Breguet 14

After producing several designs that were behind the times, Louis Breguet discarded all previous design decisions and designed a two-seater suited to combat on the Western Front, the Breguet 14. The fuselage was made of light and strong duralumin longerons and spacers bolted onto welded steel fittings, and the wings used duralumin spars and wooden ribs, making the plane quite strong. Ailerons were fitted only to the upper wing (which had slight dihedral). They were originally unbalanced but in later production horn-balanced ailerons were fitted.

Two varieties existed with minor differences between them: the Breguet 14A2 was the reconnaissance version (originally designated the Breguet 13), and the 14B2 was the bomber version. Both versions proved to be excellent aircraft, and the Breguet 14 was built in large numbers by several manufacturers.

Early Breguet 14B2's were fitted with bungee-controlled flaps on the lower wings to help with low-speed landings, but these were abandoned in later production runs.

During the war Belgium equipped three escadrilles with Breguet 14s; Greece two squadrons; Serbia three squadrons. 1,500 were promised to the Americans, but only 290 to 376 had been delivered by the Armistice. Their use started in June 1918 with the 96th Aero Squadron. The Americans received 229 A2s (of which 90 were Fiat-powered), 47 B2s, and 100 E2 trainers.

The Breguet 14 served well into the 1920s and they were used by many more countries after the war as well as in the Russian Civil War.

In later production models, to reduce losses, the pilots' seats were armored, and the bombers were frequently escorted by Caudron R.11's.

Card Links

 * French B2
 * French B2
 * French B2
 * Esc 66 - Burlaton
 * Esc 66 - Burlaton

Aircraft Chart

1:144 Scale

 * Shapeways: Decapod
 * Metal kit:
 * Wings of War: WW23G de Greffier/Marseille; WW23H Grebil/Carron; WW23I Browning/Duke

1:285/6mm/1:288 Scale

 * Shapeways: Decapod
 * Metal Cast:

1:300 Scale

 * Metal kit: Heroics & Ros GWA221

1:350 Scale

 * Shapeways: Decapod