Engineering:Breguet 17
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| File:Breguet 17.jpg | |
| Role | Heavy fighter |
| Manufacturer | Breguet |
| First flight | 1918 |
| Primary user | French Army |
| Number built | ca. 100 |
The Breguet 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 Breguet 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 ft2)
- Gross weight: 1,840 kg (4,056 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12K, 336 kW (450 hp)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 218 km/h (135 mph)
- 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.
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