Breguet 19

The Breguet 19 (Breguet XIX, Br.19 or Bre.19) was a light bomber and reconnaissance plane, also used for long-distance flights, designed by the French Breguet company and produced from 1924.
Development

The Breguet 19 was designed as a successor to a highly-successful World War I light bomber, the Breguet 14. Initially it was designed to be powered with two Bugatti engines, driving one four-bladed propeller, and such a prototype was shown on the 7th Paris Air Show in November, 1921. A new design was flown in March, 1922, featuring a conventional layout with a single 450 hp Renault 12Kb inline engine. The aircraft was built in a biplane planform, with shorter lower wings. After trials, the Breguet 19 was ordered by the French Air Force in September 1923.

The first eleven Breguet 19 prototypes were powered by a number of different engines. A "trademark" of Breguet was the wide usage of duralumin as a construction material, instead of steel or wood. At that time, the aircraft was faster than other bombers, and even some fighter aircraft. Therefore, it met with a huge interest in the world, strengthened by its sporting successes. Mass production, for the French Air Force and export, started in France in 1924.

[edit] Design

The Br 19 was a biplane (sesquiplane), conventional in layout, with braced wings. The fuselage, ellipsoid in cross-section, was a frame of duralumin pipes. The front part was covered with duralumin sheets, the tail with canvas. The wings were canvas covered. It had a conventional fixed landing gear, with rear skid. The crew of two, pilot and observer/bombardier, sat in tandem in open cockpits, with dual controls.

There were used many different engines fitted, mostly water cooled 12-cylinder inline engines :

    * Renault 12Kb (450 hp), 12Kd (480 hp) - V12
    * Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db (400 hp) - V12
    * Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb (450 hp) - W12
    * Hispano-Suiza 12Ha (450 hp), 12Hb (500 hp) - V12
    * Farman 12W (500 hp).
    * Gnome-Rhône 9Ab Jupiter (420 hp) (radial engine, in Yugoslav aircraft)

They carried 365 litres of fuel in a fuselage tank. The propeller was wood.

A fixed 7.7 mm Vickers machine gun with interrupter gear was operated by the pilot, while the observer had twin 7.7 mm Lewis machine guns. There was also a fourth machine gun, which could be fired by the observer downwards through an opening in a floor. According to some sources, the C2 and CN2 fighter variants were fitted with two pilot's machine guns. The bomber variant could carry up to 472 kg of bombs under the fuselage, or in a vertical bomb bay (small bombs up to 50 kg). The reconnaissance variant could carry twelve 10 kg bombs. The reconnaissance variant had a camera mounting, which was optional on the bomber variant. All variants had radio.

[edit] Variants

    * Br.19 A2 reconnaissance plane
    * Br.19 B2 light bomber

These first two variants were the most numerous, and were practically identical. They used a variety of engines, the most popular being the 400 hp Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db inline V12, the 450 hp Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb W12, the Renault 12K, and some models of Hispano-Suiza engines.

    * Br.19 C2 heavy fighter and Br.19 CN2 night fighter

The same aircraft in different roles, it was almost identical to the B2 reconnaissance variant (according to some sources, it had only one additional machine gun). In the early 1930's, some French versions were refitted with Farman 12W engines.

    * Br.19 GR

A special long-distance sport variant built in France in 1925 and equipped with a large fuel tank of 1,994 litres. A similar modification was carried out in Belgium. Four French Br.19 GR of 1926 underwent further modification. They had 2,920 litre fuel tanks fitted in the fuselage, and the cockpit was moved slightly aft. They also had their wingspan increased from 14.83 to 15.9 metres. These and another sport variants used more powerful 500 to 600 hp engines.

    * Br 19 TR Bidon

Built in 1927 with a 3,735 litre fuel tank in a thicker and aerodynamically refined fuselage. With an additional fuel tank in the wing, the total fuel capacity was 4,125 litres. Five were built by Breguet and two by the Spanish company CASA (some publications give lower numbers of aircraft built, or different fuel capacity).

    * Super Bidon

The last and most advanced long-distance variant, built in 1929, and designed for transatlantic flight. It had a 5,180 litre fuel tank (later 5,580 litres), a modified fuselage, and a wing span of 18.3 metres. It was powered by a 600 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Lb engine (later upgraded to 650 hp). A single model was built in France, and another, with a closed canopy, was built in Spain in 1933.

    * Br.19ter

Utilizing the experience with long-distance variants, this improved reconnaissance variant was developed in 1928 (there is no positive information on its eventual service) for export purposes.

    * Br.19.7

The most popular of the late variants developed in 1930 with a 600 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Nb engine, giving a maximum speed of 242 km/h. The first five machines were converted in France for Yugoslavia, then a number were built in Yugoslavia, and a further fifty built in France for export to Turkey.

    * Br.19.8

With a 780 hp Wright Cyclone GR-1820-F-56 radial engine, forty-eight Br.19.7 airframes were eventually completed as Br.19.8's in Yugoslavia. Their maximum speed was 279 km/h.

    * Br.19.9

A single prototype developed in Yugoslavia with a 860 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine.

    * Br.19.10

A single prototype developed in Yugoslavia with a 720 hp Lorraine-Dietrich 12Hfrs Petrel engine.

    * Br.19 hydro

Fitted with floats as a seaplane, probably only one prototype was produced for France (some sources claim a second one was made for Japan).

Some modified civilian variants of the Breguet 19 were also developed:

    * Br.19T

A six-seat prototype passenger plane with a thicker fuselage.

Further passenger variants with a totally rebuilt fuselage were designated :

    * Br.26T (1926)
    * Br.280T
    * Br.281T
    * Br.284T

These were were used in limited numbers in France and Spain.

In total, more than 2,000 Breguet 19's were manufactured in France, and about 700 license-built by Spanish CASA, Belgian SABCA and the Yugoslavian factory in Kraljevo.

[edit] Operations

    * Flag of France France

The Breguet 19 first entered service in the French Air Force in the A2 variant from the autumn of 1924, the B2 variant from June 1926, then the fighter C2 and CN2 variants. In the late 1920s and early 1930s they were the most numerous French combat aircraft. In metropolitan France they were withdrawn from service in the early 1930s; the last Br.19 CN2 was withdrawn in 1935. Until 1938 they were still used by the French Air Force in colonies in the Middle East and North Africa - among others, they were used there to suppress native rebellions.

    * Flag of Poland Poland

The Polish Air Force bought 250 Breguet 19 A2's and B2's, with 450 hp Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engines, in 1925-30. Twenty aircraft were reportedly the longer-range reconnaissance variant, but details are not known. the first Br.19 entered Polish service in 1926, but most were delivered in 1929-30. They were withdrawn from combat units in 1932-37, and used in training units until 1939. They were not used in combat during the Invasion of Poland of 1939 and most were destroyed on the ground.

    * Flag of Belgium Belgium

Belgium bought six Br.19 B2's in 1924, and further 146 A2's and B2's were manufactured in under licence by the SABCA works in 1926-30. They were powered with Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb and Hispano-Suiza 12Ha engines, and used until the mid-1930s.

    * Flag of Spain Spain

Spain bought a prototype and a license in 1923, and started production in the CASA works, in A2 and B2 variants. The first nineteen aircraft were imported, the next twenty-six completed from French parts, then 177 were manufactured (fifty of them had Hispano-Suiza engine, the rest the Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engine). The Breguet 19 was the basic equipment of Spanish bomber and reconnaissance units until the initial period of the Spanish Civil War. In July 1936 there were 135 in service. They were actively used as bombers during the war, especially on the government (Republican) side. In 1936, the Nationalists bought an additional twenty from Poland. With an advent of more modern fighters, the Br.19 suffered many losses, and in after 1937 were withdrawn from frontline service. The Republican side lost 28 aircraft, and Nationalists lost 10 (including 2 Republican and 1 Nationalist aircraft, that deserted). The remaining aircraft were used for training until 1940.

    * Flag of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia bought 100 Br.19 A2's in 1924, and in 1927 acquired a license to manufacture them in a new factory in Kraljevo. The first batch of eighty-five aircraft were assembled from French parts, and a further 215 were built from scratch. The first 150 aircraft in Yugoslavian service had Lorraine-Dietrich engines, the next 150 - 500 hp Hispano-Suiza 12Hb engines, and the last 100 - 420 hp Gnome-Rhone Jupiter 9Ab radial engines. From 1932, the Br.19.7 variant was manufactured - the first five were built in France, the next 75 in Kraljevo (51 according to other publications), and a further 48 aircraft, lacking engines, were completed in 1935-1937 as Br.19.8's, with 780 hp Wright Cyclone radial engines. (Some publications give different numbers of Yugoslavian Bre.19's). Some of these Yugoslavian aircraft were used in combat after the German attack on Yugoslavia in 1941. After Yugoslavia fell, 46 aircraft were used by Croatia for anti-partizan missions. One was taken by its pilot and delivered to the partisans of Tito, and used in June-July 1942, until it was shot down. Another two, captured by the new Communist government forces in April 1945, were used to pursue Ustashes.

    * Flag of Romania Romania

The Romanian Air Force bought fifty Br.19 A2's and B2's in 1927, then 108 Br.19 B2's, and five Br.19.7's in 1930. They were in service until 1938.

    * Flag of Greece Greece

The Greek Air Force acquired thirty Br.19 A2's - some were used against invading Italian forces in 1940, delivering valuable information on Italian movements.

    * Flag of Republic of China China

Breguet 19s were also used in China - four aircraft were bought by the government, and seventy by Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin.

    * Flag of Turkey Turkey bought twenty Br. 19 B2's, then fifty Br.19.7's in 1932. They were also bought by :
    * Flag of Argentina Argentina (25)
    * Flag of Bolivia Bolivia (10, used during the Chaco war against Paraguay)
    * Flag of Iran Iran (2)
    * Flag of Venezuela Venezuela (12)
    * Flag of Uruguay Uruguay and
    * Flag of Brazil Brazil (5).

    * Flag of Italy Italy, the Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union and Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom bought single aircraft for testing. According to some publications, Flag of Japan Japan bought a number, and they were license-built in Nakajima, though this is not confirmed, apart from the two aircraft bought by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

[edit] Sports Variants

Both standard and modified Breguet 19s were used for numerous record-breaking flights. The first was the Br.19 prototype, which won a military aircraft speed contest in Madrid on 17 February 1923. On 12 March 1923 it also set an international altitude record of 5,992 metres (19,660 feet) carrying a 500 kg (1,102 lb) load. It was later bought by Spanish government.

Many crews made long-distance flights in Br.19's. In February 1925 Thieffry flew from Brussels to Leopoldville in central Africa, a distance of 8,900 km (5,530 miles). Two Br.19 A2's were bought by the Japanese Asahi Shimbun newspaper and fitted with additional fuel tanks. They were flown by H. Abe and K. Kawachi on the Tokyo-Paris-London route in July 1925, covering 13,800 km (8,575 miles). Between 27 August and 25 September, 1926, the Polish crew of Boleslaw Orlinski flew the Warsaw-Tokyo route (10,300 km/6,400 miles) and back, in a modified Br.19 A2, despite the fact that one of its lower wings was broken on the way. Between 1927 and 1930 Romanian, Yugoslavian and Polish Br.19's were often used in Little Entente air races.

Breguet 19 GR's and TR's set several world records, mostly of long-distance non-stop flights, starting with Arrachart and Lemaitre's 3,166 km (1,967 mile) flight from Paris to Villa Cisneros in 24½ hours on 2-3 February, 1925. On 14-15 July 1926, Girier and Dordilly set a new record of 4,716 km (2,930 miles) between Paris and Omsk, beaten on 31 August-1 September by Challe and Weiser's 5,174 km (3,215 miles), and on 28 October by Dieudonne Costes and Rignot's 5,450 km (3,386 miles). Between 10 October 1927 and 14 April 1928 Costes and Le Brix flew a Br.19 GR (named Nungesser-Coli) around the world, covering 57,000 km (35,418 miles) - though the journey between San Francisco and Tokyo was taken by ship.

The Super Bidon was created especially for the purpose of a transatlantic flight. It was named "?" (Point d'Interrogation - The Question Mark). Dieudonne Costes and Maurice Bellonte set a non-stop distance record of 7,905 km (4,911 miles) from Paris to Moullart on 27-29 September 1929 on this plane. Then on 1-2 September 1930, they flew from Paris to New York City, a distance of 6,200 km (3,852 miles) making the first non-stop east-west crossing of the north Atlantic. The second Super Bidon, the Spanish Cuatro Vientos, vanished over Mexico with M. Barberan and J. Collar Serra, after a transatlantic flight from Seville to Cuba on 10-11 June 1933.

[edit] Specifications (Br 19 A.2)

Data from {The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft}[1]
General characteristics

    * Crew: 2
    * Length: 9.61 m (31 ft 6¼ in)
    * Wingspan: 14.83 m (48 ft 7¾ in)
    * Height: 3.69 m (12 ft 1 ¼in)
    * Wing area: 50 m² (538 ft²)
    * Empty weight: 1387 kg (3,058 lb)
    * Loaded weight: kg (lb)
    * Useful load: kg (kg)
    * Max takeoff weight: 2500 kg (5,511 lb)
    * Powerplant: 1× Lorraine 12Ed piston, 336 kW (450 hp)

Performance

    * Maximum speed: 214 km/h (knots, 133 mph)
    * Range: 800 km (nm, 497 mi)
    * Service ceiling: 7200 m (23,620 ft)

Armament

    * 1 x fixed forward Vickers gun, and two flexibly mounted rear Lewis guns.
    * Provision for light bombs.