Force). The A3 designation meaning a three-manned reconnaissance and army cooperation airplane. On the field, the Type S was powered by the more powerful 110 hp Le-Rhône engines. They were armed with two 0.303in Lewis guns placed on scarff rings at the nose and behind the pilot's cockpit.

Deliveries began on 1st August 1917, almost one year after the first prototype was ordered and until then, only 13 machines had been completed at Morane-Saulnier's factory in Villacoublay. 

There were no escadrilles (squadrons) fully equipped with the Type T, but they were supplied to various army cooperation escadrilles which operated either the Caudron G.6, R.4 and SM.1, so they were given the Type T to have long-range reconnaissance capabilities. It is known that they served with C 4, C 11, C 17, C 30, C 39 and C47 escadrilles.

A report from late 1917 shows also that the Type T suffered various problems resulting in many accidents. The cause seemed the awkward  position of the  tail skid, which resulted in debris being thrown against tail surfaced during landing which caused structural failure of the tail assemble, probably at the elevator hinges, which were found to be weak. This often caused the loss of the airplane and crew. The forward gunner position had to be loaded with ballast if no gunner was carried and they were also warned to not flight the type with bad weather. A report claims that Morane-Saulnier was working to solve those problems, but other suggest that they were being withdrawn from active service in late 1917.

Sources:

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

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_T

3. https://www.valka.cz/Morane-Saulnier-T-t18281