The Breguet 19 (Breguet XIX, Br.19 or Bre.19) was a sesquiplane bomber and reconnaissance aircraft which was also used for long-distance flights and was 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 Breguet 14 bomber. Initially, it was to be powered by a Bugatti U-16 engine, driving a four-blade propeller, and a prototype was shown on the 7th Paris Air Show in November 1921 with this engine. A revised design was flown in March 1922 with a single Renault 12Kb inline engine. After trials, the Breguet 19 was ordered by the French Armys Aéronautique Militaire in September 1923.
Mass production, both for the Aéronautique Militaire and export, began in France in 1924.
Design The Breguet 19 was a sesquiplane in which the lower wing was substantially smaller than the upper wing, with a conventional layout and braced wings. The fuselage was ellipsoid in cross-section and built up from a frame of duralumin pipes. Breguet made extensive use of duralumin as a construction material which resulted in an unusually light structure for its size, instead of steel or wood. It was faster than other bombers, and even many fighter aircraft which resulted in widespread interest which was further increased by successful record flights. The forward fuselage was covered with duralumin sheets, while the tail, rear fuselage and wings were covered with linen. It had a conventional fixed landing gear with a tail skid. The crew of two, pilot and observer/bombardier, sat in tandem in open cockpits and were provided with dual controls.
A wide variety of engine types were fitted, mostly water-cooled V-12 or W-12 inline engines, including the following: Breguet-Bugatti U.16: - used on Br 19 and Br 23 Farman 12We: - used on Br 19-5 Gnome-Rhône 9Ab Jupiter: used on Br 19 for Yugoslavia Gnome-Rhône 9C Jupiter: - used on Br 19-4 Gnome-Rhône Mistral Major 14Kbrs: - used on Br 19-8 Hispano-Suiza 12Ha: - used on Br 19 Hispano-Suiza 12Hb: - used on Br 19-6, Br 19 B2 and Br 19 CN2 Hispano-Suiza 12Lb: - used on Br 19ter Hispano-Suiza 12Nb: - used on Br 19-7 Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs: - used on Br 19-9 Renault 12: - used on Br 19
Renault 12Kb: - used on Br 19 Renault 12Kd: - used on Br 19 Liberty L-12: - used on Br 19bis Lorraine 12Da: - used on Br 19 Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db V12: - used on Br 19 Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb: - used on Br 19 Lorraine-Dietrich 12Ed W12 with reduction gear: - used on Br 19 Lorraine-Dietrich 12Hfrs: - used on Br 19-10 and Br 230 Salmson 18Cma: - used on Br 19-3
A fixed Vickers machine gun with an interrupter gear was operated by the pilot, while the observer had twin Lewis Guns on a gun ring. There was also a fourth machine gun, which could be fired by the observer downwards through an opening in the floor. The Br.19CN2 night fighter variant was fitted with two fixed forward-firing machine guns.Claveau, March–April 1997 The bomber could carry up to of bombs under the fuselage, or small bombs up to vertically in an internal bomb bay. The reconnaissance variant could carry 12 x bombs. The reconnaissance variant had a camera mounting, which was optional on the bomber variant. All variants were equipped radio.
Operational history The Breguet 19 had its baptism of fire in the Spanish Civil War. The Basque Country was bombed for the first time in its history when Otxandio was hit by a Breguet 19 on 22 July 1936 by Franco's nationalist forces. The Breguet 19 was the mainstay of the Spanish Republican Air Force's (the Government's) bomber fleet.
Greece In the Greco-Italian War which took place during World War II, 18 Breguets were operational at the outbreak of war, with 1 Observation (or Army Cooperation) Mira, under I Corp Command, based at Perigiali, near Corinth and with 2 Observation Mira under II Corps command, based at Larissa and Kozani.Carr, 2012, p.17 On 4 November 1940, a Royal Hellenic Air Force Breguet from 2 Mira was sent looking for the attacking 3rd Julia Alpine Division, locating it in a mountain pass near Metsovo. Three more Breguets sent to bomb the Italian division were in turn attacked by three Fiat CR.42 fighters. A Breguet was shot down, one crash-landed and the third returned to base, badly damaged.Carr, 2012, pp.30-31
Variants Br.19.01 The first Breguet 19 prototype, which first flew in March 1922 which was later bought by the Spanish government.
Br.19.02 to Br.19.02.011Pre-production aircraft, whose fuselage was lengthened by . Br.19.02 was evaluated by Yugoslavia in 1923.
Br.19 A.2Two-seat reconnaissance aircraft. Br.19 B.2Two-seat light bomber biplane. These first two variants were the most numerous, and were practically identical. They used a variety of engines, the most popular being the Lorraine-Dietrich 12Db, the Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb, the Renault 12K, the Hispano-Suiza 12H and the Farman 12We. Br.19 CN.2Night fighter version, almost identical to the A.2 reconnaissance variant with one additional forward-firing machine gun. Br.19 GR (Grand Raid) A variant specially modified for long-distance flights, after early long-range attempts were made with the regular Br.19 A2 no.23 fitted with additional fuel tanks. The first Br.19 GR (no.64) had a fuel tank of about and captured the world distance record in 1925. Br.19 GR 3000 litresIn 1926, three additional aircraft were modified to Br.19 GR 3000 litre specifications. They had larger fuel tanks fitted in the fuselage, with a total capacity between . The cockpit was moved slightly aft, and the wingspan was increased to . The three aircraft were fitted with different engines: the first one had a Hispano-Suiza 12Hb, the others had Renault 12K and Farman 12Wers engines. In 1927, one aircraft received a new Hispano 12Lb engine, its fuel capacity was extended to and its wingspan was further increased by . It was christened Nungesser et Coli after the two airmen who disappeared in a transatlantic flight attempt in May 1927. A fifth aircraft was built for Greece, called Hellas, with a Hispano 12Hb. (Other Br.19 aircraft may have received additional fuel tanks for long distance flights, but these were not officially called Br.19 GR. Some sources mention a Belgian Br.19 GR, maybe a confusion with the Belgian Br.19 TR.)
Br.19 TR BidonBuilt in 1927 with various aerodynamic refinements and of fuel in the fuselage. With an additional fuel tank in the wing, the total fuel capacity was . Five were built by Breguet and two by the Spanish company CASA. Three of the French aircraft had a Hispano-Suiza 12Lb, one had a Renault 12K, and one had a Lorraine 12Eb. The first Bidon Hispano was sold to Belgium, and the Bidon Renault was sold to China after a Paris–Beijing flight. The third Bidon Hispano became the French Br.19 TF. The second Spanish Bidon was christened Jesús del Gran Poder, and flew from Sevilla to Bahia (Brazil).
Br.19 TF Super BidonThe last and most advanced long-distance variant, built in 1929, and designed for transatlantic flight. The French Super Bidon was the third Br.19 TR Hispano, named Point d'Interrogation, with a modified fuselage, a wingspan of , and total fuel capacity.Sources differ by a small amount on the exact fuel capacity. It was powered by a Hispano-Suiza 12Lb engine, later replaced by a Hispano-Suiza 12NLb. Another aircraft, with a closed canopy, was built in Spain in 1933. Christened Cuatro Vientos, it flew from Sevilla to Cuba, and disappeared while attempting to reach Mexico.
Br.19 terUtilizing the experience with long-distance variants, this improved reconnaissance variant was developed in 1928, maybe for export purposes. It remained a prototype only (with civilian register F-AIXP). Br.19.7The most popular of the late variants developed in 1930 with a Hispano-Suiza 12Nb engine, giving a maximum speed of . The first five machines were converted in France for Yugoslavia, then a number were built in Yugoslavia, and a further 50 built in France for export to Turkey. Br.19.8With a Wright GR-1820-F-56 Cyclone radial engine, 48 Br.19.7 airframes were eventually completed as Br.19.8's in Yugoslavia. Maximum speed was . Br.19.9A single prototype developed in Yugoslavia with a Hispano-Suiza 12Ybrs engine. Br.19.10A single prototype developed in Yugoslavia with a Lorraine-Dietrich 12Hfrs Petrel engine. Br.19 hydro(Breguet 19 seaplane) Fitted with twin floats as a seaplane, a single prototype (no.1132) was produced for France. Another aircraft sold to Japan was fitted with floats built there by Nakajima. Nakajima-Breguet Reconnaissance Seaplane Nakajima built Breguet 19-A2B seaplanes. Br.19T Br.19T bis Br.19 Limousine (for six passengers, with a thicker fuselage), but these were never built. Breguet Br.26T (1926) Breguet Br.26TSbis Breguet Br.280T Breguet Br.281T Breguet Br.284T
In total, more than 2,000 Breguet 19s were manufactured in France, and about 700 license-built by Spanish CASA, Japanese Nakajima, Belgian SABCA and the Yugoslavian aircraft factory in Kraljevo.
Operators
Argentine Air Force operated 25 Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb powered aircraft.
Belgian Air Force bought six Br.19 B2s in 1924, and further 146 A2s and B2s 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 late 1930s.
Bolivian Air Force bought ten aircraft and used them during the Chaco war against Paraguay.
Brazilian Air Force operated five aircraft.
Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuolin is claimed to have ordered 70 Breguet 19s, but these were not delivered. Similarly, an order for four Br.19s from the central government was not met. Manchuria did acquire a single Br.19A2 in 1926 and a Br.19.GR in 1929.Andersson 2009, p.253
Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske seized 46 aircraft used for anti-partizan missions.
The French Armys Aéronautique Militaire operated its first Breguet 19s 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 (successor to the Aéronautique Militaire) in colonies in the Middle East and North Africa - among others, they were used there to suppress native rebellions. French Navy
Hellenic Air Force acquired 30 Breguet 19 A2s and some were used against invading Italian forces in 1940, delivering valuable information on Italian movements.
Regia Aeronautica bought one aircraft for tests.
In April 1925, the factory Nakajima Hikoki KK acquired two aircraft. The purchase was the work of the well-known promoter of aviation, the Asahi Shinbun newspaper group. A production license was acquired. Nakajima offered a float-equipped version to the navy, and another was entered into a competition for maritime reconnaissance but was unsuccessful. One plane flew again with wheeled undercarriage and civilian designation J-BBFO as a mail plane. Iran Iranian Air Force: Operated two aircraft (19A2). One in black and white and the other in silver.
Polish Air Force bought 250 Breguet 19 A2s and B2s, with Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb engines, in 1925–30. 20 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.
Royal Romanian Air Force bought 50 Breguet 19 A2s and B2s in 1927, then 108 Br.19 B2s, and five Br.19.7's in 1930. They were in service until 1938.
Soviet Air Force bought one aircraft for tests. Kingdom of Spain & Spanish Republic