Engineering:Bréguet 17

17
Bréguet 17 C.2 in 1922.
Role	Heavy fighter
Manufacturer	Bréguet
First flight	1918
Primary user	French Army
Number built	ca. 100

The Bréguet 17 was a two-seat biplane fighter developed in France towards the end of World War I and operated by that country during the 1920s.

Design and development

The Bréguet 17 was a derivative of the highly successful 14 bomber, but somewhat scaled down and carrying a more powerful engine and heavier machine gun armament in place of a bomb load. The French Army was impressed enough to place orders for 1,000 of these aircraft during 1918, to be delivered the following year. The end of World War I ended these plans, but some limited production did take place into the early 1920s.

Operational history

The type was operated as the Bre.17C.2 with several escadrilles as a supplement to existing aircraft, but never formed the basis for any one unit on its own. A single example was converted into a prototype night fighter, but no production ensued.

Variants

Bre.17C.2

Main production version.

Bre.17

Night fighter prototype.

Operators

France

• French Army

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: two, pilot and gunner
• Length: 8.10 m (26 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 14.28 m (46 ft 10 in)
• Height: 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 43.3 m² (466 sq ft)
• Gross weight: 1,840 kg (4,056 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12K1 , 336 kW (450 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 218 km/h (135 mph, 117 kn)
• Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,610 ft)
• Rate of climb: 5.8 m/s (1,140 ft/min)

Armament

• 2 × fixed, forward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) Vickers machine guns
• 2 × trainable, rearward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) Lewis Guns in ring mount in rear cockpit
• 1 × trainable, downward-firing 7.7 mm (.303 in) Lewis gun through trap door in rear cockpit

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. pp. 198. 
• World Aircraft Information Files. London: Bright Star Publishing. pp. File 890 Sheet 80.