The Bréguet 730 was a French flying boat of the 1930s. Built to meet the requirements of the French Navy, it was ordered into production but no aircraft were delivered before France surrendered to Germany in June 1940. Four remaining incomplete airframes were completed after the end of World War II, serving with the French Navy until 1954.
The French Navy issued a specification for a new long-range flying boat to replace the obsolete 521 Bizerte in May 1935. Bréguet designed a large four engined flying boat to meet the requirement, the Breguet 730, competing against designs by Latécoère (the Latécoère 611), Lioré et Olivier (the LeO H-440) and Potez-CAMS (the Potez-CAMS 141).
The first prototype, the Br.730-01, powered by 750 kW (1,010 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14N-2 and Gnome-Rhône 14N-3 engines, flew on 4 April 1938 at Le Havre. The N-2 engines were fitted at No.1 and No.3 positions and the N-3s at No.2 and No.4 positions, rotating in opposite directions.[1] It was wrecked, however, on 16 July 1938 when it attempted to land in shallow water. Despite this setback, however, an order for four production aircraft was placed, followed by a contract for unlimited production on the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. This order was cut in early 1940 when it realised that attrition of maritime patrol aircraft was very low.[1]
Operational history
No production aircraft had been completed when France surrendered on 22 June 1940, when production was suspended. It was restarted by the Vichy government, with the wing of the wrecked prototype being combined with the hull of the first production machine to produce the Br. 730 No.1, which was ready to fly when the Germaninvasion of Vichy France prevented testing. Production of the remaining 11 aircraft continued extremely slowly under German occupation, with eight being destroyed in an Allied air raid on 6 April 1944.[1]
The Br.730 No.1 was finally flown for the first time in December 1944, after the Germans retreated from the South of France. This aircraft, named Véga, was delivered to the French Navy, who used it as a long-range transport in April 1945,[2] with a second Br.730 (Sirius) completed in May 1946.[1] The remaining two aircraft (Altair and Bellatrix) were completed with redesigned nose, new floats and more powerful engines, and were designated Br.731.
Véga was destroyed in a crash in January 1949,[2] with a second aircraft being destroyed in 1951.[3] The last Br.731 was retired on 20 January 1954.[3]
Variants
Br.730-01
Prototype. Powered by four 753 kW (1,010 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14N 2/3 engines.
Br.730
Production version. Powered by four 835 kW (1,120 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14N 44/45 engines. Two built.
Br.731
Modified nose and floats. Powered by 1,010 kW (1,350 hp) Gnome-Rhône 14R 200/201 engines. Two built.
^ abcdeGreen, William (1968). Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five, Flying Boats. London: Macdonald. pp. 10–12. ISBN978-0-356-01449-4.
^ ab"Histoire de la BAN Saint-Mandrier (1944–1950)" (in French). Retrieved 2008-01-08.
^ ab"Histoire de la BAN Saint-Mandrier (1951–1959)" (in French). Retrieved 2008-01-08.
^Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1947). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. pp. 119c.
Bibliography
Bousquet, Gérard (2013). French Flying Boats of WW II. Sandomierz, Poland: Stratus. ISBN978-83-63678-06-7.
Cuny, Jean (1989). Les avions de combat français, 2: Chasse lourde, bombardement, assaut, exploration [French Combat Aircraft 2: Heavy Fighters, Bombers, Attack, Reconnaissance]. Docavia (in French). Vol. 30. Ed. Larivière. OCLC 36836833.
Cuny, Jean & Leyvastre, Pierre (1977). Les Avions Breguet (1940/1971). Docavia (in French). Vol. 6. Paris: Editions Larivière. OCLC 440863702.
Lacaze, Henri (2016). Les avions Louis Breguet Paris [The Aircraft of Louis Breguet, Paris, 2: The Era of the Monoplane] (in French). Vol. 2: le règne du monoplan. Le Vigen, France. ISBN978-2-914017-89-3.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bréguet 730.
Breguet Br 730
Breguet Br 731
January 28, 2023
bréguet, french, flying, boat, 1930s, built, meet, requirements, french, navy, ordered, into, production, aircraft, were, delivered, before, france, surrendered, germany, june, 1940, four, remaining, incomplete, airframes, were, completed, after, world, servin. The Breguet 730 was a French flying boat of the 1930s Built to meet the requirements of the French Navy it was ordered into production but no aircraft were delivered before France surrendered to Germany in June 1940 Four remaining incomplete airframes were completed after the end of World War II serving with the French Navy until 1954 Br 730 Br 731Breguet 731 Bellatrix model at Musee national de la Marine Role Reconnaissance Flying BoatManufacturer BreguetFirst flight 4 April 1938 Br 730 2 September 1947 Br 731 Introduction 1945Retired 1954Primary user French NavyNumber built 5 Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Specifications Br 730 6 See also 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksDevelopment Edit The prototype Breguet 730 in 1938 The French Navy issued a specification for a new long range flying boat to replace the obsolete 521 Bizerte in May 1935 Breguet designed a large four engined flying boat to meet the requirement the Breguet 730 competing against designs by Latecoere the Latecoere 611 Liore et Olivier the LeO H 440 and Potez CAMS the Potez CAMS 141 The first prototype the Br 730 01 powered by 750 kW 1 010 hp Gnome Rhone 14N 2 and Gnome Rhone 14N 3 engines flew on 4 April 1938 at Le Havre The N 2 engines were fitted at No 1 and No 3 positions and the N 3s at No 2 and No 4 positions rotating in opposite directions 1 It was wrecked however on 16 July 1938 when it attempted to land in shallow water Despite this setback however an order for four production aircraft was placed followed by a contract for unlimited production on the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 This order was cut in early 1940 when it realised that attrition of maritime patrol aircraft was very low 1 Operational history EditNo production aircraft had been completed when France surrendered on 22 June 1940 when production was suspended It was restarted by the Vichy government with the wing of the wrecked prototype being combined with the hull of the first production machine to produce the Br 730 No 1 which was ready to fly when the German invasion of Vichy France prevented testing Production of the remaining 11 aircraft continued extremely slowly under German occupation with eight being destroyed in an Allied air raid on 6 April 1944 1 The Br 730 No 1 was finally flown for the first time in December 1944 after the Germans retreated from the South of France This aircraft named Vega was delivered to the French Navy who used it as a long range transport in April 1945 2 with a second Br 730 Sirius completed in May 1946 1 The remaining two aircraft Altair and Bellatrix were completed with redesigned nose new floats and more powerful engines and were designated Br 731 Vega was destroyed in a crash in January 1949 2 with a second aircraft being destroyed in 1951 3 The last Br 731 was retired on 20 January 1954 3 Variants EditBr 730 01 Prototype Powered by four 753 kW 1 010 hp Gnome Rhone 14N 2 3 engines Br 730 Production version Powered by four 835 kW 1 120 hp Gnome Rhone 14N 44 45 engines Two built Br 731 Modified nose and floats Powered by 1 010 kW 1 350 hp Gnome Rhone 14R 200 201 engines Two built Operators Edit France French NavySpecifications Br 730 Edit Bregeut 730 3 view drawing from L Aerophile January 1944 Data from Warplanes of the Second World War Volume Five Flying Boats 1 Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1947 4 General characteristicsCrew 10 Length 24 38 m 80 ft 0 in Wingspan 40 37 m 132 ft 5 in Height 8 6 m 28 ft 3 in Wing area 173 1 m2 1 863 sq ft Aspect ratio 9 3 Empty weight 16 134 kg 35 569 lb Gross weight 28 660 kg 63 184 lb Powerplant 2 Gnome Rhone 14N 44 14 cyl air cooled radial piston engines 836 kW 1 121 hp each right hand rotation Powerplant 2 Gnome Rhone 14N 45 14 cyl air cooled radial piston engines 836 kW 1 121 hp each left hand rotation Propellers 3 bladed variable pitch airscrewsPerformance Maximum speed 330 km h 210 mph 180 kn Cruise speed 230 km h 140 mph 120 kn Range 6 923 km 4 302 mi 3 738 nmi Endurance 30 hours Service ceiling 6 000 m 20 000 ft Time to altitude 3 000 m 9 800 ft in 9 minutes Wing loading 165 kg m2 34 lb sq ft Power mass 0 117 kW kg 0 071 hp lb See also Edit Aviation portalAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Latecoere 611 Potez CAMS 141Related lists List of flying boats and floatplanesReferences Edit a b c d e Green William 1968 Warplanes of the Second World War Volume Five Flying Boats London Macdonald pp 10 12 ISBN 978 0 356 01449 4 a b Histoire de la BAN Saint Mandrier 1944 1950 in French Retrieved 2008 01 08 a b Histoire de la BAN Saint Mandrier 1951 1959 in French Retrieved 2008 01 08 Bridgman Leonard ed 1947 Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1947 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co pp 119c Bibliography EditBousquet Gerard 2013 French Flying Boats of WW II Sandomierz Poland Stratus ISBN 978 83 63678 06 7 Cuny Jean 1989 Les avions de combat francais 2 Chasse lourde bombardement assaut exploration French Combat Aircraft 2 Heavy Fighters Bombers Attack Reconnaissance Docavia in French Vol 30 Ed Lariviere OCLC 36836833 Cuny Jean amp Leyvastre Pierre 1977 Les Avions Breguet 1940 1971 Docavia in French Vol 6 Paris Editions Lariviere OCLC 440863702 Lacaze Henri 2016 Les avions Louis Breguet Paris The Aircraft of Louis Breguet Paris 2 The Era of the Monoplane in French Vol 2 le regne du monoplan Le Vigen France ISBN 978 2 914017 89 3 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Breguet 730 Breguet Br 730 Breguet Br 731 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Breguet 730 amp oldid 1112092046, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
