Breguet Bizerte in German service.

[Peter D Evans]

This was posted by Jörg on the LEMB as part of this bigger thread on the type:

It's an interesting point of history that many of the "Bizerte" with German markings weren't captured but were bought. On July 26, 1940, in Wiesbaden the German armistice commission asked the French delegation if they had to sale some French a/c ... for non-military using machines from the free French territory (later Vichy-France). On July 27, 1940, the French admirality gave their "O.K." ... with a letter from July 30, 1940, that available only 8 "Bizerte" (4 in France and 4 in Karouba/Tunesia). On the same day a German float-Ju 52 landed with two complete crews (with Lt. Klingspohr and Lt. Unterhorst) in Hourtin and captured the W.Nr. 11 and 34 ... the French leaved the a/c because of technical failures and the lack of spare parts. French mechanics repaired the a/c's, they got German markings and then was flown to Brest-Poulmic on August 7, 1940 ---- this were "right captured machines". Other "right captured machines" were the W.Nr. 35, 36 and 37 from Le Havre which were never used official by French marine.

On August 9, 1940, 4 "Bizerte" (W.Nr. 23 -- with French marking 2E1, 26 -- 3E1, 6 -- 3E2 and 7 -- 3E4) arrived in Berre coming from Karouba.

On August 12, 1940, in Berre German engineers inspected the "Bizerte" W.Nr. 4,6,7,23,24,26,27 and 29. Together with French pilots they tested four machines in flight ... all the time with French markings.

The sales talks were in Berre. The French agent of admirality, an special supreme commissioner, insisted on that the a/c's start not until the German armistice commission give their "O.K." to the price ... on August 15, 1940, was it given and the machines were sold for 43.240.000 FFr. (the real value was 25.000.000 FFr.). Now the machines got German markings. On August 17, 1940, the W.Nr. 6,7,26 and 27 were flown to Brest-Poulmic, on August 19, 1940, followed the W.Nr. 4, 24 and 29, two days later the W.Nr. 23. It's interesting that the French admirality had more than 8 "Bizerte" (all in all 19 machines) but the Germans didn't insist on their demand for more flying boats.

With the occupation of the "free French part" in the South the Luftwaffe got new "Bizerte". On November 30, 1942, discovered two Do 24 in Berre two "Bizerte" with "Red Crosses" and something later the base Berre was occupied with the French a/c's.

"Bizerte" - list:

1.Seenotstaffel:

• W.Nr. 3 -- CN+UR, W4+FH
• W.Nr. 4 -- KD+BA, W4+GH
• W.Nr. 6
• W.Nr. 7
• W.Nr.11 -- SG+FM
• W.Nr.12 -- PG+FK, W4+IH
• W.Nr.23
• W.Nr.24
• W.Nr.26 -- KD+BE
• W.Nr.27
• W.Nr.29 -- KD+BG
• W.Nr.34 -- SG+FN
• W.Nr.35 -- BD+KH (?)
• W.Nr.36 -- BD+KI, W4+HH
• W.Nr.37 -- BD+XJ

3.Seenotstaffel:

• W.Nr.20 -- CN+UW, M6+HI
• W.Nr.22 -- KK+LB, M&+GL

Designations without W.Nr.: WZ+AA, WZ+AB, WZ+AD, CN+UU

Source: an three-piece article from Gerard Bosquet in the Flugzeug magazine 5,6/ 1987 and 1/1988 with a lot of pics

Best regards
Jörg

Cheers,

Peter D Evans
LEMB Adminstrator