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, part six. European Users, part three.

 

The Breguet 14 was a French multirole biplane that could serve as a bomber, reconnaissance aircraft or even as a transport. It was built in very large numbers during and even after World War I and it was used in many countries all around the world, among them, the following ones:

• Republic of Central Lithuania: Two Breguet 14 A.2s were supplied by the Polish to the air force of this short-lived puppet state in 1920. They were assigned to the Aerial Squadron of the Army of Central Lithuania.
  
  
• Portugal: The Portuguese Arma da Aeronáutica Militar  (Military Air Arm) acquired sixteen Br.14A.2s in 1919. They were assigned to the Esquadrilha Miste de Deposito (Mixed Depot Flight), at Tancos and later to the Grupo de Esquadrilhas da Aviaçao Republica (GEAR; Republican Group of Aviation Squadrons) based at Amadora. In 1921 the GEAR was sent to Angola and subsequently renamed to Grupo de Esquadrilhas de Aviaçao de Angola (GEAA; Group of Air Squadrons of Angola) where it remained with base at Campo do Huambo (central Angola) until disbanded in 1923 (though according to some other local sources it was in 1924). 
  Twelve more Br.14A.2 were sold by the French in 1921. These, plus those of the GEAA, formed the Grupo Independente de Aviaçao de Bombardeamento (GIAB; Independent Bomber Aviation Group) which was formed in 1923 at Alverca, mainland Portugal. 
  In 1925 there were still eleven Br.14 in active. One serving with the Escola Militar de Aviaçao (Military Aviation School), nine serving with the GEAR and another with Esquadrilha de Treino e Deposito (Training and Depot Squadron).
  Those Br.14 still active by 1928 were reassigned to GIAB again where they served until 1931 when they were replaced by license-built Potez 15.
  One Breguet 14 T transport was also used by the GEAR.
  One Br.14A.2 became famous in October 1920 for a failed Lisbon to Madeira flight. In spite of the rudimentary navigation gear, they managed to reach Madeira, where they had to make a forced landing due to dense fog. After having repaired the aircraft, on the way back, after 8 flight hours, they run out of fuel and had to ditch the plane on the Atlantic Ocean. Fortunately they were rescued at around 500 km (311 miles) west of Lisbon.
  
  
• Romania: Twenty Br.14B.2 were bought by the Romanian Corpul de Aviatie (Aviation Corps) in 1919. They were assigned to Grupul 5 (Group No. 5) with base at Bucharest. They saw limited action at the Hungarian-Romanian War of 1918-1919 and were replaced in the mid-1920s by newer types, among them the Breguet 19. 
  
  
• Serbia: Three French Escadrilles (Squadrons) equipped with Breguet 14B.2 were received by the Serbian Aviation. These were BR 522, BR 524 and BR 525, were operated by French airmen and ground crew (albeit being nominally under Serbian Aviation's Command and even wore painted Serbian flags at the sides) and were employed to attack Bulgarian camps near Lake Prespa, together with the Greek Mira 532 (of which we already wrote at this post here). French and Greek squadrons co-operated together to attack railroad stations during March-April 1918 and enemy airfields at Drama and Hudobva during May-June, when they were also employed in strafing attacks against enemy soldiers. 
  During the months of July and August, they were employed to raid the main enemy airfields of Hudova and Canatlarsi and in September they were used to bomb enemy lines to support Franco-Serbian troops in their offensive, which concluded with the Bulgarian capitulation.

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://ubibliorum.ubi.pt/handle/10400.6/11568

Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard - Part two

The Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard was exported after the war to various countries as the RAF rejected it for service.
Ireland was one of those buyer countries as the Irish Government bought one (out of just four in the world) Martinsyde Type A Mk.II which was a transport variant of the Buzzard, to escape from the Anglo-Irish negotiations in case they failed. It was written off on 11th October 1927.
The Buzzard served also with the Irish Air Corps as at least four of them (this time in their fighter variant). They were bought from the Aircraft Disposal Company in  1922 which was the company that bought most of the Buzzards after Martinsyde went bankrupt. They served with the No.1 "The Humming Bird" Squadron based at the Baldonnel Aerodrome. Most of them were written off from 1925 until 1929.
It seems that the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service bought one airplane with testing purposes in the early 1920s from the Aircraft Disposal Company. Apparently they weren't impressed and didn't buy more of them. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of the Buzzard under Japanese command, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
The Karinės Oro Pajėgos (Lithuanian Air Force) bought two Buzzards in 1922 from the Aircraft Disposal Company where they served under the denomination of "Amerikietis" and "Amerikiete".
Under the command of the Wojska Lotnicze (Polish Air Force) it was bought in January 1921 and it served as a fighter until June 1923 when it was assigned to the Experimental section of the Military Aviation Research Centre. One year later, in winter 1924 it was repaired and repainted in white and red horizontal stripes to be the personal airplane of the Polish Air Force Commander who kept the airplane as his personal one until March 1926. 
The Buzzard was also gifted to Portugal in October 1919 and was assigned to the Arma de Aeronáutica Militar (Military Aeronautics Arm) where it served with the Grupo de Esquadrilhas de Aviaçao República (Republican Aviation Flight Group) formed in Amadora and later they were transferred to the Esquadrilha Mista de Depósito in the city of Tancos. A second batch of Buzzards arrived in 1923 and they were also assigned to the Esquadrilha Mista de Depósito which existed until 1926 when it disbanded and replaced by the Esquadrilha de Caça Nº1 (Fighter Squadron No.1) and served together with the Spad S.VII. They served until 1933. 

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martinsyde_Buzzard
2. http://www.ipmsireland.com/forms-downloads/aercorpsaircraft1922-1997.doc
3. http://www.theaerodrome.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2428
4. http://www.samolotypolskie.pl/samoloty/1807/126/Martinsyde-F-4-Buzzard (translated)
5. https://altimagem.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/16-martinsyde-f-4-buzzard.html (translated)
6. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Avro 504K European Users, part three

A little bit later, but here it is, the third post about the European users of the Avro 504K.

• Portugal: In 1923, the Portuguese Aeronautica Militar (Military Aeronautical) decided to update their training airplane fleet. In order to do so, they bought a Caudron C.59 and was confronted with an Avro 504K, which won. They were ordered on 10th November 1923 and arrived on 20th May 1924. Most of them were used in the training/school role at the Portuguese Escola Militar de Aviaçao (EMA) - Military Aviation School located in the city of Sintra, until as late as 1937. In 1925 two of them were given to the Naval Aviation, being this way the first land-based airplanes operated by the Portuguese Navy. 
• Switzerland: The Swiss Army Aviation service bought some of them and operated them in Geneva, however further details are unknown to us.
• USSR: As the USSR built it's own copy of the Avro 504K, it's known that at least one original 504K made by Avro was taken as a model and copied later through reverse engineering.

Sources:

1. http://asasdeferro.blogspot.com.es/2016/04/avro-504.html (translated)

2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

3. http://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/86602 

SPAD S.VII - Third entry, foreign users vol. 3

We continue with our SPAD S.VII saga, this time with even more foreign users of the SPAD S.VII, this entry is a continuation of this other one:

• 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.
• Portugal: It made famous in this country because the Portuguese ace Oscar Monteir Torres, the only Portuguese pilot who died in aerial-combat during the great war, flew one of these. When the Portuguese Aviation Corps was founded back in February 1919, the fighter squadron was equipped with S.VIIs. This same squadron was renamed in December 1921 as 'Captain Monteiro Torres Squadron'.
• Romania: Apparently some S.VII were employed during the great war by the Romanian Royal Aeronautics. As we couldn't find graphic evidence, the colours are speculative.
• Imperial Russia: The Imperial Russian Air Service employed them widely in the eastern front of the great war and it was also used by the Whites during the Russian Civil War. It's also worth mentioning that the three versions of this airplane were employed: The ones made by SPAD themselves, the ones made by Blériot and the ones made locally by DUX in Moscow.
• Serbia: Some Serbian pilots, integrated in the French SPA.523  squadron, flew S.VII airplanes which later, after the war would form the very first fighter units of the kingdom of Croats Slovenes and Serbs, or, as was commonly known, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (those will be covered in the next entry). During the great war they were used in the Macedonian (Thessaloniki) Front
• Red Army/USSR: The Russian Red Army, employed them widely during the Russian civil war and Polish Soviet war and was among the very first fighters used by the Workers' and Peasants' Air Fleet (the precursor of the Soviet Air Force). They were ex-Imperial units or captured ones.

Note: We know that theorically those SPAD used by the United Kingdom should be in this entry (as we are following an alphabetical order for the foreign users), but considering that they used it very widely we decided to make a dedicated entry just for them.