Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Breguet 280T

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Top speed
  
220 km/h

Length
  
12 m

Wingspan
  
17 m

Manufacturer
  
Breguet Aviation

The Breguet 280T was a French biplane airliner of the late 1920s, created by the manufacturer as a means of finding a civil market for their 19 warplane, as they had once tried before with the 26T.

Contents

Development

The 280T was similar to the 26T, using the Breguet 19's flying surfaces combined with a passenger-carrying fuselage that completely filled the interplane gap. The 280 fuselage was based on the 26T's fuselage but featured refined aerodynamics.

Operational history

A single prototype was evaluated in autumn 1928, followed by eight production machines ordered by Air Union. These were flown on routes between Paris and southern France, between Paris and Switzerland, and (occasionally) between Paris and London. They were joined in service by a 10th machine (converted from one of the 281T prototypes), and six 284Ts with more powerful engines (one of these converted from the other 281T). Two of this latter type were also operated by Air Orient on routes to East Asia. Some of Air Union's 280Ts and 284Ts were still in service when the airline was absorbed into Air France.

Accidents and incidents

On 17 January 1931, Breguet 280T F-AIVU of Air Union crashed while attempting to land at Lympne Airport in England. The aircraft caught the boundary fence and crashed onto the airfield, damaging the forward fuselage and undercarriage. Of the eight people on board, one of the crew was injured.

Variants

280T
  • First main production version with a 370 kW (500 hp) Renault 12Jb engine, nine built.
  • 281T
  • Prototypes with 340 kW (450 hp) Lorraine-Dietrich 12Ed engines. Two aircraft built, one later converted to 280T, the other to 284T standard.
  • 284T
  • Second main production version with 450 kW (600 hp) Hispano-Suiza 12Lbrx engine, seven built.
  • Operators

     France
  • Air Orient operated two Breguet 284T aircraft.
  • Air Union operated ten Breguet 280T and five Breguet 284T aircraft.
  • Air France
  • Specifications (280T)

    General characteristics

  • Crew: two pilots
  • Capacity: six passengers
  • Length: 12.12 m (39 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 17.25 m (56 ft 7 in)
  • Wing area: 55.9 m2 (601 ft2)
  • Empty weight: 2,040 kg (4,497 lb)
  • Gross weight: 3,320 kg (7,319 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Renault 12Jb inline engine, 373 kW (500 hp)
  • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 220 km/h (137 mph)
  • Range: 1,100 km (700 miles)
  • Service ceiling: 4,700 m (15,420 ft)
  • References

    Breguet 280T Wikipedia