Breguet 521 Bizerte long range reconnaissance flying boat.
Posted by Flucloxacillin25pc@reddit | WeirdWings | View on Reddit | 12 comments
The stately Bizerte flying boat - the epitome of French Baroque aircraft design in the interwar years.
t53ix35@reddit
Looks like it was for observations. Possibly anchor access point as well.
d_pyzsyo@reddit
I'm fascinated by its over the top French cockpit design. Why??
Rooilia@reddit
You know, drag wasn't high enough due to the ridiculous biplane design with inbetween engines and the boat hull plus outrigger. They needed the raised cockpit to further narrow the range in which it could fly.
waldo--pepper@reddit
Because they copied the British.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_S.8_Calcutta
wolftick@reddit
Configuration maybe, but the cockpit/greenhouse is all French.
waldo--pepper@reddit
I wasn't being facetious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br%C3%A9guet_521_Bizerte
eagledog@reddit
Art. Pure art
wolftick@reddit
Pourquoi pas?
ChroniquesMilitaires@reddit
That's not a weird wing at all... or maybe I have no taste in aviation and the Short Calcutta is one too?
She's a beautiful seaplane ans don't forget the Bizerte is one of the few French military aircraft to have seen action throughout the entire Second World War (on both sides, French and German). For an aircraft manufactured in such small numbers (33 Br521, 1 Br522 and 2 Br530 including 2 prototypes) it's quite an achievement. Furthermore she's one of the first military seaplanes to feature double-step floats and self-sealing fuel tanks.
Ragnarok_Stravius@reddit
I'll say that "Bizerte" means Bizarre in some French dialect.
ChroniquesMilitaires@reddit
Bizerte is a Tunisian city. The Br522 is based on the first version, the civilian one, the Br530 Saigon (the French version under licence of the Short Calcutta). They are cities, that's all !
Flucloxacillin25pc@reddit (OP)
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