Breguet 16 Bn 2 — Notice Technique d'Appareil & Catalogue des Pièces de Rechange
The Breguet 16 Bn 2 (also stylized Bréguet 16 Bn.2) was a French late-WWI twin-seat night bomber developed by the Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet at Vélizy-Villacoublay. Derived from the highly successful Breguet 14, the Type 16 scaled up the airframe to carry a heavier bomb load under cover of darkness — a demanding operational requirement that pushed the limits of 1918 powerplant technology. Approximately 200 airframes were built across Breguet, Ferbois, Lioré-et-Olivier, and SECM factories. Postwar, the type served briefly with the 21ème and 22e Régiment Aérien de Bombardement in Syria and Morocco. One modified airframe, Patria, was used by the Portuguese Army in 1921 for an ambitious long-distance attempt from Lisbon to Macao — a testament to the airframe's robust long-range capability.
Document Manifest — 2 Primary-Source Documents
1. Notice Technique d'Appareil — Avion Breguet Type 16 Bn 2
Reference: N.C.D.2 | Publisher: Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet, Vélizy-Villacoublay
Language: French
The official aircraft technical notice issued by the manufacturer. Covers airframe description, structural data, systems, and operational parameters as issued to French military operators.
2. Catalogue des Pièces de Rechange — Avion Type 16 Bn. 2
Reference: C.C.D.2 | Publisher: Société Anonyme des Ateliers d'Aviation L. Breguet — Imprimerie M. Villain et M. Bar, Paris, 1923
Language: French
The original spare parts catalogue for the Type 16 Bn. 2, listing all replaceable components with part references. Dated 1923, reflecting the postwar service period.
Airframe Technical Profile
Aerodynamic Configuration
- Type: Two-seat tractor biplane, unequal span
- Total Wing Surface Area: 73.5 m²
- Upper Wing Span: 17.00 m
- Aircraft Length: 9.55 m
- Maximum Height: 3.42 m
- Chord Length: 2.35 m
- Tail Unit Span: 4.66 m
- Airscrew Diameter: 3.42 m
Powerplant
- Standard: Renault 12Fe V-12 liquid-cooled, 300 hp (alternate Renault variant to 450 hp)
- Experimental: Liberty L-12 water-cooled V-12, 400 hp (static structural tests revealed wing failure under Liberty engine loads; production relied on French powerplants)
Performance Data (French Groupe de Bombardement 1 operational tests)
- Empty Weight: 1,265 kg
- Disposable Load: 1,130 kg (excluding standard fuel reserves)
- Maximum Speed (low altitude): 160 km/h
- Climb to 4,000 m: 51 min 10 sec
- Service Ceiling: 4,600 m
- Armament: 3 defensive machine guns + up to 550 kg of bombs
Service Notes
The Breguet 16 scaled up the proven flight mechanics of the Breguet 14, providing a stable and forgiving bombing platform at night. Its principal limitation was a slow rate of climb when fully laden to ceiling weight — an inherent trade-off of the enlarged airframe and heavy bomb load.
This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.
Living Collections with Free Lifetime Updates — Please review our Disclaimer and Export Notice before purchasing.