Breguet Br.16 • wp.archivoaereo.com

The Breguet Br.16 was a bomber-reconnaissance aircraft developed by the French firm Breguet. This aircraft was an enlarged variant of the successful Br.14 and served as a two-seat tactical night bomber in the Bn.2 category.

Table of Contents

Development and Initial Design

The prototype took to the skies on June 1, 1918, powered by a Renault 12Jb engine producing 450 hp (336 kW). While large-scale production was planned for 1919, the end of World War I significantly slowed manufacturing rates. Production aircraft were equipped with a considerably less powerful Renault 12Fe engine and a redesigned angular tail. Some Br.16s also flew with an American Liberty 12 engine and a French Panhard.

Production and Operational Service

Several serial batches of the Br.16Bn.2 were produced until 1923, entering service in 1921. This model replaced the twin-engine Farman F.50 and proved more effective than its Farman predecessor with a similar bomb load, despite having only one engine.

Legacy and International Reach

The Br.16 remained in operation for five years until it was replaced in 1926 by the twin-engine Farman Goliath. It is believed that at least 200 of these aircraft were in service with the French Air Force, with some seeing combat in Syria and Morocco. Additionally, some units were exported to China and Czechoslovakia.

Technical Specifications

Modification	Br.16
Wingspan, m	16.96
Length, m	9.55
Height, m	3.32
Wing area, m2	75.50
Empty weight	1265
Normal takeoff weight	2200
Engine type	1 Piston engine Renault 12Fe
Power, hp	1 x 300
Maximum speed, km/h	160
Cruising speed, km/h	140
Practical range, km	900
Rate of climb, m/min	92
Practical ceiling, m	4600
Crew, crew members	2
Armament	one 7.7-mm Vickers machine gun, installed on the left side of the fuselage, and a twin 7.7-mm Lewis machine gun on a ring mount in the observer’s cockpit. Bomb load up to 550 kg.