Bréguet 521 Bizerte

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%A9guet_521_Bizerte

The Bréguet 521 Bizerte was a long-range military reconnaissance flying boat
built by the French aviation company Breguet.

A biplane of all-metal construction, with three engines mounted in nacelles
between the upper and lower wings, the aircraft was a development of the Breguet
S.8/2 Calcutta, which itself was a militarised licensed version of the British
Short S.8 Calcutta. It was built to meet a French Navy specification for a
long-range flying boat issued in 1932, competing against proposals from
Latécoère (the 582), Lioré et Olivier (the unbuilt LeO H42) and Loire Aviation
(the Loire 70). The first prototype made its maiden flight on 11 September 1933,
with it being purchased, and an order placed for two more on 4 January 1934.

A series of small orders for production Bizertes was placed, starting with an
order for three in 1934, with the last order, for 12 (nine of which were later
cancelled) being placed in September 1939. In total, 37 Bizertes were built,
with the last three not being completed until after the French surrender in June
1940.

In 1935 a civilian version – the Breguet Br.530 Saigon – was produced.


Role
Flying boat

Manufacturer
Breguet

First flight
11 September 1933

Introduction
1935

Primary users
French Navy / Vichy French Navy
Luftwaffe

Number built
37

Developed from
Short S.8 Calcutta

After the first flight in September 1933, 37 aircraft were produced, which
served with five squadrons of the French Navy from 1935 until 1940. Two
squadrons remained in service with the Vichy Navy after the armistice, at Berre
in Southern France and Karouba in Tunisia, with six aircraft each. The German
Luftwaffe purchased a number of Bizertes for its Seenotdienst (Air-Sea Rescue)
service in 1940, which (in addition to the three undelivered Bizertes) it used
to equip a squadron based at Brest on the French Atlantic coast. When Vichy
France was occupied by the Germans following the Allied invasion of North Africa
in November 1942, the remaining Vichy Bizertes were taken over by the Luftwaffe,
allowing further Seenotdienst units to be established at Biscarrosse and Berre.
Following the Allied Invasion of Southern France in August 1944, one of the
Luftwaffe Bizertes was discovered by French forces and used for communications
duties until spares ran out.

Variants

Breguet 521.01
Prototype, powered by three Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs 14-cylinder two-row radial
enginesBreguet

521 Bizerte
Long-range flying boat, powered by three Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs 14-cylinder two-row
radial engines or three Gnome-Rhône 14N radial engines.Breguet

522
Re-engined version of Breguet 521. Three 670 kW (900 hp) Hispano-Suiza 14AA
radial engines. One built.

Breguet 530 Saigon
Civil version of the Breguet 521. Three Hispano-Suiza 12Ybr liquid-cooled
inlines. Two built

Specifications (Br.521)

General characteristics
Crew: 8
Length: 20.48 m (67 ft 2 in)
Wingspan: 35.18 m (115 ft 5 in)
Height: 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 162.6 m2 (1,750 sq ft)
Empty weight: 9,470 kg (20,878 lb)
Gross weight: 15,091 kg (33,271 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 16,600 kg (36,597 lb)
Fuel capacity: 5,250.7 l (1,387 US gal; 1,155 imp gal)
Powerplant: 3 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kirs1 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial piston
engine, 670 kW (900 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers

Performance
Maximum speed: 243 km/h (151 mph; 131 kn) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Cruise speed: 164 km/h (102 mph; 89 kn) economical cruise
Normal Cruising speed 199 km/h (124 mph; 107 kn)
Range: 2,100 km (1,305 mi; 1,134 nmi) at normal cruise at 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Maximum range: at economical cruise 3,000 km (1,900 mi; 1,600 nmi)
Service ceiling: 6,000 m (19,685 ft)
Time to altitude: 2,000 m (6,562 ft) in 8 min 46 sec; 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in 14
min 30 sec
Wing loading: 90.2 kg/m2 (18.5 lb/sq ft)
Power/mass: 0.137 kW/kg (0.083 hp/lb)

Armament

Guns: 5 × 7.5 mm (0.295 in) Darne machine guns
Bombs: 4x 75 kg (165 lb) Type G2 bombs underwing




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