BREGUET

Brothers Louis and Jacques, of famed Breguet clock and watchmaking family, collaborated with Prof. Charles Richet to build first helicopter to lift a man (19 September 1907). Improved Breguet-Richet II followed. First aeroplane was 60-hp biplane (28 June 1909) flown at Reims meeting. Breguet IV 'Coffee pot' carried 6 people August 1910. Société des Avions Louis Breguet formed 1911, starting 60 unbroken years of design and production. Early standard types included G.3 100-hp biplane once flown with 10 aboard, and series of C-U (Canton-Unné engine) types, one being a flying-boat. Many G.3 and G.4 biplanes were sold to military customers. German advance August 1914 resulted in evacuation from Douai factory and establishment of new works at Villacoublay. Here was completed first BU3 pusher bomber, mass-produced at Michelin works as BUM (Breguet-Michelin). Many variants, and Br.4, 5 and 12 were developments. Totally new design Br.XIV (21 November 1916) powerful tractor biplane was outstanding reconnaissance bomber and transport, 8,590+ built by 1926. Bre.16 and 17 were derivatives, but Bre.XIX (March 1922) was new design, with 3,280 sold worldwide by 1934. Bre.27 and twin-engined 41 had tail carried on slim boom to give rear gunner wider field of fire. Successful airliners were 280T single-engined and 393T 3-engined biplanes. Bre.521 Bizerte (September 1933) was large patrol flying-boat, 530 Saigon passenger version, Bre.730 (April 1938) giant monoplane flying-boat. Bre.462 Vultur bomber (1936) was cantilever monoplane, 470 Fulgur passenger version. Bre.690 prototype (23 March 1938) was outstanding high-speed twin-engined aircraft which, despite severe political delays, led to nearly 500 of several versions, mostly attack bombers, by June 1940. Breguet tried to avoid nationalization under 1936 law, and so had all priority in materials removed and 2 factories forcibly transferred to SNCAN and SNCAO. Wartime work included Ju 52/3m production, wings for Fw 189 and complete BV 144 transport programme. Bre.500 Colmar airliner designed during war, flown 1945. Bre.482 4-engined bomber flown 1948, Bre.76 Deux Ponts double-deck transport (12 Air France, 15 Bre.765 Sahara for Armée de l'Air) flown 1949 together with Bre.89-OH (2 Hercules) and 89-2S (4 Renault) Mercure transports, Type 900 sailplane and Type IIE helicopter (see Breguet-Dorand). Bre.960 Vultur anti-submarine aircraft with Mamba turboprop and Nene jet (3 August 1951) led to Bre.1050 Alizé with RR Dart turboprop (6 October 1956; still in service France and India). Br.1001 Taon twin-jet attack aircraft (26 July 1957); Br. 1150 Atlantic patrol aircraft (21 October 1965), production handled by SECBAT. Br.121 was original French input to Anglo-French Jaguar produced by SEPECAT. Control of company passed by French government to Dassault 14 December 1971, forming AMD/BA (Avions Marcel Dassault, Breguet Aviation), which took control of Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet. Identity lost in name-change to Dassault Aviation April 1990.

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