Breguet Br. 482. Created under the A21 program, the French Breguet Br.480 B4 bomber was originally supposed to have two twin-row 18-cylinder 1500-horsepower Gnome-Rhône 18P engines, but the engine company stopped development at an early stage. Instead, Gnome-Rhône promised 18-cylinder 2000-horsepower engines, but it was obvious that waiting for these engines would be a waste of time.

As a result, the bomber began to be developed as a Br.482 B4 with four V-shaped 910-horsepower Hispano-Suiza 12Y 21 engines. However, a delay in engine selection led to the fact that the order for the production of two prototypes was issued on May 12, 1938.

It should be noted that the Br.482 B4 can be classified as a Breguet masterpiece in terms of aerodynamics, manufacturability and functionality. Few four-engine bomber of those years could boast of such a beautiful streamlined shape. The fuselage had an oval cross-section with a vaulted glass nose with very good visibility.

Four crew members were to be defended by a Hispano 404 cannon mounted at the rear of the fuselage in a power-driven turret. The gun's ammunition was supposed to be 180 rounds. Due to the very low tail unit, firing back had to be carried out almost without interference. One 7.5-mm MAC 34 machine gun was installed in the nose of the fuselage and two more in its lower part; the front machine gun had 500 rounds of ammunition, the two lower ones - 600 rounds per barrel. The bomber could carry up to 2500 kg of bombs; its compartment could accommodate one 500-kg and ten 200-kg bombs.

In November 1942, after the Allied landings in Africa (Operation Torch), German aircraft raided Beaune, during which the first prototype was destroyed.

The second prototype survived the war in Anglet relatively calmly, and immediately after the release, work on it continued. There were plans to use the experience of the war by installing 1500-horsepower HS 12Z engines on the car, but the revived French Air Force showed no interest in this class of vehicles. Finally, in November 1947, the second prototype of the Br. 482 B4 took off, but as an experimental aircraft with civil registration number F-WFRM. The crew of the aircraft consisted of three people, and the aircraft itself was used to test instruments, equipment and engines. Once the plane flew with HS 12Z engines. His pictures appeared after the war, but then the plane disappeared from the horizon.

Photo	Description
	Drawing Br.480
	Drawing Br.482

Bibliography

• Experienced heavy bomber Breguet Bre 482 B4 / Ivan Byakin /
• Heavy bomber Breguet Br. 482 / Andrey Krumkach. /