Breguet AG.4
Breguet Aviation · France · first flew 1914 · bomber
The Breguet AG.4 was a French two-seat tractor biplane fighter and armed reconnaissance aircraft of 1914, notable for its unconventional four-wheel undercarriage, large lower fin, and equal-span ailerons on all four wing panels. Only two examples were built.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Large lower fin extending below fuselage centreline requiring a skid |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Four-wheel undercarriage — two pairs of main wheels
- Large lower fin extending below fuselage centreline requiring a skid
- Equal-span two-bay biplane with ailerons on all four wing panels
The four-wheel undercarriage and large sub-fuselage fin are unique identifiers; no other French WWI type used this combination.
Specifications
- The Breguet AG.4 has a length of 8.25 m (27 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 15.35 m (50 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 100 km/h (62 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Officially adopted by France in 1914, the AG.4 designation encodes its configuration: A for tractor, G for Gnome engine, 4 for 160 hp output. Louis Breguet personally flew one of the two aircraft on a reconnaissance mission in early September 1914, detecting the German First Army's eastward turn away from Paris — intelligence that contributed to the decision triggering the First Battle of the Marne. Despite this historically significant mission, the aircraft proved mechanically unreliable and no further production followed.
Variants
Only two aircraft were built (serials BR.52 and BR.53); no variants. The AG.4 evolved from the Breguet Type 13/X series.
Where you'll see it
Operated briefly by the French Army Air Service in the opening weeks of World War I; retired from front-line use almost immediately due to unreliability.
Related aircraft
- Breguet 14
- Breguet Type I
- Breguet 19
- Breguet Br.521 Bizerte
- Caproni Ca.1
- Caproni Ca.13
- Caproni Ca.2
- Otto C.I
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