Breguet Br.414 • wp.archivoaereo.com

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Development and Competition

The Breguet Br.414 was a bomber-reconnaissance aircraft developed by the French firm Societé Anonyme des Atelliers d’Aviation Louis Breguet. This aircraft was built specifically for a competition held by the French Aviation Ministry, aiming to find new aircraft designs.

In this competition, Breguet’s aircraft faced a strong competitor: the Bloch MB.200 bomber. Although the MB.200 also did not boast outstanding technical characteristics, it clearly enjoyed the sympathy of the military aviation leadership, posing a significant challenge to Breguet.

Enhancements and Maiden Flight

Breguet’s last attempt to win the competition was the construction of a fourth modification, the Breguet 414. This model made its maiden flight in November 1933, incorporating a series of changes and improvements to optimize its performance and outperform the competition.

Among the most notable upgrades, the aircraft received more powerful Gnome & Rhone 14Kdrs radial engines, delivering 760 hp. This was a significant increase compared to previous models, which used HS 12Nb engines producing 650 hp, aiming for a crucial advantage in trials.

The Final Verdict

However, despite all efforts and the implementation of more powerful engines, trials revealed that the Br.414 did not show radical differences from its earlier models. The expectations of significant improvement were not met, sealing its fate in the competition.

As a result of this lack of substantial innovation, the development program for aircraft of this design had to be completely discontinued. The Breguet Br.414, despite its upgrades, failed to meet the requirements of the French Aviation Ministry.

Technical Specifications

Modification	Br.414
Wingspan, m	20. 20
Length, m	11. 30
Height, m	5. 09
Wing area, m2	67.15
Empty weight	3540
Normal takeoff weight	7200
Engine type	2 Piston engines Gnome & Rhône 14Kdrs
Power, hp	2 x 760
Maximum speed, km/h	310
Cruising speed, km/h	2 85
Practical range, km	1300
Service ceiling, m	10000
Crew, crew members	4
Armament:	Two 7.7-mm Lewis machine guns (two forward and two rear); bomb load up to 1300 kg.