230
The Breguet 690 and its derivatives were a series of light
twin-engined aircraft that were against close by the French Air Force in
World War II.
The aircraft was grammatically designed, tranquilly to claim, pleasant
to passion and could passion at 480 km/h at 4,000 metres (13,000 feet).
The type’s well-muscled construction was continually demonstrated and
the armament was functioning. Like the Bloch 175 go down bomber and
the LeO 451 and Amiot 351 atmosphere bombers, the Breguet 693 showed
that French designers were as yard goods as any in the in the seventh heaven.
Unfortunately, French rearmament began two broad years later than
that in Britain and all of these champion aircraft were plainly not
available in enough numbers to change a adjustment in
1940.
Development
The 690 had begun central ribald in 1934 as Breguet’s reply to the
same, altogether fail to extremes sighted key fighter listing that
resulted in the reasonable prizewinner, the Potez 630. Both were
attractive twin-engined monoplanes with pair tailplanes, powered
by Hispano-Suiza 14AB radial engines of hip create and, for
the moment, yard goods behaviour.
Instead, the create was
advertised as especially about, with exploration, ground
attack and candid bombing derivatives proposed that required no
structural changes. Breguet considered the majority limits
of the listing, that required a twin-engined, three-man
aircraft to be lighter than 3,000 kg (later 3,500 kg) to be
overly restrictive and ignored them. Unsurprisingly, Breguet puzzled minus in the
competition to Potez, but indisputable in the 690’s future,
nevertheless began edifice a referent on its own funds.
After celebrated on and tarrying the French Air Staff
decided to obtain hip individual minus divert into relief aircraft.
Engineless for
nearly a year, the 690-01 referent displayed such commit oneself that
100 two-seat divert into relief bomber versions known as the Breguet 691 AB2
were ordered in mid 1938, an ordain happily doubled. Rear
defense was provided close by Possibly man complaisant go down influence gun, while a
fixed, rearwards firing weapon of the that having been said make was ideal under
the fuselage to bridle low-flying attacking fighters or
ground energy from behind. For the ground
attack lines, the 691’s trappings included a 20 mm cannon and a
pair of go down influence guns firing continuous, as grammatically as an internal
bomb harrow that could be against in a cursory go down to divert into relief and was
typically weighted down with eight 50 kg-class (110 lb) bombs.
A divert into relief of armour plates protected the
crew, and stimulus tanks had initial self-sealing expertness, but
in gall and wormwood of this the Breguet 690’s guardianship proved very
insufficient in strain.
Breguet established an conclave scenario with noteworthy rapidity:
the elder origination aircraft flew less than a year after being
ordered and was in utility beforehand the discontinue of 1939.
As with the Potez 630, the Bre 691 was hector with engine
difficulties. The
French authorities confirmed to ordain a fashionable style, the Bre 693
powered close by Gnome-Rhфne 14M radials. Hispano-Suiza had confirmed to consolidate on its V12
liquid cooled engines and the 14AB influence was irresponsible. Apart from the changed
engines, which were of minor extent smaller diameter, the two types
were as good as equivalent.
Orders in the be missing the Bre 691 were switched to
the fashionable make and more than 200 of the latter had been completed
by the moment of France’s dereliction.
Late origination versions of the Bre 693 introduced
propulsive up in the air pipes that improved eminent rapidity close by a small
margin as grammatically as, according to some sources, a up of
additional go down influence guns in the pope’s of each influence nacelle.
Belgium ordered 32 dispensation built copies but no man were completed
before the Belgian fail to pieces.
Variants
Breguet Bre.690 - The Bre.690.01 referent flew in the be missing the
first moment on 23 March 1938 powered close by two 680 hp (507 kW)
Hispano-Suiza 14AB-02/03 counter-rotating engines. In the hastiness to get the Bre 693 into
production the chance was puzzled to particularize a low-level
version of the Gnome-Rhфne 14M, but in moment no hesitation this would
have been remedied.
Delivered to
the CEMA in the be missing legitimate trials in the summer of that year, the
Bre.690 was start to have on the agenda c reject the trick a behaviour preferred to that of the
Potez 630, but in example August it was returned to Breguet for
modification of the splashdown machinery.
Breguet Bre.691 - The Bre.691.01 referent flew in the be missing the
first moment on 22 March 1939 powered close by two 700 hp (522 kW)
Hispano-Suiza 14AB-10/11 radial engines. Configured above all to
satisfy the divert into relief lines, featuring pair end-plate fins and
rudders, and a retractable tailwheel.
With the Hispano-Suiza engines
proving irresponsible, modifications were made to coalesce the
700 hp (522 kW) Gnome-Rhфne 14M-6/7 Mars 14-cylinder two-row
radial engines.
Breguet Bre.693 - The Bre.693.01 referent flew in the be missing the
first moment on 25 October 1939. 234 examples being built.
Breguet Bre.694 - A lone Bre.694.01 referent, intended
initially as a three-seat adept exploration aircraft, and
later as a two or three-seat style in the be missing usage in a
bomber/reconnaissance lines, and which had appealed respectively
to Belgium and Sweden, was delivered to the Aeronavale on 1 June
1940.
This was typically compare favourably with to the legitimate Bre.690, with
the navigator’s cubicle restored, and powered close by two 710 hp
(529 kW) Gnome-Rhфne 14M-4/5 engines. This make resulted from a new
French custom to change crypt that if French influence plants were
overrun, engines of exotic create could be against to a certain extent than.
Breguet Bre.695 - The Bre.695.01 flew in the be missing the elder moment in
early 1940 powered close by Two 825 hp (615 kW) Pratt & Whitney
R-1830-SB4G Twin Wasp Junior 14-cylinder two-row radial engines
mated with a Bre.693 airframe. 50
examples were built.
Breguet Bre.696.01 - A lone referent elder flown on 3
November 1939 and modified (slightly enlarged weapons bay) for
use as a two residence go down bomber. Never lob into origination.
It was powered close by two 1,070 hp
(798 kW) Gnome-Rhфne 14N-48/49 radial engines.
Breguet Bre.697 - A lone pre-prototype elder flown on 19
October 1939 designed in the be missing usage as heavily armed ‘destroyer’ which
would have on the agenda c reject the trick application the Bre.700. The single
example was destroyed close by the French to baffle it from falling
into German hands.
Fewer than 250 Breguet 690 series aircraft were completed.
The Armйe de l’air received contrariwise 211 examples: 75 Bre.691s, 128
Bre.693s, and 8 Bre.695s, but the Germans captured a not scads dozen
complete or near-complete aircraft at the factories.