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

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

Ansaldo A.1 Balilla - European users

We keep going with this Italian fighter, this time we cover its' European users, excluding the Polish and Italian users because those two will have their own posts.

The Ansaldo A.1 Balilla was sold to many European countries, the ones covered in this post are:

• Belgium: According to the Belgian Military Aviation archives, one Ansaldo A.1 was in service, with the code "1". Apparently it was in service from some 1920 until 1924 when it was written-off. Some sources claim that one Balilla was displayed in Brussels in order to sale it, but no orders were forthcoming. In anyway it's remarkable to point out that in order to make the return trip of that machine to Paris, it was fitted with a British compass taken from a Belgian airplane. As we couldn't find graphical evidence, the drawing is speculative.
• Greece: Eight Balillas were bought by Turkey in order to use them in their independence war against various European users, among them, Greece. In 1923 a Greek cruiser ship seized an Italian cargo ship bound for Turkey loaded with those airplanes which were retained by the Greeks. However, lacking an appropriate training and maintenance manuals they were never operative. They were used as trainers operating from Tatoi airfield, in Athens.
• Latvia: On August 1922 the Ansaldo operatives which were in Warsaw, selling armament to Poland, concluded a contract with Latvia. The contract stipulated four SVA.10 and A.1 with previssions for more. Those airplanes were to be flight-tested in Riga by Ansaldo crews and, on August 21st the Polish government wrote a letter supporting the qualities of those airplanes. In the end, Latvia bought 13 Balillas, but unfortunately, that success claimed the life of the Tenente Mainardi who spun in at Riga-Spilve airfield when performing low-level acrobatics at a festival held in 1924. The Latvian Balillas were used by a fighter squadron first and by a flying school later.
• USSR: The White Russian army bought some Balillas in order to equip some of their fighter squadrons in 1920 but they weren't delivered until 1922 when 18 airplanes arrived by ship via Odessa which was already under Bolshevik control, and were assigned to the Independent Navy Fighter Sections (IAO, later known as OMIAO) at Novy Petergof (2nd IAO) and Odessa (1st IAO) which were organized in the traditional Russian system of six operational aircrafts and two in reserve. The last two Balillas were used by the Moscow School for Advanced Pilots until 1925. It's also known that the 1st IAO used the Balillas from 1923 to 1925 and some accidents were, unfortunately, suffered by various pilots. Even if the data about those accidents are scant, it's known that the No.2 crashed on 7th July 1924 while piloted by Akulinichev and the No. 3 crashed on 26th May 1924 killing its' pilot, SF Paenkov. The type continued in service until 1927 with the 2nd IAO when it was retired from active service.  

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansaldo_A.1_Balilla
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters
3. Windsock Datafile 88 - Ansaldo A.1 Balilla

SPAD S.VII - Second entry, foreign users vol. 2

Previous note: This is a continuation of this post If you haven't read it, i recommend you to check it out.
We continue with the SPAD S.VII, this time with more foreign users for this French Fighter.

We are covering the next countries this time:

• Imperial Germany: During the very first part of 1918 a single S.VII was captured from the French SPA65 unit. It was heavily repainted by his new owner. 
• Greece: The Royal Hellenic Army Air Service bought some airplanes. The one depicted below served in 1920.
• Kingdom of Italy: Italy used them widely during the Great war and it became very popular since it was flew by various of their best aces like Francesco Baracca or Giorgio Pessi. It was also among the very first planes that composed the Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force) with planes carried over from the previous Corpo Aeronautico Militare (Military Aeronautical Corps) during 1923.
• Empire of Japan: The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service employed them, allegedly for domestice defense purposes during the 20s. As we couldn't find any graphical evidence, the drawing are speculative.
• Netherlands: The Luchtvaartafdeling (The Dutch Aeronautical corps) employed some SPAD S.VII. Supposedly they were airplanes that were forced to land in neutral Dutch territory during the Great War, as we couldn't find graphical evidence on this one neither, the colours are speculative.
• Peru: Allegiadly Peru used some Ex-Argentinean planes during the early 20s for evaluation purposes. However they were rejected. The graphical evidence on Peruvian SPADs doesn't seem to exist, so the drawing is considered speculative.
• Poland: One of the main post-war users of the SPAD S.VII and one of the very first airplanes that constituted the Wojska Lotnicze (Polish Air Force) back in 1918. It saw action during the Polish Soviet war.