Breguet Deux-Ponts

Deux-Ponts / Provence / Sahara / Universel
	Air France Br.763 Deux Ponts
Role	Airliner and freighter
Manufacturer	Breguet Aviation
First flight	15 February 1949
Introduction	10 March 1953
Retired	31 March 1971
Primary users	Air France ; French Air Force
Number built	20

Last updated May 24, 2019

The Breguet 761/763/765 are a family of 1940s and 1950s French double-deck transport aircraft produced by Breguet Aviation. The aircraft were normally called the Deux-Ponts (Double-Decker) but it was not an official name.

A double-deck aircraft has two decks for passengers; the second deck may be only a partial deck, and may be above or below the main deck. Most commercial aircraft have one passenger deck and one cargo deck for luggage and ULD containers, but only a few have two decks for passengers, typically above a third deck for cargo.

The Société des Ateliers d'Aviation Louis Breguet also known as Breguet Aviation was a French aircraft manufacturer. The company was set up in 1911 by aviation pioneer Louis Charles Breguet.

Design and development

Breguet began design work on the Breguet 761 double-deck airliner even before the end of the Second World War, in 1944. It was decided that a medium-range airliner with seating for over 100 passengers would be built. The design envisaged using readily available engines with the aim of ease of manufacture and an early first-flight date. The design was known as Project 76-1. The aircraft was destined not to be the first French postwar design to fly, an honour which instead fell to the Sud-Est Languedoc, a civilianised Bloch MB161. The prototype Br.761, F-WASK, first flew at Villacoublay on 15 February 1949.^[1]

An airliner is a type of aircraft for transporting passengers and air cargo. Such aircraft are most often operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aeroplane intended for carrying multiple passengers or cargo in commercial service. The largest of them are wide-body jets which are called also twin-aisle because they generally have two separate aisles running from the front to the back of the passenger cabin. These are usually used for long-haul flights between airline hubs and major cities. A smaller, more common class of airliners is the narrow-body or single-aisle. These are generally used for short to medium-distance flights with fewer passengers than their wide-body counterparts.

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of the world's countries—including all the great powers—eventually formed two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis. A state of total war emerged, directly involving more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. The major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million fatalities, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war.

This is a list of aviation-related events from 1944:

The 761 featured a cantilever wing set at mid-height on the bulky fuselage. The retractable tricycle landing gear featured dual-wheel main units. The empennage had twin fins and rudders on a vestigial central fin.^[2] The prototype was powered by four 1,580 hp (1180 kW) SNECMA 14R-24 radial engines.^[3] The Breguets serving with Air France had up to 107 seats and an elevator between the two floors.^{[ citation needed ]}

A cantilever is a rigid structural element, such as a beam or a plate, anchored at one end to a support from which it protrudes; this connection could also be perpendicular to a flat, vertical surface such as a wall. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs. When subjected to a structural load, the cantilever carries the load to the support where it is forced against by a moment and shear stress.

Fuselage aircraft main body which is the primary carrier of crew, passengers, and payload

The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, and cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, as well, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage, which in turn is used as a floating hull. The fuselage also serves to position control and stabilization surfaces in specific relationships to lifting surfaces, which is required for aircraft stability and maneuverability.

The empennage, also known as the tail or tail assembly, is a structure at the rear of an aircraft that provides stability during flight, in a way similar to the feathers on an arrow. The term derives from the French language word empenner which means "to feather an arrow". Most aircraft feature an empennage incorporating vertical and horizontal stabilising surfaces which stabilise the flight dynamics of yaw and pitch, as well as housing control surfaces.

The prototype was followed by three Br.761S pre-production aircraft powered by 2,020 hp (1506 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-B31 radial engines. These were fitted with 12 ft 1½in (3.70 m) diameter Hamilton Standard propellers. The aircraft successfully completed their trials incident-free. Their first flights were in 1951 and 1952.^[1]

Hamilton Standard, an aircraft propeller parts supplier, was formed in 1929 when United Aircraft and Transport Corporation consolidated Hamilton Aero Manufacturing and Standard Steel Propeller into the Hamilton Standard Propeller Corporation. Other members of United Aircraft included Boeing, United Airlines, Sikorsky, and Pratt & Whitney. At the time, Hamilton was the largest manufacturer of aircraft propellers in the world.

The French Government ordered 12 production aircraft, the Breguet 76-3, which was later redesignated Br.763. Six aircraft were to be operated by Air France and the other six by the Ministry of Transport. The 763 had more powerful engines, a 1.20 metres (3 ft 11 in) larger wingspan, strengthened wings and a three-crew flight deck (earlier aircraft had four crew). The 763 first flew on 20 July 1951 and entered service with Air France during autumn 1952.^[1]

Air France, stylized as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. As of 2013 Air France serves 36 destinations in France and operates worldwide scheduled passenger and cargo services to 168 destinations in 78 countries and also carried 46,803,000 passengers in 2015. The airline's global hub is at Charles de Gaulle Airport with Orly Airport as the primary domestic hub. Air France's corporate headquarters, previously in Montparnasse, Paris, are located on the grounds of Charles de Gaulle Airport, north of Paris.

The Minister of Transport is a cabinet member in the Government of France. The position was created in 1870 as a modification of that of the Minister of Public Works (1830–1870). It has frequently been combined with the positions of Minister of Public Works, Minister of Housing (Logement), Minister of Tourism, Minister of Territorial Development and Minister of the Sea.

A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft.

The Air France aircraft had accommodation for 59 passengers on the top deck, and 48 on the lower deck, although the aircraft was capable of carrying 135 passengers in a high-density layout.^[1] During 1964 Air France transferred six Br.763s to the French Air Force. The air force also acquired the three pre-production Br.761S aircraft and four new Br.765 Sahara freighter aircraft with removable cargo doors.

The French Air Force[aʀme də lɛʀ], literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1934. The number of aircraft in service with the French Air Force varies depending on source, however sources from the French Ministry of Defence give a figure of 658 aircraft in 2014. The French Air Force has 225 combat aircraft in service, with the majority being 117 Dassault Mirage 2000 and 108 Dassault Rafale. As of early 2017, the French Air Force employs a total of 41,160 regular personnel. The reserve element of the air force consisted of 5,187 personnel of the Operational Reserve.

Projects to build versions powered with British engines (for possible United Kingdom buyers) did not come to fruition. The projects would have been the 766 (with the Bristol Hercules radial engine), and the 767 with British turboprop engines.

Operational history

Civil

The prototype Br.761 entered service with Air Algérie in 1952 as a cargo aircraft. It was withdrawn early the next year. Silver City Airways leased a Br.761 for three months in the summer of 1953 for use on the Hamburg - Berlin route. A total of 127 round trips carried 4,000,000 pounds (1,800 t) of freight with up to three round trips being made in a day, each leg taking 52 minutes flight time. It was rumoured that Silver City would purchase three aircraft at £770,000 but this did not materialise into a sale.^[1]

The Breguet Br.763 Provence entered service with Air France on 10 March 1953. The inaugural route was Lyon - Algiers. The type was used on European routes from Paris, mainly to the Mediterranean area, but occasionally to London. Domestic routes included Paris to Lyon, Marseille and Nice.^[1]

Six aircraft were used in response to a serious incident at Salat, Algeria where French oil rig engineers were in need of assistance. A total of 60 tonnes of heavy equipment and 200 personnel were moved to and from Algiers in four days.^[1]

The introduction of the Sud Aviation Caravelle rendered the Provence obsolete as a passenger aircraft. The Caravelle was faster, more comfortable and had a greater range. In 1958, Breguet borrowed F-BASQ from Air France for a sales tour to North and South America. This was the aircraft which had force-landed at Pont-Évêque in 1955. The tour covered 25,000 miles (40,000 km), and took in the cities of New York, Washington, D.C. and Miami in the United States, Bogotá in Colombia, Santiago in Chile, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia in Brazil. The tour failed to generate any orders. In North America, the jet age had begun, while the aircraft had too great a capacity for operators in South America, despite being cheaper on a cost-per-seat to operate than a Douglas DC-4. The Provence was used on fewer and fewer passenger services, being replaced by the Caravelle and Vickers Viscount. Six aircraft were transferred to the Armée de l'Air. Air France converted the six remaining Br.763s into freighters with the name Universel.^[4] These remained in service on European freight services until the early 1970s. The final flight was on 31 March 1971 from Heathrow to Paris-Orly. A double-deck AEC Routemaster bus was parked alongside the aircraft to mark the retirement of the Br.763 from service.^[1]

Military

In October 1955 an order for 30 Breguet Br.765 Sahara aircraft for the Armée de l'Air was announced. This order was cancelled by the end of the year, but construction on four aircraft was so far advanced that they were completed. These entered service with 64 Escadre de Transport.^[1]

The French Air Force acquired the three pre-production Br.761S aircraft, these and the six Sahara aircraft acquired from Air France provided the French Air Force with a valuable transport fleet for moving personnel and materials to the Pacific nuclear testing areas. The Sahara fleet was retired in 1972.

Accidents and incidents

The Breguet Deux-Ponts had an excellent safety record.

On 10 May 1955, F-BASQ of Air France made a forced landing in a field at Pont-Évêque, Isère following directional control problems in flight. The four crew and 46 passengers were unharmed. The aircraft was repaired on site and flown out from an improvised airstrip a few weeks later.^[1]

Variants

Breguet 761: Prototype with four 1,190 kW (1,590 hp) SNECMA 14R-24 radial engines, one built.

Breguet 761S: Pre-production aircraft, powered by four 1,600 kW (2,100 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-B31 engines; three built.

Breguet 763 Provence: Production aircraft for Air France, powered by four 1,800 kW (2,400 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 engines; 12 built.

Breguet 764: Proposed anti-submarine naval version, prototype 761 was to be converted but project was abandoned.

Breguet 765 Sahara: Freighter version for the French Air Force, powered by four 1,900 kW (2,500 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CB17 engines; four built.

Operators

France: Air Algérie (loaned for trials 1952 _ French flag - Algeria being at this time a French territory)

France: French Air Force; Air France; French Navy

United Kingdom: Silver City (leased 1953)

Specifications (Br.763)

3 line drawing Br-673.svg — 3 line drawing

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953–54^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: 3
Capacity: 107 passengers
Length: 28.94 m (94 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 42.96 m (140 ft 11 in)
Height: 9.56 m (31 ft 4 in)
Wing area: 185.4 m² (1,996 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 9.95:1
Empty weight: 32,535 kg (71,727 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 50,000 kg (110,231 lb)
Fuel capacity: 15,300 L (4,000 US gal; 3,400 imp gal)
Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 eighteen-cylinder radial engines, 1,800 kW (2,400 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed propellers, 4.25 m (13 ft 11 in) diameter

Performance

Maximum speed: 390 km/h (242 mph; 211 kn) at 3,000 m (10,000 ft) (max cruise)
Cruise speed: 336 km/h (209 mph; 181 kn) at 3,000 m (9,800 ft) (econ. cruise)
Range: 2,290 km (1,423 mi; 1,237 nmi)
Rate of climb: 5.8 m/s (1,140 ft/min) at sea level
Time to altitude: 13 min to 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Takeoff distance to 15 m (50 ft): 1,260 m (4,130 ft)
Landing distance from 15 m (50 ft): 980 m (3,220 ft)

Surviving aircraft

Br.763 Provence c/n 6, F-BASS of Air France is used as restaurant at Fontenay-Trésigny, France.
Br.765 Sahara c/n 501, 64-PE of the Armée de l'Air is preserved as a gate guard at Évreux-Fauville Air Base, France.
Br.765 Sahara c/n 504, 64-PH of the Armée de l'Air is under restoration at Ailes Anciennes Toulouse, France.

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References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hirst, Mike (2009). "Double-Decker Déja-vu". Aeroplane. No. December 2009. pp. 72–76.
1 2 Bridgman 1953, pp. 128–129.
↑ Stroud Flight 10 April 1953, p. 458.
↑ Stroud, Michael (1971). "World Airliner Census" (PDF). Flight. No. 12 October 1971. p. 648.

Bibliography

Bridgman, Leonard (1953). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953–54. London: Jane's All The World's Aircraft Publishing Company.
Stroud, John. "The Double-Decker Provence". Flight . No. 10 April 1953. pp. 458–461.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
French Post-War Transport Aircraft. Tonbridge, England: Air-Britain. 1980. ISBN 0-85130-078-2.

External links

Technical data and photos (French)

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[Aeroplane-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hirst, Mike (2009). "Double-Decker Déja-vu". Aeroplane. No. December 2009. pp. 72–76.

[JAWA53_p128-9-2] 1 2 Bridgman 1953, pp. 128–129.

[Flight53p458-3] Stroud Flight 10 April 1953, p. 458.

[Flight-4] Stroud, Michael (1971). "World Airliner Census" (PDF). Flight. No. 12 October 1971. p. 648.

v t e Aircraft produced by Breguet Aviation
Early types	Aerhydroplane Gyroplane Type I Type II Type III Type IV (1910) Type V Type A Type G Type U Type LE
Model numbers	4 5 6 12 14 16 17 19 20 22 230 25 26T 27 270 271 273 274 280T 390T 392T 393T 410 460 462 470 482 500 521 522 530 610 670 690 691 693 694 695 696 730 731 790 791 792 890 891 892 893 894 895 900 901 902 Cinzano 904 905 906 940 941 960 1001 1002 1004 1100 1050 1150
By name	Alizé Atlantic Atlantique 2 Bellatrix Bizerte BLC BUC BUM Choucas Colmar Colibri de Chasse Deux-Ponts Épaulard Fauvette Fulgur Integral Jaguar Leviathan Louisette Mars Mercure Michelin Mouette Nautilus Nymphale Provence Sahara Saigon Taon Universale Vultur (carrier attack aircraft) Vulture (medium bomber)
Helicopters	Gyroplane Gyroplane Laboratoire Breguet G.11E Breguet G.111