The first prototype Bre 19.01 was displayed at the Salon Aeronautique in 1921 while fitted with a 335.3kW Breguet-Bugatti engine. However, for the first flight in March 1922 (piloted by Marcel Vuillermet), a similarly rated Renault 12Kb was installed.

The Bre 19 was mostly of metal construction, with fabric covering only the unequal-span wings, aft fuselage and tailplane. Large-scale production of A2 (observation) and B2 (day bomber) versions, powered by Renault 12K or Lorraine 12 engines, was undertaken; ‘Amenagement 1926’ machines having increased fuel capacity.

The aircraft featured a biplane design with I-type struts, the upper wing substantially wider than the lower section and the aircraft was armed with 3 (or 4) .303 machine guns. The landing gears were covered. It being a day-time bomber, it could carry a payload of over 1,500lbs of ordnance.

In 1923 the prototype won a Spanish international military aircraft contest and the 11 pre-production machines under construction in France were inspected by a Yugoslav delegation. Sales to both countries followed.
More than 1,000 were built for French service, the type equipping many Groupes of the French Aeronautique Militaire from 1925; the last escadrilles did not relinquish their aircraft until 1935. Included in the total were a number of night fighter (Cn2) variants.

Spain imported 19 aircraft, and CASA then produced 26 aircraft from French components before building another 177 with Lorraine (127 with licence-built and the other 50 with imported engines). The type was widely used in action within Spain’s North African territories, and 135 were still on strength in 1936, the majority of them in Spain where each side had about 60 aircraft. The Nationalists bolstered their numbers with 20 ex-Polish machines to create five units (1-G-10 to 5-G-10), but after considerable ground-attack and coastal patrol service in 1937 the survivors were retired on both sides to training.

Foreign deliveries went to Poland (250), Yugoslavia (160, plus 190 built under licence at Kraljevo), Romania (108), China (74), Greece (30), Argentina (25), Turkey (20), Spain (19, plus 177 built under licence by CASA), Venezuela (12), Bolivia (15), Belgium (6, plus 146 built under licence by SABCA) and Brazil (5). One hundred and three Yugoslav Bre 19 were still in service in 1939, many powered by 313kW Gnome Rhone Jupiter radial engines.

From 1926 twenty Bréguet XIX B-2 were licence built by Türk Hava Kurumu / THK, assembled in the halls of the Türk Tayyare Cemiyeti / TTaC.

Many record flights were made by Breguet 19 including one made by the ‘Grand Raid’ version named Nungesser-Coli, which was flown from Paris to San Francisco and Tokyo to Paris by Diudonne Costes and Joseph Le Brix, covering 57,000km in 350 hours flying time, powered by a 600 hp Hispano-Suiza.

Piloted by Lucien Girier and Dordilly the first non-stop air crossing of the South Atlantic, from St.Louis, Mauritania to Natal, Brazil, on 14 October 1927 (2356 miles in 27 hours).

Also, in September 1929 a Breguet 19 ‘Super Bidon’ named Point d’Interrogation was flown by Costes and Bellonte from Le Bourget to Manchuria to set up a new world distance record of 7,905km. A year later it was the first aircraft to fly non-stop from Paris to New York. It also flew Paris-Jask, Iran (3472 miles in 32 hours) piloted by Coatws and Jean Rignot.

After a total of 74,400 miles in 650 flight hours it was donated to a museum by the Breguet company.

Breguet Bre.19 Long Range Flights

In 1928 the Breguet 19ter was developed into the improved Breguet 19.7, with a 484.3kW Hispano-Suiza 12Nb engine, new wings with semi-elliptical tips, redesigned vertical tail-plane and increased fuel tankage.
Yugoslavia built 75 and a small batch built by Breguet went to Romania. Fifty similar aircraft were exported to Turkey in 1932 and were the last of the breed to be built by Breguet. Forty-eight Yugoslav-built Breguet 19.8 had Wright Cyclone 580kW radials with long chord cowlings, the last being completed in 1937. Yugoslav Breguets were used later by Croat forces, and two recaptured by Tito’s troops were flown during 1945.

2700 units of the Bréguet XIX were produced worldwide.

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Engine: 1 x HS 12Nb, 480kW
Take-off weight: 6700 kg / 14771 lb
Empty weight: 2190 kg / 4828 lb
Wingspan: 18.3-11.5 m / 60 ft 0 in-37 ft 9 in
Length: 10.7 m / 35 ft 1 in
Height: 4.1 m / 13 ft 5 in
Wing area: 60.0 sq.m / 645.83 sq ft
Max. speed: 245 km/h / 152 mph
Ceiling: 6500 m / 21350 ft
Range: 950 km / 590 miles
Armament: 1 x 12.7mm machine-guns
Crew: 2

Breguet Bre.19
Engine: 1 x Renault 12Kc water-cooled inline, 550hp.
Length: 29.17ft (8.89m)
Width: 48.56ft (14.80m)
Empty Weight: 3,272lbs (1,484kg)
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 5,093lbs (2,310kg)
Maximum Speed: 149mph (239kmh; 129kts)
Maximum Range: 497miles (800km)
Service Ceiling: 25,591ft (7,800m; 4.8miles)
Armament:
3 or 4 x .303in machine guns
1,543 lbs (700 kg) of external ordnance
Accommodation: 2
Hardpoints: 2

Bre.19A2
Engine: l x Lorraine l2Ed, 336kW (450 hp).
Wing span: 14.83m (48ft 7.75in).
Length: 9.61m (31 ft 6.25in).
Max T/O weight: 2500 kg (5,511 lb).
Max speed: 133 mph at sea level.
Operational range: 497 miles.
Armament: 3 x 7.7-mm (0.303-in) mg plus light bombs.

Bréguet XIX B2
Engine: Lorraine 12Ed, 336kW (450 hp)
Wingspan 14.83 m
Wing area: 50 sq.m
Length: 9,61 m
Height: 3.69 m
Empty weight: 1387 kg
MTOW: 2500 kg
Maximum speed: 214 km / h
Range: 800 km
Service ceiling: 7200 m

The Breguet 13, or AV 1, as it was known at the time, had a conventional look. The prototype took to the air on 21 November 1916 powered by a 220 hp Renault engine, with Louis Bleriot at the controls. After extensive trials by company test pilots, the aircraft was delivered to Aviation Militaire in January 1917 for their assessment. It immediately became apparent that the aircraft was far in advance of anything the British or the Germans had.

The STAe (Section Technical Aeronautique) had stipulated earlier in November that they wanted four types of aircraft, a three seat, long-range reconnaissance plane, a three-seat bomber, a two-seat army co-operation plane, and a two-seat fighter. Breguet submitted the aircraft stating variants of the aircraft could cover all the requirements.

The Breguet 14 has two-bay wings, each with two aluminium spars, wooden leading-edge and ribs and fabric covering. The fuselage was of aluminium tube with fabric covering, except for metal top decking around the cockpits. Tail surfaces were fabric covered steel-tube structures. Conventional controls, with ailerons on the top wing only. Full span flaps on the lower wings dropped automatically at 70 mph to increase lift. Fuel was in two fuel tanks aft of the engine.

Breguet Bre.14 Article

The 14B.2 bomber version was fitted with Michelin bomb racks.

On 6 March 1917, impressed by the aircraft, the Aviation Militaire ordered 150 Breguet AV 1s (Breguet 13) to be used for reconnaissance. At the same time, the Michelin Company received an order for 150 Breguet AV 2s (Breguet 14), the bomber version. Because the aircraft were almost identical, it was decided to use the same designation for both – Breguet 14. In the months up until September 1917, orders totalling another 475 aircraft were placed.

Because demand was now outstripping supply, other companies were brought in to build the Breguet 14 under licence: Ballenger (3), Darracq (330), Farman (22), Sidam (300) and Paul Schmitt (275). The Paul Schmitt Company was already in the process of building a bomber, but the Breguet 14 had to take precedence, although they still managed to complete their own orders.

As far as the military was concern, the Breguet 14 was adaptable. It underwent numerous modifications, none of which affected its performance. On some of the aircraft, the wingspan and flap size was reduced. Different engines were tried, and various types of armament were installed and tested. Among these was one of the first air ambulances – the Breguet 14S (Sanitaire). The fuselage was modified to enable two stretchers to be carried inside.

Almost every escadrille was supplied with the Breguet 14, including the overseas units. During the short period of the war in which the USAS was involved, they purchased almost 400 of the aircraft. The first of their bombardment units, the 96th Aero Squadron carried out their first mission in June 1918 using Breguet 14 bombers.

Powered by a Renault 12 Fcy water-cooled inline engine of 300hp / 238.5kW, the metal cowling was extensively louvred and a distinctive frontal radiator was fitted. The pilot was seated in the front and the gunner/observer behind. The Bre 14 A2 was armed with a single 7.7mm forward-fixed Lewis machine gun on the left side of the fuselage and an additional set of 7.7mm Lewis machine guns on a mounting in the rear cockpit. External stores could be carried when in the full bomber role.

The prototype flew for the first time on 21 November 1916.

Türk Hava Kuvvetleri assembled 16 Bréguet XIV A-2 in 1924 for the Turkish Air Force.

The reconnaissance version was followed into production by the bomber in the summer of 1917, the latter differing in having Breguet-designed automatic trailing-edge flaps on the lower wings and transparent panels in the sides of the observer’s cockpit. Late production examples of both versions had horn-balanced ailerons, the B2 aircraft thus equipped doing away with the trailing-edge flaps.

The B2 version could be fitted with an additional Lewis gun that fired downwards through the rear fuselage floor and had a maximum bomb load of 256kg, carried on underwing racks.
A single-seat long-range version, known as the Bre 14 B1, was also built in limited numbers during 1918, and was intended to bomb Berlin. In fact it was little used and never mounted an attack on the German capital. Breguet 14 also equipped American and Belgian units during World War I, some powered by Italian Fiat A-12 and A-12bis engines.
The Bre 14 A2 reconnaissance version and the Bre 14 B2 bomber equipped at least 71 French escadrilles on the Western Front by November 1918 and were also used by units in Serbia, Greece, Macedonia and Morocco.
Many ex-French aircraft were handed over to Poland in 1919 and these took part in the fighting with Russia in 1920. The type formed part of the initial equipment of the Czech air arm, and others were operated in Brazil, China (70 with 298kW Lorraine-Dietrich engines), Denmark, Finland, Greece, Japan, Portugal and Spain. The Spanish equipped four squadrons in Morocco in 1922, using them on missions against Riff tribesmen. A further 40 were obtained in 1923. A small number of float variants were also built, mostly with a central main float and small wingtip stabilising floats.
During 1919 Breguet 14 made a number of long-distance flights and Louis Breguet founded the Compagnie des Messageries Aeriennes with them, making regular air mail flights linking Paris with Brussels and London. These Bre 14 had special mail containers fitted under the wings. A cabin version with provision for two passengers was built as the Breguet 14T.
Later came the improved Bre 14Tbis and the three-passenger Breguet 14T2. During the 1920s, the Lignes Aeriennes Latecoere company used more than 100 Breguet 14 in various versions on its routes between Toulouse and Dakar (West Africa) and between Natal and Santiago di Chile in South America. The Br 14S air ambulance, adapted from the Breguet 14T, was widely operated in the 1920s during the campaigns in Morocco and Syria. Each could carry two stretchers in the rear fuselage.

The Forges et Ateliers de Construction Latecoere began its interest in aviation in 1917 with an aircraft works at Toulouse-Montaudron. In 1917 P-G Latécoère turned from making munitions to licence-building aircraft for the Aviation Militaire Française. Total wartime production amounted to 800 licenced Breguet XIV and Salmson 2A.2 2-seat reconaissance bomber biplanes.

Initially, these licenced airframes do not seem to have received Latécoère designations. The licenced XIVs were refered to as Breguet-Latécoère 14s (or sometimes Latécoère Breguets). The designation Laté 1 may have been applied to licenced Brequets but there is some confusion with a 1918 2-seat fighter (of original Latécoère design?).

Latécoère converted large number of Breguet XIVs for civilian used in 1921-23 (190 for use by Aéropostale alone). None of these civil conversions seem to have received distinct Laté-x designations. Namings were as follows:

• Breguet-Latécoère 14.A2: straightforward de-militarized mailplane conv., 1922
• Breguet-Latécoère 14 Torpedo: passenger conv. for Aéropostale, 1922-23
• Breguet-Latécoère 14.B2: (970) Latécoère inflight refueling experiments, 1922

The ‘Torpedo’ name comes from the designation of Breguet’s own 14T and 14Tbis passenger conversions. Like the 14Ts, the Breguet-Latécoère 14 Torpedo was an aft cabin conversion as distinct from the cabin 14 ‘Salon’ conversions.

Production was spread over seven manufacturers, in addition to the Louis Breguet factory at Velizy, near Paris, and 7800 of the type were built up to 1926, more than 2,500 appearing after the war ended in 1918.

The Breguet 14s were sold to 22 countries. There were fourteen variations that included using a number of engines and a large number of modifications. The type would continually see service in frontline French forces up until 1932.

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Replica: Salis Breguet XIVP

Br.13
Engine: 1 x Gnome, 160 hp
Wingspan: 49 ft 7 in / 15.3 m
Length: 27 ft 10 in / 8.5 m
Height: 10 ft 9 in / 3.3 m
Empty weight: 2094 lb / 950 kg
Loaded weight: 2876 lb / 1350 kg
Max speed: 62 mph / 100 kph
Armament: 1 x Hotchkiss mg
Bombload: Flechettes

Breguet Bre.14A
Engine: 1 x Renault 12Fcx, 220kW
Wingspan: 14.4 m / 47 ft 3 in
Length: 9.0 m / 29 ft 6 in
Height: 3.3 m / 10 ft 10 in
Wing area: 49.0 sq.m / 527.43 sq ft
Take-off weight: 1740 kg / 3836 lb
Empty weight: 1140 kg / 2513 lb
Fuel capacity: 57.2 gal
Max. speed: 180 km/h / 112 mph
Ceiling: 6000 m / 19700 ft
Range: 900 km / 559 miles
Crew: 2
Armament: 3 machine-guns, 300kg of bombs

Breguet Bre.14B2
Engine: 1 x Renault 12 Fcy water-cooled inline, 300hp.
Length: 29.10ft (8.87m)
Wing span: 48.92ft (14.91m)
Height: 10.83ft (3.30m)
Empty Weight: 2,282lbs (1,035kg)
Maximum Take-Off Weight: 3,483lbs (1,580kg)
Fuel capacity: 57.2 gal
Maximum Speed: 121mph (195kmh; 105kts)
Maximum Range: 301miles (485km)
Cruise: 75 mph.
Service Ceiling: 13,993ft (4,265m; 2.7miles)
Armament:
1 x 7.7mm Lewis machine gun in forward-fixed firing position.
2 x 7.7mm Lewis machine guns on mounting in rear cockpit.
Up to 573lbs of external ordnance.
Accommodation: 2
Hardpoints: 4

Breguet XIX Super Bidon Point d’Interrogation
Engine: Hispano-Suiza 12 LB, 650 hp
Wingspan: 18.30 m
Length: 10.72 m
Height: 4.08 m
Wing area: 59.94 m²
Max weight: 6375 kg
Max speed: 250 km/h
Ceiling: 6700 m
Range: 9000 km