The first deployment of the Ba.65 was during the
Spanish Civil War. Thirteen Series I aircraft, powered by the Gnôme-Rhône engine, equipped the 65a
Squadriglia of the
Aviazione Legionaria (Legionary Air Force). The unit made its combat debut in operations over the
Santander front in August 1937. On 24 August, in a unique engagement, a pilot of a Ba.65 on patrol over the unit's base at
Soria encountered a lone Republican
Tupolev SB bomber over Soria and shot it down. From June 1938, the Breda 65s added
dive bombing attacks to their tasks, and from July, the squadron took part in the
Battle of the Ebro, receiving reinforcements from new Fiat-powered Ba.65s from August. Of the 23 Ba.65s sent to Spain, 12 were lost in the course of the civil war. When the
Aviazione Legionaria returned to Italy in May 1939, they transferred their 11 surviving Ba.65s to the Spanish Air Force. Shortages of spare parts meant that the Spanish Bredas saw little use, with no unit completely equipped with the type, and they were gradually cannibalized for spare parts before being sold for scrap. None survived until 1945. The Chilean aircraft were delivered from late 1938 to early 1939, but suffered several accidents in the first few months of operation and the type was grounded in November 1939. Subsequent investigations found a number of problems with the aircraft. Its manoeuvrability was poor, meaning that it was not suitable for use as a fighter, while range was short and the aircraft required very long runways for safe operation. Limited flying restarted in November 1940, but in October 1941, a further study concluded that the aircraft had no value as a combat aircraft and should only be used as an unarmed trainer. They flew for the last time in February 1943, and were withdrawn from service and scrapped in 1944.
Portugal purchased 10 Breda equipped with Fiat engines, leading-edge slots placed differently and Breda M Turrets in November 1939. The Breda Ba.65 was selected for licence production for the
Chinese Nationalist Air Force, with 30 aircraft, powered by
Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines, to be built at the
Sino-Italian National Aircraft Works (SINAW) (a joint venture between Italy and China) at
Nanchang. The production plans were abandoned in December 1937 after the Italian technical personnel were pulled out of China. In September 1937, the
Swiss Air Force tested the Ba.65 alongside the
Heinkel He 112 and the
Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 but ended up selecting the Morane. ==Variants==