Bréguet 460 Vultur

The Bréguet 460 was a bomber, initially labelled as Multiplace de Combat, a multifunctional aircraft, by the French aviation authorities. Eventually the prototype was modified in 1934, departing from the parameters set for its predecessor, the Breguet 413, in order to meet the requirements of a high-speed bomber for the French Air Force.

The resulting aircraft was a monoplane fitted with two powerful radial Gnome et Rhône 14Kjrs engines, having a more aerodynamic appearance, although it kept the tail of the obsolete Breguet 413. Owing to technical difficulties, production was delayed and when the first prototype of the Bréguet 460 Vultur flew, it could not achieve the 400 km/h (250 mph) required for a high-speed bomber. Thus, the French Air Ministry lost interest in this unit and concentrated on projects by other companies, such as the Amiot 340 and the LeO 45. These aircraft, however, would not be ready until three years later.[2]

The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War provided the French aircraft industry with a good opportunity both for getting rid of obsolete aircraft and for testing new developments. Therefore, it is in this context that the Bréguet 460 prototypes ended up in the Spanish Republican Air Force. One of the units seen in a picture of the Spanish conflict has an improved, more modern tail of the same type that would be used later for the Breguet 470 Fulgur airliner.[3]

The number and the fate of the Bréguet 460 Vultur units in the Spanish Republican Air Force are obscure as is common with most of the flying units of the loyalist air arm during the conflict. It is known that one of these aircraft was based at the Celrà airfield towards the end of the conflict and that it belonged to the Night Flight Group no. 11, which comprised the Vultur and two Bloch MB.210. This particular Breguet 460 crashed in the sea near L'Escala and all the crew perished in the crash.[1]

The Bréguet Br 462 was a modernized version of the Bréguet 460, although still very similar, that made its first test flight towards the end of 1936. The front part of the fuselage was redesigned to look more aerodynamic and the aircraft was fitted with two Gnome-Rhône 14N-0/N-1 engines that allowed it to reach a speed of 402 km/h (250 mph). Flight described it as similar to the Bréguet 461 that was supplied to Japan in 1935. A planned installation of 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) engines was expected to give it a speed of around 300 mph (480 km/h). Bombload was 1076 kg. Defensive armament was a forward-firing 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon and two rear-firing machine guns.[4]

Only three Bréguet 462s were built. Two of them served in the Vichy French Air Force where they did not see much action and were scrapped in 1942.[5]

Bre 460

Light bomber and strike aircraft with two Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs1 radial engines. One prototype built.[6]

Bre 460 M5

1935 design. Light bomber and strike aircraft powered by two Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs radial engines. One prototype built.

Br 462 B4

A modernized version of the Bre 460. Only three built[7]

Breguet 460 Vultur of the Spanish Republican Air Force

 France

• Armée de l'Air

 Spain

• Spanish Republican Air Force

Breguet 460 3-view drawing from L'Aerophile March 1936

Data from GOT: Br.413[8]

General characteristics

• Crew: five
• Length: 12.84 m (42 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 20.58 m (67 ft 6 in)
• Height: 4.10 m (13 ft 5 in)
• Wing area: 60 m² (650 sq ft)
• Gross weight: 8,200 kg (18,078 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Gnome-Rhône 14Kdrs 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 600 kW (804 hp) 815 cv each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 400 km/h (250 mph, 220 kn)
• Range: 2,000 km (1,200 mi, 1,100 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)

Armament

• Guns: 1 × fixed, forward-firing 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon
• 2 × rearward-firing machine guns
• Bombs: 1076kg

Related development

• Breguet 470

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Amiot 140
• Bloch MB 130
• Potez 540

Related lists

• List of Interwar military aircraft
• List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force

• Cortet, Pierre (December 2001). "Les multiplaces de combat Breguet 460/462 Vultur" [The Multi-seat Combat Aircraft Breguet 460/462 Vulture]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (105): 45–49. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Cortet, Pierre (January 2002). "Les multiplaces de combat Breguet 460/462 Vultur". Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (106): 47–55. ISSN 1243-8650.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bréguet 460 Vultur.

• Airwar - Breguet 460
• Aircraft that took part in the Spanish Civil War
• Spanish Civil War Picture