Initial Development and Design
In the early 1920s, French engineer Maurice Blanchar developed a reconnaissance flying boat project for the French Navy. It was a three- or four-seat, single-bay biplane, powered by two 260 hp (190 kW) Hispano-Suiza 8Fe eight-cylinder V-engines. The flying boat’s armament consisted of two 7.7mm machine guns mounted on movable turrets in the nose and fuselage center, as well as light bombs totaling up to 300 kilograms.
In 1922, the prototype first underwent buoyancy tests on the River Seine, and only then made its maiden flight. The aircraft’s tests were successful, and it was decided to produce the reconnaissance flying boat in a small series.
Operational Service of the Brd.1
As Blanchar lacked his own production facilities, the Navy’s order for 24 Blanchar Brd.1 HB3 flying boats was placed with the Bleriot factory. All of them entered service with Squadron 5RI, based at San-Raphaël.
The first flying boats were delivered to the fleet in 1923, but the Brd.1 served for a short time – the last aircraft was withdrawn from service in 1926.
The Record-Breaking Brd.2
In early spring 1924, Maurice Blanchar modified one of the military flying boats into a record-breaking Brd.2 variant. This involved removing gun positions and seating pilots in an enclosed cockpit.
Starting in April of the same year, pilot Georges Pelletier d’Oisy immediately set several world altitude records for seaplanes with loads of 250, 500, and 1000 kilograms. The last record was set on June 12, when the Brd.2 climbed with a 1000 kg load to an altitude of 4000 meters (shortly before this, the flying boat with a 500 kg load reached an staggering altitude of 4400 meters).
Technical Specifications
| Modification | Brd.1 |
| Wingspan, m | 19.00 |
| Aircraft length, m | 13.85 |
| Aircraft height, m | 4.10 |
| Wing area, m2 | 85.00 |
| Empty weight | 2465 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 3930 |
| Engine type | 2 Hispano-Suiza 8Fe Piston engines |
| Power, hp | 2 x 260 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 168 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 125 |
| Practical range, km | 250 |
| Service ceiling, m | 3500 |
| Crew, crew members | 3-4 |
| Armament | two 7.7-mm machine guns on movable turrets, up to 300 kg of light bombs |
Image and diagram gallery of the Blanchar Brd.1 / Brd.2 Seaplane
 Brd.1(2) |
 Brd.1(2) |
 Brd.1(2) |
 Brd.1(2) |
 Brd.1(2) |
 Brd.1(2) |