The Forgotten French Twin-Engine Ground-Attack Used During WWII

First Combat Mission

On May 12, 1940, a formation of 18 French twin-engine aircraft flew low over Belgium near the roads between Tongres and Maastricht. These were Bréguet 693 ground-attack planes. They targeted German armored columns below, firing their 20mm cannons and releasing bombs in a bold attempt to slow the advancing forces.

The Germans quickly responded with anti-aircraft fire. Eight of the Bréguet aircraft were destroyed in just a few minutes. Their crews were lost in what was the aircraft’s first combat mission. This was also the beginning of the Bréguet 693’s short-lived but intense role in World War II.

France’s Air Force in Crisis

By the mid-1930s, France’s military still carried the weight of its past. The French Air Force, called the Armée de l’Air, was behind other European powers in modern aircraft technology. Most of its planes were older biplanes, not suited to the faster and more coordinated style of warfare developing in Germany.

France needed a fast and sturdy ground-attack aircraft to strike vehicles and infantry before they could break through French defenses. However, the country’s aircraft industry had not yet delivered such a design.

A New Design Is Ordered

In 1934, the French Air Ministry issued a request for a new three-man aircraft that could perform both air-to-air and ground-attack roles. It had to be fast, strong, and easy to repair. It was hoped this aircraft could meet the demands of the next war, which many feared was coming soon.

The Bréguet company, founded by aviation pioneer Louis Charles Bréguet, took on the challenge. The company had a strong history of building aircraft since World War I. Chief designer Marcel Vuillermet led the effort to create the new plane, eventually called the Bréguet 690 series.

Design and Technical Challenges

The prototype was known as the Bréguet 690.1. It was a twin-engine monoplane with a crew of three. The plane’s shape was unique, featuring twin vertical tail fins and a wide mid-mounted wing. This design helped improve balance, especially if one engine failed in flight.

The engines were a challenge. The Bréguet team chose 14-cylinder Hispano-Suiza radial engines, but production delays pushed back the prototype’s testing by nearly a year. The plane’s frame was built using a mix of modern and traditional materials, with aluminum alloy skin and steel reinforcements in key areas.

Flight Testing and Improvements

The first test flight took place on March 23, 1938, at the Villacoublay Air Base. The aircraft performed well, reaching speeds of nearly 490 km/h. It outperformed earlier French designs and showed good stability and strength at low altitudes, which was important for attacking ground targets.

Encouraged by the results, the French Air Force placed an initial order for 100 aircraft. That number was later doubled as tensions in Europe worsened. The most produced version would be the Bréguet 693, which used stronger and more reliable engines from Gnome-Rhône, solving some of the earlier mechanical issues.

Firepower and Features

The Bréguet 693 had a strong weapons setup for its time. It had two forward-firing 20mm cannons and two additional 7.5mm machine guns aimed forward. For defense, a 7.5mm flexible machine gun was operated by the rear crew member, and another was fixed under the fuselage pointing backwards.

The aircraft could carry up to 850 kilograms of bombs inside its fuselage. These could be used for dive bombing or low-level attacks against tanks, trucks, and enemy troops. The design made it well-suited for disrupting advancing columns, although it lacked the armor to withstand heavy anti-aircraft fire.

Size and Role

The Bréguet 693 measured 11.4 meters in length with a wingspan of 15.3 meters. It stood just over 3 meters tall. Its empty weight was about 3,100 kilograms, and it could take off with a full load at 5,500 kilograms. It was not a large aircraft, but its twin engines and crew setup made it one of the few ground-attack planes France had during the early war period.

Though many were lost in action, the Bréguet 693 filled a much-needed role at a time when France was desperate for any modern aircraft to stand against the German advance. It remains one of the lesser-known designs from the early days of World War II.