Kellner-Béchereau
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Founder | Louis Béchereau, Georges Kellner |
| Defunct | 1942 |
| Fate | Integrated into Morane-Saulnier after bombing raids destroyed the factory |
| Headquarters | Boulogne-Billancourt , France |
| Products | Light monoplanes, aircraft manufacturing |
Avions Kellner-Béchereau, commonly referred to as Kellner-Béchereau, was a French aviation firm established in 1931 by Louis Béchereau alongside Georges Kellner, a specialist in automobile coachbuilding. Headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, the enterprise focused on the design and manufacture of light monoplanes.
Between 1936 and 1937, Kellner-Béchereau developed a limited series of compact monoplanes incorporating Louis Béchereau's innovative "double wing" concept, which involved a full-span horizontal division of the wing into two segments. This design was first implemented on the single-seat Kellner-Béchereau E.1 in 1936, followed by two larger two-seat variants: the Kellner-Béchereau EC.4 and ED.5. These aircraft were intended to meet the French Air Ministry’s specifications for pre-military trainers under the "Aviation Populaire" initiative. Nevertheless, the ministry ultimately selected the Caudron C.270 and Salmson Cri-Cri, which were procured extensively. Subsequently, Kellner-Béchereau produced the Cri-Cri model under license.
On the threshold of World War II, Louis Béchereau designed the Kellner-Béchereau E.60 (K.B.E 60), a carrier-based monoplane intended for deployment on French naval aircraft carriers; however, its development was interrupted by wartime disruptions.
In 1939, Georges Paulin, renowned for designing the convertible version of the Peugeot 601 Éclipse automobile, joined Kellner-Béchereau’s aerodynamics team. As an active member of the French Resistance, Paulin was apprehended in 1941 and executed in 1942. That same year, bombing raids destroyed Kellner-Béchereau’s manufacturing facility, which led to the company's integration with Morane-Saulnier. Louis Béchereau continued his career as a director at Morane-Saulnier until his retirement in 1950.
Aircraft
- Kellner-Béchereau 23
- Kellner-Béchereau 28VD
- Kellner-Béchereau 29
- Kellner-Béchereau 30
- Kellner-Béchereau E.1
- Kellner-Béchereau E.4
- Kellner-Béchereau EC.4
- Kellner-Béchereau ED.5
- Kellner-Béchereau E.5
- Kellner-Béchereau E.60