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Re: Photo Breguet
Jean (Clint)
I confess I am not entirely happy with the two books Lacaze wrote for Lela Presse.
They lack far too much in detail on each type, especially production details.
Looking at what Alan Toelle wrote in his Windsock Data Special back in 2003 on the type 14, one gets a much better picture of its production and serial number ranges.
For instance we know three manufacturers were getting access to the Liberty engine, besiude the two already mentioned, Breguet themselves were also the recipients of a few. Since Breguet only built the reconnaissance model (A2) their Liberty powered aircraft were called Ap2.
Quantity delveries of the L-engine only started in September 1918 and by the end of November 428 had been delivered, Michelin received 200, Breguet 51 and Bellanger 38.
By June 1919 a total of 3575 engines had been received.
In Toelle's book there are pretty detailed production listings of all the eight companies that built the type up to June 1919.
From these listings it is not possible to make out how many Ap2 or B2L that were built, but I think it is a safe bet to say that neither Michelin nor Bellanger used the engine anywhere else, while Breguet might have done so.
All three companies built the type right up to June 1919 but at least back in 2003 it was not known how many by either Breguet or Michelin. Thus it is basically impossible even to make a guess how many of these were Liberty powered.
Lacaze guesstimate of 200 built by the end of WW 1 seems reasonable enough, but the final total must be much, much higher.
Cheers
Stig
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