02/28/2023. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Based on experience gained with the Bre 27s, Breguet designed the Bre 39 T three-engine transport, and Air Union planned to use this type under the fleet name Golden Clipper.

The Bre 39 T was an all-metal sesquiplane powered by three uncowled 240 hp Gnome & Rhône Titan 5Kd five-cylinder air-cooled radial engines. The prototype, reported both as the Bre 390T and Bre 391 T, made its first flight on January, 30, 1931, but early in July one of the wing-mounted engines shed its airscrew and broke away. The test pilot jumped, but was killed and the aircraft destroyed.

The second aircraft of this series was the Bre 392 T cargo carrier. This was larger, fitted with 300 hp Hispano Suiza 9Qc nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines, and had strut bracing between the wing-mounted engines and the top of the fuselage. The Bre 392 T, registered F-AMOD (c/n 1), appeared in 1933, but did not go into service.

Bre 393 T prototype (F-ANEH)

The final version of the series was the Bre 393 T. Air France ordered six aircraft for service in Europe and South America and the first aircraft was delivered in July 1934.

The upper wing of the Bre 393 T had more than three times the area of the lower wing, was untapered, of medium thickness and built up on two spars of corrugated sheet with X-bracing to form a rigid unit. It was metal covered and had full-span ailerons and flaps. The lower wing had a single box girder of corrugated sheet steel, which acted as the spar and carried the engine housing and undercarriage, was duralumin-covered, and fitted with flaps. The V-interplane struts used in the Bre 39T and Bre 392T were replaced by N-struts, and there were inverted V-struts between the side engines and the upper wing.

The fuselage was a metal structure, but, unlike the previous types, had fabric covering. The tail unit was of metal, and the divided undercarriage units were faired-in with large spats.

The engines were 350 hp Gnome & Rhône Titan Major 7Kd seven-cylinder air-cooled radials, were fully cowled and drove two-blade metal airscrews. There was accommodation for two crew and 10 passengers.

Air France took delivery of F-ANEH to F-ANEJ (c/n 01, 2 and 3) in 1934, and they were used on the Toulouse (France) - Casablanca (Morocco) route and, based in Syria, on Middle East routes. In 1935 F-ANEK Gaviota, F-ANEL Alcyon and F-ANEM Vautour (c/n 4 to 6) were delivered and put on the Natal (Brasil) - Buenos Aires (Argentina) services. Later some worked European services including Paris-Lisbon."