1947 Bre 482

four 1350 hp Hispano-Suiza 12 Zs

Translation of photo back

A development in episodes

Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, the French government launched the B4 long-range bomber program. Breguet responded with different projects numbered from 480 to 483. Two prototypes of the 482 were ordered but were not completed during the German invasion of May-June 1940. One of them was evacuated to AFN where it was was destroyed in 1943 and the other remained in Biarritz throughout the conflict. Refurbished after liberation, it should, after re-engineering, display excellent performance. Once the hostilities were over, the Air Force gave up the heavy bomber.

Bad engines

Of entirely metal construction, the Breguet 482 had a trapezoidal wing supported by slotted flaps and one of the three spars was made of steel, a fairly rare occurrence for an aircraft of this period. It made its first flight on November 27, 1947. Powered by four Hispano-Suiza 12 Zs with execrable reliability although limited to one thousand three hundred and fifty horsepower instead of the one thousand six hundred planned. These poor quality engines seriously affected the performance of the 482 which, however, did not have any military equipment. Although we planned to adapt Gnome-Rhône 14Rs, we chose to end the tests after its twentieth flight, on September 13, 1950.