[spoiler] what the French tech tree could look like

Started by J311yfish, May 14 2014 11:03 PM

France tech tree Dewoitine Morane-Saulnier Potez Bloch Dassault Arsenal Breguet Caudron

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J311yfish #1 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:03 PM

Second Lieutenant

Member
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Member since:
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Details (scroll down) // Heavy Fighters and Bombers // Alternates // Timeline // Designers // Engine relationships // Production (rough) //

Sources

General

a rough draft

Aircraft of the Second World War: The Development of the Warplane 1939-1945, by Philip Jarrett (Putnam 1997)

Air Warfare - An International Encylopedia, edited by Walter J. Boyne (2002) -- overview

An Illustrated Anatomy of the World's Fighters, by William Green and Gordon Swanborough (Pilot Press Ltd 1981)

Armee de l'Air: A Pictorial History of the French Air Force 1937-1945, by Paul Camelio and Christopher Shores (1976)

Attack and Interceptor Jets, by Michael Sharpe (Grange 2005)

L'ImprimAu Service des Ailes, by Andre Herbemont (L'Imprimerie S.E.F. 1967)

The Aviation Factfile: Aircraft of World War II, edited by Jim Winchester (Thunder Bay 2005)

Biplane to Monoplane: Aircraft Development 1919-1939, by Philip Jarrett (Putnam 1997)

Bombers 1939-1945, by Kenneth Munson (Blandford Press 1969)

The Complete Book of Fighters, by William Green and Gordon Swanborough (2001) -- excellent starting point

Combat Aircraft of World War Two, by Elke C. Weal, John A. Weal, Richard Barker; RAF Museum, Hendon (Arms & Armour Press 1977) -- very detailed specs and order of battle for WWII

Combat Aircraft Prototypes Since 1945, by Robert Jackson (Book Club 1985)

Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts 1915-1945, by Jon Guttman (Westholme 2014)

Fighters of the Fifties, by Bill Gunston (1981)

Fighters Between the Wars 1919-1939, by Kenneth Munson (Blandford 1970)

Flight Magazine aviation history archive 1909-2004

Flight - 100 Years of Aviation, by R.G. Grant (Dorling Kindersley Ltd 2002)

Foreign Planes in the Service of the Luftwaffe, by Jean-Louis Roba (2009) -- notes on French aircraft used by Germans after the Fall of France

French Aces of World War 2, by Barry Ketley (1999) -- useful for knowing which aircraft were most successful, and which aircraft were flown by aces in exile

French Aviation for cross-referencing

Historical articles by Gerard Hartmann -- good details across the board

International Warbirds - An Illustrated Guide to World Military Aircraft 1914-2000, by John C. Frederiksen (2001)

Jane's All the Worlds Aircraft, by C.G. Grey and Leonard Bridgman (issued 12/1938)

Jet Bombers: From the Messerchmitt Me262 to the Stealth B-2, by Bill Gunston with Peter Gilchrist (1993)

Les Avions Bernard, by Jean Liron (Docavia #31)

The Pocket Encyclopaedia of World Aircraft in colour: Flying-Boats and Seaplanes since 1910, by Kenneth Munson, Illustrated by John W. Wood (Blandford Press Ltd 1971)

Rocketing into the Future: The History and Technology of Rocket Planes, by Michel van Pelt (2012) -- minor notes

Soviet Aircraft and Aviation 1917-1941, by Lennart Andersson -- French aircraft tested by the Soviets -- very minor notes

The Talisman: The Autobiography of Marcel Dassault, translated by Patricia High Painton (1971)

War Planes of the Second World War: Fighters, Volume 1, by William Green (Hanover House 1960)

Warplanes of Yesteryear, by Kenneth Munson (Arco 1966)

Wikipedia to develop a rough skeleton and identify primary sources

X-Planes and Prototypes, by Jim Winchester (2005) -- some details accounted for that were not present elsewhere, mainly the Espadon prototypes

X-Planes: Research Aircraft 1891-1970, by Hugh Cowin (Osprey 1999)

X-Planes of Europe - Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1946-1974, by Tony Buttler and Jean-Louis Delezenne (Hikoki 2012)

Specific

Bloch 151 & 152 (Profile No.201), by Michel Cristesco

Curtiss Hawk 75-A Airplane, by Curtiss-Wright Corporation -- the original manual issued with the aircraft listing all engine/armament options

Docavia 6 (Breguet) -- good details

Docavia 12 -- recon/bombers

Docavia 13 (Dassault) by Jean Cuny -- excellent detail

Flight Magazine archive where indicated -- engines as of 1947 -- many excellent details from the Paris Air Show and tours of production facilities

Le Fana de l'Aviation, No.35 (July 1972) -- SE.580 details

Le Fana de l'Aviation, No.246 (May 1990) -- Arsenal VB-10, Arsenal VB-15 details

French Fighters of World War II in action, by Alain Pelletier (2002) -- good details

French Bombers of World War II, by Alain Pelletier (2003) -- good details

Loire 43, 45 & 46, by Jacques Moulin (Avia Editions 2004)

Nieuport-Delage Ni-D 29 & Ni-D 62 family, (French Wings 2), by Jose Fernandez (2011 Stratus)

Nieuport 1909-1950 (Docavia #38), by Leonard Rosenthal, Alain Marchand, Michel Borget, Michel Benichou

Reusable Man-Rated Rocket Engines: The French Experience 1944-1996, by Christophe Rothmund, Snecma Moteurs, France (2004) -- good notes on SEPR development and use in Espadon, Durandal

Rolls-Royce - The Merlin at War, by Ian Lloyd (1978 Macmillan Press Ltd)

Not used

Docavia 31 (Bernard)

Two Roads to War, by Robin Higam (2012) -- didn't use; essentially the story of how Britain was prepared for World War II and France wasn't.

Premiums, alternates, gift planes (tiers approx):

Old versions

Old notes

Used

Not used

Investigate

Omitted

work in progress (these things need to be figured out before Tier IX and X can be resolved)

Edited by J311yfish, 29 October 2018 - 08:15 PM.

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J311yfish #2 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:03 PM

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Tier I

Nieuport-Delage 62 (01/1928) -- Fighter (sesquiplane) -- Gustave Delage and Robert Duhamel -- 730+ built -- [1,880 kg] -- [ref: Type-91 / details]

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	WEIGHT
1 (spring 1924)	NiD-42 C1	Hispano-Suiza 12Ha 450hp	266 km/h @ 4000m	2x7.7mm Vickers (F) + 2x7.7mm Darne (W)	Empty 1379kg Loaded 1808 kg
1+27	NiD-42 C2	*
(1)	NiD-44	Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb 450hp	241 km/h @ SL
(1)	NiD-46	Hispano-Suiza 12Gb 500hp	252 km/h @ 1000m
295+310 (FF 01/1928)	NiD-62 (later NiD-622)	Hispano-Suiza 12Hb		2x7.7mm Vickers (F)
	NiD-62 No 50	Hispano-Suiza 12Lb 600hp	270 km/h
(1)	NiD-62 No 61 (later NiD-623)	Lorraine 12Fa Courlis 600hp
(2)	NiD-624	Hispano-Suiza 12M
(1)	NiD-628	Hispano-Suiza 12Md 500hp + Farman-Waseige supercharger
(1)	NiD-629	Hispano-Suiza 12Md 500hp + Szydlowski-Planiol sc (12Mdsh)	279 km/h @ 4000m

*(C2 airframe variant added 2nd seat and changed some things, then back to 1 seat)

** Weal claims 730+ produced and gives greater numbers to the later developments (622, 629) (Weal, 97)

*** Note: there are many differences in engines claimed by Green and Weal

Data: Green / Weal / Green, 438

Notes:

-- design based on NiD-42 racing monoplane; proposed by Gustave Delage and Robert Duhamel of Nieuport-Astra (Green, 438)

-- "Developments of 1924-vintage Ni-D.42, Spanish license-built Ni-D.52s saw service both sides during Civil War; FAF/FNAF's original Ni-D.62s long obsolete by outbreak WWII, but both 622/629 models still in FAF service [09/1939], equipping 1 metropolitan Escadrille plus 1 overseas (North Africa) Group respectively; latter still in operation [05/10/1940], French-based 622/629s having been relegated ERC (regional defense squadron) duties Winter 1939-1940." (Weal, 97)

Ni-D.42

-- "Initial production; various power plants." (Weal, 97)

-- "Although produced only in small quantity, the NiD-42 was the progenitor of a series of derivative fighters." (Green, 438)

-- Nieuport-Delage 42 was further developed under several designations [the most relevant being NiD-62]. The remaining NiD-42's were brought up to the NiD-62 standard in early 1928. (Green, 440-441).

-- "... contest between the contending prototypes which had formally commenced on [07/15/1924]. The contest extended over a year and the Ni-D.42 was declared the winner, official contracts for 2 and 25 aircraft being signed on [12/04/1925] and [01/29/1927] respectively. Several were built and flown in advance of the main contract (1 participating in a Turkish Air Force contest between [06/03/1926-07/19/1926]). The 3rd and 4th airframes were powered by [Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb 450hp] and [Hispano-Suiza 12Gb W-type] engines as the Ni-D.44 and 46 respectively, these being placed 10th and 5th among the competition finalists. Although produced in small quantity, the Ni-D.42 was the progenitor of a series of derivative fighters." (Green, 438)

Ni-D.44

-- "Alternative contenders to the NiD.42 submitted by Nieuport Astra for participation in the 1923 programme chasseur monoplace were the Ni-D.44 and Ni-D.46, all 3 fighters possessing similar airframes, fuel capacity and armament. The Ni-D.44 differed from the Ni-D.42 essentially in having a [Lorraine-Dietrich 12Eb 450hp] W-type water-cooled engine with a frontal-type honeycomb radiator. The Ni-D.44 was lighter than the Ni-D.42 from which it was derived, but offered inferior level speed and climb performance, and was, in consequence, rejected in favor of the latter." (Green, 438-439)

-- Max speed 241 km/h @ SL; 15.23min to 5000m; endurance 2.0 hr; empty 1168kg; loaded 1722 kg; (more). (Green, 439)

Ni-D.46

-- "Like the previously described Ni-D.44, the Ni-D.46 differed from the Ni-D.42 essentially in the type of engine installed, this being a [Hispano-Suiza 12Gb 500hp] W-type 12-cylinder water-cooled unit with a similar honeycomb-type frontal radiator to that of the Ni-D.44. Carrying the same armament, it was lighter than the Ni-D.42 … but, again, level speed and climb performance were inferior to those of its progenitor which was adjudged the winning contender in the contest. The sole Ni-D.46 prototype was, in fact, the 4th airframe in the series of 25 Ni-D.42s, manufacture of which predated the official contract." (Green, 439)

-- Max speed 252 km/h @ 1000m; 15.25min to 5000m; endurance 2.0 hrs; empty 1194kg; loaded 1794kg; (more). (Green, 439)

Ni-D.52

-- "Development of NiD.42; [Hispano-Suiza 12Mb 500hp]; all-metal construction; Nieuport-Delage and Spanish Hispano license-built (125+)." (Weal, 97)

-- "Evolved in parallel with the NiD-62 … as a progressive development of the Ni-D.42 … rolled out in prototype form during the closing weeks of 1927. Some pitch-up with consequent inadvertent stalls and spins experienced with the Ni-D.42 had led to the introduction of a number of changes which were applied to both the Ni-D.52 and Ni-D.62 … [modification details] … The Ni.D-52 was thus, effectively, a metallised Ni-D.62, and retained the same [Hispano-Suiza 12Hb 500hp]. The Ni-D.52 was not ordered by the French government, which elected to procure the Ni-D.62 owing to its closer commonality with the Ni-D.42 and consequently lower cost. However, earlier in 1927 … [125 ordered by Spain, delivery start 1929] … [details] … (Green, 439-440)

-- "Similar to the Type 62 C1, which served with the French air force, the Type 52, chosen by the Spanish air force from 1929-1936, had an all-metal construction. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, it fought on both Nationalist and Republican sides." (Grant, 175)

-- [Hispano-Suiza 12b 580hp] -- 249 km/h. (Grant, 175)

-- Max speed 260 km/h @ 1800m; 13.5min to 5000m; empty 1360kg; loaded 1800kg; (more). (Green, 440)

Ni-D.62

-- NiD-62 first flown 01/1928 [pictured above] (Green, 440)

-- "Modified Ni-D.42; [Hispano-Suiza 12Hb 590hp]; repositioned radiator; enlarged tailplane (349)." (Weal, 97)

-- the last 50 NiD-62's were completed as NiD-629's (Green, 441)

-- "The first aircraft, Ni-D.62 No.26, followed on the Nieuport-Astra line from the last Ni-D.42 [No.25] … fundamentally similar to the Ni-D.42, retaining the twin-gun armament and [Hispano-Suiza 12Hb 500hp]. The remaining Ni-D.42s were brought up to the Ni-D.62 standard during the first months of 1928, and the last of an initial batch of 25 new-build aircraft, Ni-D.62 No.50, was experimentally fitted with a [Hispano-Suiza 12Lb 600hp] engine. Contracts were placed for a further 295 aircraft (including 50 for the Aéronautique Maritime), the last, Ni-D.62 No.345, being completed in 1930. By comparison with [Ni-D.42], the Ni-D.62 offered improved longitudinal stability, but demonstrated a predilection to enter a flat spin owing to the position of the CG. This was to lead to some wing redesign (see Ni-D.622)." (Green, 440)

-- "Compared with its predecessor [Ni-D.42], this latter version [Ni-D.62] gave much improved low speed performance, but its center of gravity was still a little too far forward, it still tended to enter a flat spin and its aileron controls still responded poorly. The narrow undercarriage track and poor suspension often led to ground looping. Despite these deficiencies, further contracts were awarded for 295 Ni-D.62s, 50 of which were intended for the Aéronautique Navale. The last Ni-D.62C1 to be built, no. 345, was delivered in 1930." (Fernandez, 50)

Ni-D.621

-- "Floatplane version (3 conversions." (Weal, 97)

-- "... 3 were adapted in 1930 as Ni-D.621 twin-float trainers for pilots selected to participate in the Schneider Trophy contest, these subsequently being reconverted to standard Ni-D.62 configuration." (Green, 440)

-- Max speed 270 km/h @ SL; 13.3min to 5000m; max range 900km; empty 1318kg; loaded 1822kg; (more). (Green, 440)

Ni-D.622

-- "Modified Ni.D.62; [Hispano-Suiza 12Md 500hp] (approx. 330)." (Weal, 97)

-- NiD-62 had a flat spin tendency, so modification of the wing improved it and it was then designated NiD-622. (Green, 441)

-- "Despite approaching obsolescence of the basic design, an order for 180 Ni-D.622s was placed in [09/1930], the first series aircraft being Ni-D.622 No.346 … One Ni-D.622 (No.280, a former Ni-D.62) was tested [12/1931-06/1932] with a mechanically-driven Farman-Waseige 2-stage supercharger. Another (former Ni-D.62 No.61) was fitted with a non-supercharged [Lorraine 12Fa 600hp] Courlis W-type engine with a frontal radiator in 1931 as the Ni-D.623, the auxiliary wing being removed and increased taper being applied to the outer main wing panels. 2 others were re-engined with the unsupercharged [Hispano-Suiza 12M] as Ni-D.624s, these also having the auxiliary wing removed, as did the sole example of the Ni-D.625, an adaptation of the Ni-D.622 for parachute trials which appeared mid-1929. The Ni-D.626 was an export model developed for the Peruvian government … powered by an unsupercharged [Lorraine 12Hdr Pétrel 500hp] and had the Ni-D.622 main wing, but dispensed with the auxiliary wing. 12 were ordered, the first of these flying in the summer of 1932 [deliveries until late 1933]." (Green, 440-441)

-- Max speed 270 km/h @ SL; 13.6min to 5000m; range 900km; empty 1378kg; loaded 1837kg; (more). (Green, 440)

Ni-D.623/626

-- "Experimental and export versions; various power plants; NiD.624 with stub wing deleted (approx. 16)." (Weal, 97)

Ni-D.628 & 629

-- "Re-engined NiD.622; [Hispano-Suiza 12Mdsh supercharged]; improved undercarriage (approx. 50)." (Weal, 97)

-- "At the beginning of World War II, 153 NiD-62 series fighters (including 18 NiD-629's) were still on Armee de l'Air charge, 39 of these in North Africa." (Green, 441)

-- Max speed 279 km/h @ 4000m; 7.73min to 4000m; range 600km; empty 1385kg; loaded 1880kg; (more). (Green, 44)

Morane-Saulnier MS.225 (__/1932) -- interim Fighter (parasol) -- ~93 built -- 1x20mm [1933] -- [1,590 kg] -- entered service 1933-1934 // phased out 1938

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Weight
1 (FF __/1931)	MS.224	Gnome-Rhone 9Asb	303 km/h		loaded 1,400 kg
74 Aviation Militare 6 Marine Nationale 3 exported to China (FF __/1932) (prior to 11/1932)	MS.225	Gnome-Rhone 9Kdrs 500hp*	333 km/h @ 4000m 334 km/h @ 3850m 280 km/h @ SL	2x7.7mm Vickers	empty 1,154kg loaded 1,590kg
2 navalised 1 navalised + folding wings	MS.226 MS.226bis	Gnome-Rhone 9Kdrs	277 km/h @ 500m	2x7.7mm Vickers	loaded 1,640 kg
1 (FF 12/1933) (definitely prior to 01/1935)	MS.227	Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 690hp	350 km/h @ 4700m	1x20mm HS-9 (E) 2x7.7mm MAC 34(W)	empty 1,360kg loaded 1,686kg
(FF __/1934)	MS.275	Gnome-Rhone 9Krse 600hp @ 4000m	363 km/h @ 5000m	2x7.7mm (S)	empty 1,361kg loaded 1,724kg
	MS.278

* Pellatier claims Gnome-Rhone 9Kbrs (Pellatier, 5); Weal claims Gnome-Rhone 9Kbrs Mistral 500hp (Weal, 96)

Data: Weal / Pellatier / Green, 417 // Flight // unattributed source

MS.121

-- "As a direct result of concern over the escalating costs of fighter manufacture, a program for the development of so-called chasseurs légers, or light fighters, for France's Aviation Militaire was promoted in 1926. To become unofficially known as the Jockey program, this envisaged the use of moderate power, minimal equipment and a pair of 7.7mm Vickers guns with only 300 rounds each. Emphasis was to be placed on climb rate, an endurance of [1.5 hours] at full throttle was called for and a ceiling of [8,000 m] was specified. To meet this requirement, Morane-Saulnier designed and built its first [post-WWI] fighter, the MoS 121, the prefix being changed to 'MS' shortly after the appearance of the prototype in 1927. Possessing lower wing and power loadings than other contending designs (with the exception of the MS.221 developed in parallel), the MS.121 was a single-seat parasol monoplane of mixed construction and powered by [Hispano-Suiza 12Jb 465hp] 12-cylinder water-cooled engine. It proved underpowered and incapable of attaining specified climb rates … discarded in favor of the more powerful MS.221." (Green, 416)

-- Max speed 257 km/h @ 1,500m; 3.37min to 1,500m; empty 1,011 kg; loaded 1,276 kg; span 9.80m; length 6.72m; height 2.88m; wing area 16.00m². (Green, 416)

MS.221

-- "Retaining the basic airframe of the MS.121, the MS.221, which appeared in 1928 as a replacement contender in the Jockey program, carried a similar [2x7.7mm], but was powered by [Gnome-Rhone 9Ae Jupiter 600hp] 9-cylinder radial … and weighed [46kg] less. Bother lighter and more powerful than competing Jockey entries, the MS.221 was nevertheless at a disadvantage in level speed, which proved appreciably lower than those of other contenders." (Green, 416)

-- Max speed 268 km/h @ SL; 8.75min to 5,000m; empty 915 kg; loaded 1,230 kg; span 9.80m; length 6.50m; height 2.98m; wing area 16.00m². (Green, 416)

MS.222

-- "Modified from the 2nd MS.221, the sole MS.222 … had a supercharged engine." (Green, 416)

-- "One of the 2 prototypes of the MS.221 was accordingly fitted with a turbo-supercharged [Gnome-Rhone 9As 600hp @ 3,800m]. At the same time, an attempt was made to reduce aerodynamic drag by redesigning the wing bracing. Redesignated MS.222, this prototype was [25kg] heavier, but climbed to [7,000m] in 12min. The maximum speed of [267 km/h @ 3,650m] remained inadequate, however …" (Green, 416)

MS.223

-- " … and in a further attempt to reduce drag, the cross-axle type undercarriage was replaced by one of split-axle type, the modified aircraft flying in 1930 as the MS.223. In the meantime, Morane-Saulnier had initiated a more fundamental redesign of the fighter as the MS.224 and … further development of the MS.223 was discontinued." (Green, 416)

MS.224

-- "Shortly after the initiation of MS.223 flight testing, the entire Jockey fighter concept was adjuged a failure and, with the inhibitions imposed by the chasseur léger programme removed, Morane-Saulnier developed a larger and heavier fighter, the MS.224, which entered flight test in 1931. Based on experience with preceding prototypes … retained the mixed structure (dural spars and wooden ribs) of the earlier aircraft for the wing … metal-and-fabric covered dural fuselage, the ovoid cross section of which was widened to the near-circular. Wing area was increased by 1.00m² to 17.00m², and loaded weight was raised to 1400kg. Powered by [Gnome-Rhone 9Asb], the MS.224 attained [303 km/h] during trials." (Green, 416)

MS.225

-- "A modified version [of MS.224], the MS.225, was adopted by the Aviation Militaire (to become the Armée de l'Air in 1934) as an interim fighter pending availability of more advanced aircraft meanwhile called for by the 1931 C1 program. The MS.225 differed … primarily in having a fully-cowled [Gnome-Rhone 9Kdrs 500hp]. Armed with [2x7.7mm], 74 MS.225s were supplied to Aviation Militaire (one being fitted with a [Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs] with a 20mm cannon mounted between the cylinder banks and flown as a test-bed under the designation MS.227), 16 to the Marine Nationale and 3 were exported to China. The last MS.225 fighters were phased out of first-line service during 1938." (Green, 416-417)

-- "[MS.225] selected for production, of which as least 9 were included among those obsolescent types inducted from training establishments into front-line inventory as part of French mobilization program immediately prior WWII; based South of France, Winter 1939-1940." (Weal, 96)

-- "... 74 MS.225s were delivered during 1933-1934. Of these, 55 were supplied to the Aviation Militaire …" (Green, 416)

-- Max speed 334 km/h @ 3850m; 5.7min to 3000m; range 700km; empty 1154kg; loaded 1590kg; span 10.56m; length 7.25m; height 3.26m; wing area 17.20m². (Green, 416)

-- MS.225 and MS.227 prototypes first flown 1932-1933. (Weal, 96)

-- 24.5 minutes to 29,528 ft (9,000 m). (Munson, 141)

-- "True to their tradition, the Morane-Saulnier firm are concentrating exclusively on parasol monoplanes at the [1932] show, of which they exhibit a considerable number … The last machine is the type 225, and is a single-seater fighter fitted with Gnome-Rhone 9 Kbrs engine, NACA ring, and 'spats' over the wheels. The machine will begin to be delivered to squadrons early next year [1933], and is believed to have a very good performance." (Flight 11/24/1932 p.1110)

-- "The excellent maneuverability of the MS.225 is reflected in its adoption, after withdrawal from first-line fighter squadrons, by the celebrated Patrouille de Dijon aerobatic team, and also by the Patrouille d'Ecole de l'Air. In [06/1934] an MS.225 flown by Détroyat gained 2nd place in the World Aerobatic Championships." (Munson, 141)

-- another image

MS.226

-- "In 1932 … study of a dedicated shipboard version of the MS.225 fighter. Designated MS.226 and powered by a similar [Gnome-Rhone 9Kdrs] to that of the shore-based fighter, the shipboard aircraft differed initially in having some structural strengthening, an arrester hook and naval equipment. 3 prototypes were ordered in 1933, the first 2 being completed as MS.226s and the 3rd as the MS.226bis which differed in having aft-folding wings. No series production of the MS.226 was undertaken as the Marine Nationale considered the type to be conceptually obsolete." (Green, 417)

-- Max speed 277 km/h @ 500m; ceiling 7500m; loaded weight 1640kg; dimensions as for MS.225. (Green, 417)

-- MS.226 navalized version with arrester hook and tailwheel in place of skid; 1 built. (Weal, 96)

-- MS.226bis added folding wings; 1 built. (Weal, 96)

-- data from unattributed source

MS.227

-- "Perhaps the most formidable-looking single-seater fighter exhibited at the Paris Show, and probably the most powerful in existence in Europe at the time, was the Polish P.Z.L. 'Super P.24' with 900 hp Gnome-Rhone K.14 engine, [2x20mm Oerlikon cannons], and [2 machine guns]. The canons are mounted in large fairings at the point of attachment of the lift struts and wings, and eject their empty cartridge cases through slots in the bottoms of the fairings. This placing of canons in wings obviously has much to recommend it, for a moteur canon of the Hispano-Suiza type can accommodate only one gun. // The Oerlikon canon, the type which was responsible for the revival of the canon craze on the Continent (one must not forget that Hispano moteur canons were employed during the war), is of 20mm caliber, and its shells have a muzzle velocity of 2,723 ft/sec. Fitted with a full magazine holding 60 rounds, the gun weighs 161 lb. Little information is available regarding the French bicanon or pluricanon machines at present being developed, but it is known that certain of the prototype aircraft, including Loire and Dewoitine monoplanes built for the last competition for single-seater fighters held by the French government, have been modified to take 2 canons in their wings. The Morane 227 C1 fighter monoplane is fitted with a Hispano Xcrs moteur canon and a pair of Chatelleraut [MAC 34] machine guns mounted outboard. This seems to be a quite a promising effort at solving the problem of armament distribution, and deserves close watching." (Flight Magazine 01/24/1935 p.38-39)

-- MS.225 and MS.227 prototypes first flown 1932-1933. (Weal, 96)

-- MS.227 experimental prototype mentioned by Weal but no details (Weal, 96)

-- data from unattributed source

MS.275

-- "The C1 (monoplace de chasse) requirement first issued by the Service Technique Aéronautique in 1930 -- when it was finally conceded that the Jockey programme had failed -- and upgraded on [01/26/1931], resulted in no fewer than 10 designs being awarded prototype contracts. These included 2 Morane-Saulnier proposals. The first [MS.275] retained the classic parasol monoplane configuration of preceding Morane-Saulnier fighters and was flown in 1934. Powered by [Gnome-Rhone 9Krse 600hp @ 4000m] … and armed with [2x7.7mm (S)] ... proved exceptionally maneuverable and offered a very respectable performance. It found little favor, however, owing to its dated concept, development being discontinued together with that of the more innovative MS.325, in favor of the more promising MS.405 then in preliminary design." (Green, 417)

-- "Max speed 363 km/h @ 5000m; 6.6min to 4000m; ceiling 10700m; range 1150km; empty 1361kg; loaded 1724kg; (more). (Green, 417)

-- "On [06/17/1935] the MS.275 was flown by woman pilot Maryse Hilsz to a new outright world altitude record of 32,123 ft (9,791 m)." (Munson, 141)

-- MS.275 experimental prototype mentioned by Weal but no details (Weal, 96)

Image: Flight 11/07/1935 b

-- another image

MS.278

-- MS.278 experimental prototype mentioned by Weal but no details (Weal, 96)

Tier I alternates - prototypes and projects

Edited by J311yfish, 01 January 2019 - 03:53 PM.

Tech tree projects: JAPAN • UNITED KINGDOM • UNITED STATES • GERMANY • USSR

Europe tech tree projects: ITALY • FRANCE • SWEDEN • Finland (skins) • Poland • International // Retired projects: China • Brazil

Historical scenarios: Spanish Civil War (skins) • Invasion of Poland • Winter War • Continuation War

Map proposals: Panama Canal • Great Wall of China • Cliffs of Dover // Clan: 343 Kokutai // Tutorial: How to ignore forum posts and signatures

J311yfish #3 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:04 PM

Second Lieutenant

Member
2443 battles
1,341
[343]
Member since:
12-13-2013

Tier II

Blériot-SPAD S.510 (01/1933) -- [Premium] -- Fighter (biplane) -- Andre Herbemont -- 61 built -- [1,650 kg] -- entered service early 1936

Production

Airframe

Engine

Speed

Armament

Bombs

1+60

II Type 510

II Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs 690hp @ 4000m

370 km/h @ 5000m

324 km/h @ 1000m

II 4x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)

(2)

Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 690hp

1x20mm

2x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)

Data: Green / Weal, 86 verify

Notes:

– the last fighter biplane ordered by Armee de l’Air; design by Andre Herbemont (Green, 68)

-- first flight 01/06/1933; ordered into production 08/1935 (Green, 68)

-- total production = 61 (Weal, 86)

-- "S.510 prototype -- Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs." (Weal, 86)

-- "S.510 production -- as prototype; last 2 re-engine with HS 12Xcrs and with [1x20mm H-S] in place of 2 machine guns." (Weal, 86)

-- "FAF's last fighter biplane ... entered service early 1936; some examples delivered to Spain for use by Republican AF during Civil War; obsolescent by [09/1939], 510s served briefly with ERCs during early months of WWII, before replacement by more modern types and relegation to overseas (North African) units." (Weal, 86)

-- "... took [6.5 years] to develop before becoming the last biplane fighter to serve the French Armee de l'Air. Although superbly acrobatic, it was too outdated to see action in [WW2]." (Freriksen, 48)

-- "Ailerons were present on the lower wing only ... oval cross-section fuselage with the rear section forming a duralumin monocoque ... frame was built entirely of metal, was fabric-covered, and sported an open cockpit ... spatted wheel fairings ... outstanding maneuverability and climb. However, in level flight it was slower than the [D.510] all-metal monoplane, to which it lost the competition ... 60 aircraft ordered in 1936 -- 6 years after the design had been originated." (Frederiksen, 48)

-- "In service ... proved delightful to fly ... However ... prone to spin, and at steep angles the engine could stall due to fuel starvation ... by 1937 most had been transferred to regional (reserve) squadrons ..." (Frederiksen, 48)

-- Max speed 324 k m/h @ 1000m; 370 km/h @ 5,000m; range 875 km; 3.37min to 3,000m; empty 1,250kg; normal loaded 1,650kg; maximum loaded 1,830 kg; span 8.84m; length 7.46m; height 3.72m; wing area 22.0m². (Green, 68)

-- rear-quarter view

Dewoitine D.500/501 (06/1932, 11/1934) -- Fighter (low-wing) -- Émile Dewoitine -- 259 built -- [ref: XP-31 (07/1932), Ar 80 (1935) // P-26 (03/1932), Ba.27M (1933)] -- 1x20mm [1934] -- [1,787 kg] -- entered service 05/1935

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1 prototype (FF 06/18/1932)	D.500 No.1	II Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs (HS 72) 660hp	371 km/h	2x7.7mm Vickers (S)
101 by Dewoitine and Lioré-et-Olivier (FF 11/1934)	D.500			2x7.5mm Darne (S) 2x7.5mm (W)
157 by Dewoitine and Lioré-et-Olivier and Loire.	D.501	Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs (HS 76) 690hp	367 km/h @ 5000m 334 km/h @ 2000m 315 km/h @ SL	"increased armament" 1x20mm Hispano-Suiza HS9 (E) 2x7.5mm Darne 33 or MAC 1934 (W)

*total of 263 received by French military forces

** Green claims 20mm H-S S7 (Oerlikon); Pellatier claims H-S S9 cannon; Weal claims H-S S9 cannon (Weal, 91)

Data: Weal, 90-91 / Green / Pellatier / Jarrett, 63

-- "Launched in 1932, the D.500 series was a success in France, with 350 fighters built." (Boyne, 175)

-- "Successful early [1930's] design, D.500 series subject of extensive pre-war evaluation/export orders, including South America and Far East; saw action both second Sino-Japanese conflict and Spanish Civil War; 60 D.510s equipped 3 FAF Groupes upon outbreak WWII, plus number earlier D.500/501s deployed by ERCs (regional defense squadrons); majority replace or withdrawn overseas (North Africa) prior to German blitzkrieg of [05/10/1940]." (Weal, 91)

D.500/501

-- "In 1930 the French Aeronautique Militaire issued specifications for a new fighter to replace the aging Nieuport-Delage [NiD.62]s then deployed. It fell upon designer Emile Dewoitine to conceive a revolutionary new concept that spelled the beginning of the end for biplanes. First flown in 1932, [D.500] exuded modernity ... cantilevered, low-wing monoplane constructed entirely of metal ... covered by stressed metal sheeting and completely devoid of drag-inducing struts and bracing wires. The only seemingly antiquated feature was fixed landing gear with conspicuous oblong spats. The in-line engine was closely covered by a pointed cowl, giving the craft an ultramodern, very sleek appearance ... faster than its biplane contemporaries, more maneuverable, and, because of its metal construction, much stronger ... entered production in 1933. Within 2 years a total of 143 were built, including a number of cannon-armed [D.501s]." (Fredriksen, 93)

-- "The American [P-26] was conceptually similar to the D.500 but antithetic in detail -- the one portly and curvaceous and the other angularly rakish -- and more conservative. Dewoitine was uncompromising in his effort to achieve the greatest practicable advance in the state of the art, whereas the Boeing team made concessions to traditionalists. Both fighters employed flush-riveted metal-skinned semi-monocoque structures, but whereas the 2-spar wing of the P-26 was braced by lift and drag wires, the single-spar wing of the D.500 was cantilevered and this feature represented a more radical step forward in the evolution of fighter design. // Although conceived a year earlier than the Boeing fighter, the D.500 did not fly until 3 months later [06/18/1932]. More stable than the fighters serving [French Air Force], it was nevertheless, very maneuverable and well behaved under most circumstances. Like its Boeing contemporary it was to be criticized on the score of its high approach and landing speeds; it was also demanding in stick force for recovery from a spin due to a tendency towards control reversal resulting from elevator upfloat after spin entry." (Green & Swanborough, 64)

-- "...winner of the 1930 competition for a new French single-seat fighter." (Andersson, 278)

-- "The first Dewoitine fighter monoplane to relinquish the parasol configuration in favour of a low-wing layout ... [first flown 06/18/1932]" (Green, 178-179)

-- "... committed to production on [11/23/1933], 100 being supplied to the Armee de l'Air, which also received 133 cannon-armed D.501s." (Green & Swanborough, 64)

-- "The first production D.500 was flown on [11/29/1934]." (Green, 179)

-- "The [D.500] fighter was so important that production was shared between 3 manufacturers, including Dewoitine." (Grant, 174)

-- D.500 production by Dewoitine at Toulouse, and [LeO] at Aregneteuil. [Flight Magazine 03/15/1934 p.252].

-- "The Dewoitine D.500/501 monoplane fighters entered service in [05/1935]. These aircraft were already outdated due to rapid technological advances and the Armée de l'Air regarded the D.500/501s as transitional aircraft." (Pelletier, 4)

-- "... deliveries to the Armée de l'Air commencing [05/1935-06/1935]." (Green, 179)

-- The following data relate to the D.501: max speed 315 km/h @ SL; 367 km/h @ 5,000m; 1.35min to 1,000m; range 870 km; empty 1,287 kg; normal loaded 1,787 kg; span 12.09m; length 7.56m; height 2.70m; wing area 16.50m². (Green, 179)

D.502

-- "Catapult-launched fighter floatplane version; project only." (Weal, 91)

D.503

-- "Re-engined D.511; Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs (1)." (Weal, 91)

D.504

-- "Parachute trials aircraft; project only." (Weal, 91)

D.505/509

-- "Modified D.500; various power plants; projects only." (Weal, 91)

D.510

-- "Improved D.501; Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs; lengthened nose; increased fuel capacity; modified undercarriage; late models with 7.5mm Darne machine-guns replaced by 7.5mm MAC 1934 machine-guns (including 24 D.510C Chinese order and 36 D.510T original Turkish order); Lioré-et-Olivier-built and SNCASE-built (120)." (Weal, 91)

-- "In [08/1934] Dewoitine fielded a more refined version [D.510]. It mounted a larger rudder, an uprated engine, and other aerodynamic refinements. Consequently, it became the first French fighter to exceed 250 miles per hour in level flight. The French air service acquired an additional 120 of these sleek machines, with a further 30 being assigned to the Navy's Aviation Maritime (naval air arm). These craft also caught the attention of several governments and were exported abroad [24 to China, 14 to Lithuania] ... still equipped several frontline units as late as 1940, at which time they had been overtaken and rendered obsolete by the newer [Bf 109]. Nonetheless, the D.500 series made history by anticipating modern design trends by several years." (Fredriksen, 93)

-- "Availability of the more powerful [H-S 12 Ycrs] prompted replacement of the [H-S 12Xbrs 690hp] in a D.500 airframe, this combination flying [08/1934] as the prototype D.510. Essentially similar to the D.501, apart from increased fuel capacity and modified undercarriage, the D.510 entered service [mid-1935], the service receiving 88 of the 118 D.510s subsequently built." (Green & Swanborough, 64)

-- [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 760hp @ 2400rpm take-off / 860hp @ 3300m]. Ratier 1239 ground-adjustable metal 3-bladed propeller. Internal fuel capacity 76 Imp gal (345 L); max speed 330 km/h @ SL; 341 km/h @ 1000m; 369 km/h @ 3000m; 402 km/h @ 5000m; range 700km (435 miles); climb 1.32 to 1000m, 3.6 to 3000m, 5.95 to 5000m; service ceiling 10500m; Empty equipped 1,425kg (3,142 lb); normal loaded 1,929kg (4,253 lb); [1x20mm Hispano-Suiza S9 (Oerlikon) and 2x7.5mm MAC 34]. (Green & Swanborough, 64)

-- max speed 402 km/h @ 5000m; 330 km/h @ SL; 1.32min to 1,000m; range 700km; empty 1,496kg; loaded 1,929kg; span 12.09m; length 7.94m; height 2.42m; wing area 16.50m². (Green, 180)

D.511

-- "Modified D.510; reduced wing span; revised (cantilever) undercarriage; prototype only (1)." (Weal, 91)

-- another side view

Dewoitine D.370/371 (10/1931, 02/1934) -- Fighter (parasol) -- Émile Dewoitine -- 87 total built -- 2x20mm [1934] --- [1,884 kg] -- D.371 all delivered by 12/1935 -- D.373/376 entered service 1938

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Weight
	D.37	Gnome-Rhone Kbrs 750hp
(FF 10/1931)	D.370	Gnome-Rhone 14Kbrs Mistral Major 700hp Gnome-Rhone 14Kbs Gnome-Rhone 14Kds 800hp t/o and 740hp @ 4500m
28 Armee de l'Air (02/1934) last delivered 12/1935	D.371	Gnome-Rhone 14Kes 800hp Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 940hp t/o and 880hp @ 3250m	380 km/h @ 4400m	4x7.5mm MAC 34 underwings*	empty 1,320kg loaded 1,884kg
14 Lithuania	D.372	Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 930hp		2x7.7mm Browning (S) and 2xDarne (W)
20 Aéronautique Navale entered service 1938	D.373	Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs	~370 km/h	4x Darne within the wing see note below
25 Aéronautique Navale	D.376	Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 930hp	400 km/h	2x7.5mm MAC 1934 (F) 2x7.5mm (W)	loaded 1,970 kg

Data: Green, 178 // Weal, 90 // Flight

*Weal claims 2x20mm or 4x7.5mm

-- total production = approximately 75. (Weal, 90)

-- "Final variants of a long line of parasol-wing fighters dating back to D-1 of early [1920s], Swiss-built D.26/27 remained in service 1930-1950; both D.27 and French-built D.372 participated Spanish Civil War; 27 D.376s comprised sole fighter strength FNAF upon outbreak of WWII; limited employment opening weeks hostilities before replacement by Potez 631, Winter 1939-1940." (Weal, 90)

-- "The D.370 and its derivatives were a step backward as the last parasol fighters, their production reaching only 87 units." (Boyne, 175)

D.26/27

-- "Initial production models; single-seat fighter; Wright 250hp / Hispano Suiza 12 300-500hp respectively; Swiss (EKW) license-built (96); D.27 also Rumanian and Yugoslav license-built." (Weal, 90)

D.271/274

-- "Modified D.27, prototypes only; Dewoitine-built (4)." (Weal, 90)

D.37

-- "Prototype; D.27 development; increased dimensions; strengthened wing; Gnome-Rhone Kbrs 750hp (1)." (Weal, 90)

D.370

-- "Transferred by the SAF-Avions Dewoitine to the Lioré-et-Oliver (LeO) concern owing to the workload imposed on the parent company by the D.50bis (future D.500), the D.37 (later D.370) was a private venture contender in the 1930 C1 program. The prototype, flown on [10/01/1931] was powered by a [Gnome-Rhone 14Kbrs Mistral Major 700hp] 14-cylinder 2-row radial. It was subsequently subjected to an extensive series of modifications: [Gnome-Rhone 14Kbs] gave place, in turn, to a [Gnome-Rhone 14Kds 800hp t/o] and 740hp @ 4500m; the engine cowling was changed; the undercarriage was redesigned, and the wing introduced dihedral and reduced chord." (Green, 178)

D.371

-- "Production model; Gnome-Rhone 14Kes 800hp; wing dihedral; 2 cannon or 4 machine-gun armament (20+)." (Weal, 90)

-- "Yet more redesign was embodied by a 2nd prototype, the D.371, which appeared in late [02/1934]. 28 D.371s were ordered for the Armée de l'Air with the [Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 940hp t/o] and 880hp @ 3250m, and an armament of [4x7.5mm MAC 34 underwings]." (Green, 178)

-- "The last D.371 left the factory at the end of [12/1935], the Armée de l'Air fighters following the Navy's D.373's." (Green, 178)

The remaining D.371's [18 of 28 that were not sold to Spanish Republican government 08/1936] equipped an escadrille at Bizerte, Tunis, until 1939, but were little flown owing to constant problems with their engines. The D.373s and D.376s of the Aéronautique Navale suffered similarly, and by [09/1939], only 13 D.373s and 9 D.376s were on strength, all being withdrawn before the year's end." (Green, 178)

-- Max speed 380 km/h @ 4400m; 1.4min to 1000m; max range 900km; empty 1320kg; loaded 1884kg; span 11.22m; length 7.44m; height 3.40m; wing area 17.45m². (Green, 178)

D.372

-- "As D.371; Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 930hp; increased weight (D.371 conversions)." (Weal, 90)

-- "14 were ordered by Lithuania, and these, having [2x7.7mm Browning (S) and 2xDarne (W)] were designated D.372's." (Green, 178)

-- "The Lithuanian government meanwhile [implied as of 12/1935] meanwhile relinquished its D.372's in favor of D.501's, the former being sold to the Spanish Republican government and ferried to Spain during [08/1936], where they were later joined by 10 of the 28 Armée de l'Air D.371's." (Green, 178)

-- "Early in the [Spanish Civil War 1936-1939] France also allowed the sale of a small number of aircraft to the Republican government, but to keep up the façade of non-intervention these were delivered without their armament. 13 French Dewoitine D.372 fighters, originally built to an order from Lithuania, arrived in Spain without their 2 synchronized 7.7mm Browning guns or 2 Darne wing guns; they also lacked gun mounts, sights, synchronization mechanisms, or ammunition boxes. Armament was eagerly expected to arrive by road, but was never delivered!" (Williams & Gustin, 80)

D.373

-- "Navalised D.371; Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs; arrester hook; structural strengthening (40)." (Weal, 90)

-- "20 were ordered for the Aéronautique Navale as D.373's … having flotation gear, [30cm] reduction in wing span and an armament of [4x Darne] within the wing." (Green, 178)

-- "... entered service only in 1938, by which time it was thoroughly outclassed. Replacements were only then beginning to appear: for example, in 1939-1940 the French Navy found itself buying US fighters ([Grumman F4F] Wildcats) and dive bombers (SBCs [Curtiss SBC Helldiver] and SB2Us [Vought SB2U Vindicator]). Part of the problem was the very limited capacity of the only available carrier, the converted battleship Bearn." (Jarrett, 122)

-- "The French Dewoitine D.373 is supplied with 4 or 6 machine guns (the former armament is specified for this machine by the French Navy, and the latter by the Lithuanian Government); [2x20mm and 2 machine guns]; or one Hotchkiss high-velocity 25mm canon and 2 machine guns." (Flight 12/17/1936 p.655)

-- "The French Navy has only one aircraft carrier of accepted type (Béarn), the Commandant Teste being classed as an aviation transport and having no flight deck. the Béarn displaces 22,146 tons and is a comparatively slow vessel, making only about 21 nots. She has accommodation for 41 aircraft, or roughly double that of the Commandant Teste. // A great deal of obsolescent equipment is on hand, but is gradually being replaced. The new standard fleet fighter is a single-seater Dewoitine parasol monoplane [D.373] with [Gnome-Rhone 14K Mistral Major 800hp] 14-cylinder supercharged radial. This machine, equipped for deck landing, is capable of about 230mph [370 km/h] and is armed with 4 machine guns. // The French Navy has shown interest in the possibilities of the fleet-fighter dive-bomber type and had constructed for test a low gull-wing monoplane, known as the [Nieuport] 140 C2 [which becomes Loire-Nieuport LN.401] equipped with [Hispano-Suiza 690hp] 'cannon' engine, and capable of 208 mph [335 km/h]." (Flight 01/21/1937)

D.376

-- "A further 25 ordered for this service with aft-folding wings were designated as D.376's." (Green, 178)

-- "As D.373; folding wings." (Weal, 90)

Nieuport-Delage 125 (11/1932, 06/1934) --- Fighter (parasol) -- Albert Mary -- 1 built -- 1x20mm [1934] -- [1,866 kg] -- eclipsed by D.510

Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 860hp -- 400 km/h @ 4500m

1x20mm

Data: Green, 442

Image: Flight 11/07/1935 b

-- apex of Nieuport parasol fighters

-- due to forum space constraints, see tier II alternates

121

-- "A new single-seat fighter requirement framed by the Service Technique in 1930 (and amended in 1931) resulted in no fewer than 27 submissions, from which 11 basic designs were eventually selected for development to prototype stage. To this requirement … evolved its Ni-D.120 series fighters under a design team by Albert Mary." (Green, 440)

-- "The Ni-D.121 was first flown on [11/25/1932] … before evaluation at the official test center [05/01/1934] … By this time, the [D.500] had been pronounced the winning contender and committed to production. The level speed and climb rates of the Ni-D.121 were commended, but landing speed was considered excessive, the undercarriage weak and the large wing surface radiator area vulnerable." (Green, 442)

-- Max speed 367 km/h @ 5000m; 7.1min to 5000m; empty 1,433kg; loaded 1,866kg; (more). (Green, 442)

125

-- "... powered by [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 860hp] with provision for a 20mm moteur-canon, and differed in several other respects from previous Ni-D.120 series fighters. The wing leading-edge coolant pipe system was discard in favor of surface radiators comprising 3 panels of small-bore pipes attached on each side of the fuselage beneath the wing section; several degrees of dihedral were applied from the wing centerline; the wing cabane was marginally deepened and the cut-out above the cockpit was enlarged. The sole prototype of the Ni-D.125 entered flight test in [06/1934], and, on [07/16/1934], commenced official flight trials at the Centre d'Essais du Matériel Aérien. There on [(08/09/1934], it suffered minor damage during minimum approach speed trials. Testing was resumed later in the month, but despite what was by consensus an excellent performance, no further development was undertaken as the similarly-powered Dewoitine D.510 had entered flight test and offered the advantages of a high degree of commonlaity with the D.500 already in production. Furthermore, work had already begun on the very much more advanced [Nieuport 160] cantilever low-wing monoplane fighter [which becomes LN.161]." (Green, 442-443)

-- max speed 400 km/h @ 4500m; 6.0min to 5000m; empty 1461kg; loaded 1970kg; (more). (Green, 443)

Loire 46 C1 (10/1932, 02/1933, 09/1934, 02/1936) -- Fighter (gull-wing) -- 63 built -- 2x20mm [1934] -- [2,100 kg max] -- entered service 08/1936; all delivered by 07/1937

Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs Mistral-Major 900hp -- 312 km/h @ 1000m

4x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)

Data: Weal, 95

___ km/h @ 10,000m 24:13

341 km/h @ 8,000m; 13:15

360 km/h @ 6000m; 8:43

368 km/h @ 4500m; 6:12

336 km/h @ 2500m; 3:26

296 km/h @ SL

Data: Moulin, 20

-- Total production = 63 (all marks). (Weal, 95)

-- "Brief pre-war operational career 1936-1938, majority Loire 46s in storage upon outbreak WWII; returned to service Winter 1939-1940, operated fighter-trainer/emergency (second-line) fighter roles prior and during Battle of France; continued limited use training duties FVAF units overseas." (Weal, 95)

Loire 43, 45

-- "Initial prototypes; [Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs 600hp] and [Gnome-Rhone 14Kds Mistral-Major 800hp (re-engined Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs Mistral-Major 900hp)] respectively (2)." (Weal, 95)

-- "...[Loire] established an aircraft division [1927] and, ,in 1929, initiated design of a lightweight fighter for which alternative engines were proposed. These were [Gnome-Rhone Titan II 300hp (Loire 40); Hispano-Suiza 12Mc 600hp (Loire 41); Gnome-Rhone 9Asb Jupiter VII (Loire 42)]. When, in 1930, the lightweight fighter concept was discarded by the Service Technique de l'Aeroanautique (STAé), a new C1 (single-seat fighter) program was initiated for which there were 10 official contenders. All of these were powered by the supercharged [Hispano-Suiza 12Xbrs]. As one of these contenders, the Loire 43 was a further development of the Loire 40 series of fighter projects. It was a gull-winged, braced monoplane of all-metal stressed-skin construction with an armament of [2x7.7mm MAC-built Vickers]. The Loire 43 was flown on [10/17/1932], but 13 weeks later, on [01/14/1933], and before it could undergo official evaluation, its pilot apparently lost consciousness after climbing to 29,530 ft (9000m) and the aircraft spun into the ground." (Green, 352-353)

-- [Loire 43] max speed 360 km/h @ 3500m; 314 km/h @ SL; 10min to 6500m; range 600km; empty 1245kg; loaded 1725kg; (more). (Green, 353)

Loire 45

-- "Built as a replacement for the Loire 43 … employed a fundamentally similar airframe, but was fitted with [Gnome-Rhone 14Kds 800hp] and had more robust wing bracing struts. Flown for the first time [02/20/1933], the prototype was transferred to Villacoublay in [06/1933] for testing. During the course of trials several modifications were made to the wing roots in attempts to improve visibility from the cockpit, a [Gnome-Rhone 14Kcs 880hp] was installed in [08/1934], and in [10/1934], the vertical tail surfaces were enlarged. Armament comprised [2x20mm] in underwing gondolas, but visibility for the pilot was deemed unacceptable and, after re-engining with [Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 900hp], the sole prototype was relegated to the role of parachute testing as the Loire 45 LP1. It flew in this form for the first time in [07/1935]." (Green, 353)

-- [Loire 45] with [Gnome-Rhone 14Kcs] max speed 370 km/h @ 4150m; 8.15min to 6500m; empty 1340kg; loaded 1785kg; (more)." (Green, 353)

Loire 46.01

-- "Prototype; [Gnome-Rhone 14 Kes 880hp]; [2x20mm in underwing gondolas]; (re-engined Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs Mistral-Major 900hp) (1)." (Weal, 95)

-- "In order to rectify the inadequate visibility from the cockpit suffered by the Loire 45, a major redesign was undertaken and yet another prototype was built as the Loire 46. This retained little more than a conceptual similarity to its predecessor. The wing center section was more deeply 'gulled', and the untampered wing leading and trailing edges gave place to tapered outboard leading edges and semi-elliptical trailing edges. The engine thrust line was lowered, the cockpit was moved further aft, the rear fuselage was deepened and all tail surfaces were enlarged. Powered by [Gnome-Rhone 14Kcs 880hp], the Loire 46 flew on [09/01/1934]. Re-engined with a [Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 930hp] in [02/1935], the Loire 46 demonstrated excellent handling characteristics, and a contract for 5 pre-series aircraft was followed by orders for 60 production aircraft. Armament comprised [4x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)]." (Green, 353)

-- image showing installation of the drum-fed machine gun and 20mm cannon in Loire 46. (Flight 12/17/1936 p.655)

-- "The 3 best-known machines fitted with outboard canons are the Polish P.Z.L. P.24 and the French low-wing and high-gull-wing Loire models." (Flight 12/17/1937 c)

Loire 46 C1

-- "Production model; revised armament; modified cowling (60)." (Weal, 95)

-- "The 1st production Loire 46 C1 was flown in [02/1936], deliveries commencing in the following [08/1936] to the 6^e Escadre of the Armée de l'Air. The 5 pre-production examples were relinquished by the French Service and supplied to the Spanish Republican government between [09/05/1936-09/07/1936]. The last Lore 46 was delivered in [07/1937], by which time its gull-winged configuration was manifestly obsolescent. Only 3 remained on the effective first line strength of the Armée de l'Air at the beginning of World War II." (Green, 353)

-- "The French Loire 46 C.1 bears a striking resemblance to the [P.Z.L.] P.24. It has a similar engine and armament, but is rather heavier and has a slightly inferior performance in the matter of speed and climb to the Polish product [P.24]. // This Loire machine was actually developed from a Hispano-engined type entered for the French fighter competition 2 or 3 years ago [1932-1933]. The competition brought forth a number of interesting types, and none more so than the Nieuport Delage effort with an Hispano engine -- originally a [Hispano-Suiza X 690hp] and now a [Hispano-Suiza Y 860hp]. The manufacturers of this machine made an extremely thorough investigation into the question of visibility and placed the pilot in large cut-out in the high, strut-braced wing [referring to Nieuport 122 and/or Nieuport 125]." (Flight 11/07/1935 b)

-- head-on profile (Flight 11/07/1935 b)

-- max speed 370 km/h @ 4,000m; 3.3min to 3000m; range 750 km @ 322 km/h; empty 1,450 kg; max loaded 2,100 kg; span 11.83m; length 7.88m; height 4.13m; wing area 19.50m². (Green, 353)

-- diagram of armament installation (Flight 12/17/1936 p.655)

Tier II alternates -- prototypes and projects

Edited by J311yfish, 11 January 2019 - 06:20 PM.

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J311yfish #4 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:05 PM

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Tier III

Dewoitine D.510 (08/1934) -- Fighter -- Émile Dewoitine -- 381 built (88 for France) -- 1x20mm [1934] -- [1,929 kg] -- entered service 1937 -- [ref: Ar 80 (spring 1935), Fw 159 (1935)]

Production

Airframe

Engine

Speed

Armament

Bombs

D.503 / D.511

Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 690hp

375 km/h @5000m

314 km/h @SL

1x20mm 2x7.5mm (W)

(2)* + 88

D.510 prototype

Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs (HS 77) 775hp; 860hp @ 4000m

402 km/h @ 5000m

1x20mm 2x7.5mm (W)**

*2 adapted from D.500; approximately 88 produced for France; more produced for export (Green, 179-181); total production 381 (Weal, 91)

** 7.5mm Darne replaced by 7.5mm MAC 1934

Data: Green & Swanborough, 64

Notes:

-- see details from D.500/501 above.

-- "...fundamentally similar to the D.501 [aside from engine change]" (Green, 179)

-- "... low-wing cantilever monoplane of all-metal construction fitted with a fixed divided undercarriage and mounting no flaps." (Flight Magazine p.544 11/19/1936)

-- "[D.510]... rated Europe's best single-seat fighter [as of 07/1937]." (Jarrett, 22)

-- first flight 08/14/1934; first delivered 10/09/1936 (Green, 179)

-- "On [09/03/1935] one example of the D.510R was ordered by the Soviet Union for trials ... the Soviet example was flown for the first time [02/12/1936] and was delivered to Soviet representatives in France in [09/1936] … [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 760-860hp -- Maximum speed 389 km/h; climb to 1,000m in 1.19min; ceiling 10,500m; range 700km; span 12.09m; length 7.94m; height 3.63m; wing area 16.16m²." (Andersson, 278-279)

-- Two D.510's were sold to Japan and inspired the Nakajima Ki-12 design [see Ki-12 under alternates]; Mikesh claims that the D.513 moved the radiator from below to the nose in order to reduce drag. (Mikesh, 220)

-- also sold to China, Great Britain, Japan, Lithuania, Spain, Venezuela (Andersson, 278)

-- another 503 image

-- Pelletier claims that D.513 prototype used the same engine as D.510 and was still found to be inferior to MS.405; then back to the drawing board to produce D.520 (Pelletier, 37-38)

-- "In 1937 the improved [D.510] entered service, as did the Bloch MB.210 bomber and the heavy 4-engined Farman F.221." (Camelio and Shores, 4)

-- "Converted to [MS.406] fighters, 5e GCA became 2e Escadrille, GC II/1, operating over France during 1940." (Camelio and Shores, 7)

-- [Note: Arado Ar 80 does not get the Jumo 210 engine until 1936, and does not experiment with 20mm cannon until 1937. (Wiki)]

Dewoitine D.513 (01/1936) -- fighter -- Émile Dewoitine -- 2 built -- [2,446 kg] -- lost to MS.405

D.513-01 -- Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs1 -- 425 km/h @ 4600m

D.513-02 -- Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs2 930hp @ 990m -- 376 km/h @ SL; 445 km/h @ 5100m -- 2.55min to 2000m -- loaded 2446kg

Data: Green, 181

D.513

-- "2 prototypes of a new fighter, the D.513, were ordered in 1935 as part of the 1934 C1 program, the first of these being flown on [01/06/1936]. Featuring semi-elliptical horizontal and vertical surfaces, with a wing of relatively high aspect ratio, [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs1] with a frontal radiator similar to that of the D.503, and inward-retracting main undercarriage members, the D.513 proved disappointing during initial trials. It suffered serious instability and attained a maximum speed of only [425 km/h @ 4600m]. Radical redesign followed, the wing and tailplane being mated to an entirely new fuselage, vertical tail surfaces, elevators and undercarriage, the frontal radiator giving place to a deep radiator bath beneath the nose. In this definitive form, the D.513 still proved incapable of meeting specified performance, a shortcoming which, compounded by continuing instability and difficulties with both engine cooling and undercarriage retraction, led to the discontinuation of development. The 2nd prototype was fitted with [Hispano-Suiza 12Ydrs2 930hp @ 990m] and undercarriage and radiator a la D.503, and was employed for high-speed parachute launching trials as the D.514 LP." (Green, 181)

-- more data for D.513-02: span 12.06m; length 7.45m; wing area 18.32m². (Green, 181)

-- Pelletier claims that D.513 prototype used the same engine as D.510 and was still found to be inferior to MS.405; then back to the drawing board to produce D.520 (Pelletier, 37-38)

-- "The latest Dewoitine development is the D.513 which has flaps and a retractable undercarriage, and is generally cleaner than its forerunner [D.510], particularly in its radiator installation. ~~A speed of about 300 mph [482.8 km/h] is claimed~~, which is something like 50 mph faster than for the D.510." (Flight Magazine p.544 11/19/1936)

Morane-Saulnier MS.405 (08/1935) -- Fighter -- Rene Gauthier -- 16 built -- [2,440 kg] -- operational testing 05/1938

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Weight
1 (FF 08/1935)	MS.405-01	Hispano-Suiza 12Ygrs 860hp (3-blade prop)
1 (FF 02/1937)	MS.405-02	Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 900hp Levasseur airscrew	443 km/h @ 4000m		loaded 2,440 kg
(1)*	(MS.405-03)*	Hispano-Suiza 12Ygrs 860hp		1x20mm H-S S9 2x7.7mm (W)**
1 (FF 05/20/1938)	MS.405-04	Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 860hp Chauvière airscrew	(wing to become standard on MS.406)
1 (FF 10/11/1938)	MS.405-12	Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 910hp	(redesignated to MS.411)	(prototype for Swiss D-3801)
1	MS.405-13	Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1000hp	(redesignated to MS.408)
1 (FF 12/07/1938)	MS.405-14	Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs2 930hp	(redesignated MS.407LP “Lance-Parachute”)

*implied; Pellatier claims 15 total pre-production MS.405's produced; Green claims 16 (Pellatier, 8; Green, 417)

**Pelletier claims 2x7.5mm Darne, and that one of the modifications of MS.405-01 was to change 2x7.5mm Darne to 2x7.5mm MAC 1934 (Pellatier, 7)

-- Design team led by Rene Gauthier. (Pelletier, 7)

-- "Total production amounted to 1,080 machines." (Fredriksen, 240)

MS.405

-- first flight 08/08/1935; second prototype flight 01/20/1937 (17 months later). (Pelletier, 7)

-- the MS.405 was essentially a transitional/test aircraft for developments that were ultimately incorporated into the MS.406; the MS.406 in turn would go on to be "the most numerically important fighter" (Green, 417-418)

-- "...classic tubular metal construction, but unusual in that ... it had Plymax-- okoumé plywood bonded to aluminum -- stressed skinning..." (Green, 417)

-- "In [07/1937] the Morane-Saulnier MS.405 was selected from 5 competing prototypes for a production order (the other competing aircraft were the Bloch 150, Dewoitine D.513, Loire 250 and Nieuport 161); the winner was to receive production contracts totaling more than a thousand aircraft. As the Puteaux plant was not large enough to produce so many aircraft, the recently-nationalized French aircraft industry was introduced into the production process." (Botquin, 3)

-- "The famous aerobatic pilot Michel Detroyat piloted the MS.405-01 on its first flight from Villacoublay on [08/08/1935]. The excellent flying characteristics of the prototype were immediately apparent ... Excellent performance was recorded in tests, speeds of 250 mph [402 km/h] being recorded near the ground and 304 mph [489 km/h] at 13,100 ft [3993m] and a speed of 450 mph [724 km/h] was easily attainable in a dive." (Botquin, 3)

-- "[Morane-Saulnier]'s first monoplane aircraft ... low-wing machine with fully retractable landing gear. It was the first French fighter to exceed 250 mph [402 km/h] in level flight, but retained many archaic features. Rather than breaking with tradition, the new [aircraft] employed steel-tube construction with fabric-covered control surfaces and aft fuselage. Its composite skin consisted of plymax -- plywood bonded to aluminum, which covered the wings and forward fuselage. The braced tailplane and fixed tailskid also harkened back to an earlier age ... MS.405 first flew in 1935, but flight-testing was dreadfully slow, and 3 years lapsed before the craft entered production as the MS.406. Nonetheless, [at WW2 start 09/1939], it was the most important French fighter available and fully equipped 12 groups de chasse (fighter groups)." (Fredriksen, 240)

-- "... ordered into production as the MS.406, and the last of 16 pre-series aircraft being completed and flown on [06/21/1938] as a pattern aircraft for the production model ..." (Green & Swanborough, 88)

-- "The following data apply to the HS 12Ycrs-powered MS.405: Max speed 443 km/h @ 4,000m; 6.78min to 4,000m; range 1,000 km; loaded weight 2,440 kg; span 10.62m; length 8.17m; height 2.71m; wing area 17.10 m². (Green, 417)

MS.406

-- "From the onset ... proved markedly inferior to nimble [Bf 109E]s. It was slower, less robust, and possessed weaker firepower in the form of a 20mm cannon firing through the propeller hub and [2x7.5mm]. In its favor, the MS.406 did handle pleasantly, but that alone could not transform it into an effective fighter. By the time of France's collapse, MS.406 claimed 175 German airplanes at a loss of 400. As an indication of its poor reputation, the newly imposed Vichy regime retained only 1 MS.406 unit in service and exported the remainder abroad. The biggest customers were Finland and Croatia, which refitted many MS.406s with more powerful Soviet engines for better performance ... The Swiss also subsequently developed it into a series of domestic fighters, the D.3800." (Fredriksen, 240)

-- "It was seriously underpowered; at anything approaching its alleged maximum speed, the ethylene-glycol radiator was retracted and the engine rapidly overheated; a lack of up-locks resulted in the mainwheels popping out of their wells with application of positive g, and the cold of altitude resulted in the pneumatic machine gun actuation and propeller pitch change freezing solid. Production (1,080) ended [03/1940]." (Green & Swanborough, 88)

-- "In [09/1939], when war broke out, about 600 MS.406 aircraft had come off the assembly lines and, with the 170 Curtiss H.75 aircraft received from the U.S.A., they were the only French fighters capable of opposing the Luftwaffe." (Botquin, 3)

-- "... certainly a pleasant machine to fly with no vices and great maneuverability." (Botquin, 3)

-- Built by SNCAO (Pelletier, 7)

(Flight 11/19/1936 p.543)

Nieuport 160 (10/1935) -- further developed as LN 161; favored but lost to MS.405 due to delay; continued as CAO.200

Tier III Alternates -- prototypes, projects, imports

Edited by J311yfish, 27 May 2018 - 07:17 PM.

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J311yfish #5 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:05 PM

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Tier IV

Fairey Fantôme (06/1935) -- [Premium (U.K.)] -- Fighter (biplane) -- Marcel Lobelle -- 4 built -- [2,060 kg]

Image: Wargaming

IV Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 925hp 470.0kg

IV 20mm Oerlikon S9 (H)

IV 2x .303 Browning (S)

Data: Wargaming

-- "The zenith of British fighter-biplane design was attained by the private-venture Fantôme of 1935. (The name Feroce was conferred later)." (King, 170)

-- "The Fantôme, the Belgian-assembled version of which was called the Féroce, might fairly be described as a splendid but still-born fighting aeroplane. It was probably the cleanest and certainly the most handsome biplane fighter ever produced, but was almost the last of its kind in an era when the development of the biplane, for all but specialist military and naval purposes, had virtually ceased. Designed in 1934 by Marcel Lobelle and flown for the first time, as F-6, on [06/06/1935] by C.S. Staniland … the Fantôme (F.2118) was intended to meet the requirements of a specification issued by the Belgian Government who were looking for a fighter to support and succeed the Firefly II and were planning an international competition for that purpose." (Taylor, 260-261)

-- "These requirements were stiff for their day. They involved a maximum speed of not less than [400 km/h @ 5000m]; a duration of at least 2 hours while flying at 80% of full power at 4000m; climb to 5000m in 6min or less; landing speed not more than 120 km/h. The required minimum armament was [1x20mm + 2x machine guns] or [4x machine guns]." (Taylor, 262)

-- "So as to meet the cannon requirement, and in deference, no doubt, to Belgian preferences … capable of being powered by [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 925hp] with a 20mm Oerlikon gun firing through the propeller hub." (Taylor, 261)

-- Fantôme #1 crashed 07/17/1935; changes in Belgian fighter requirements by 1936. (Taylor, 261-262)

-- Fantôme #2 and #3 ordered 12/1935 by Soviet Government; test flown 11/1936 then sent to Soviet Union; later service in Spain with Republican Air Force. (Taylor, 262)

-- Fantôme #4 ordered 05/11/1937 by British Air Ministry; first flight 11/04/1937; evaluated at A&AEE until 06/1939; "Interest was primarily, no doubt, in the armament. All the guns were remotely controlled; they were loaded and cocked pneumatically and compressed-air was also used for the trigger motors of the wing guns and for the control of the fuselage guns. So far as is known, a moteur canon was not installed during the trials; at that time the Air Ministry was not, in any case, in favor of the use of cannon for fighters." (Taylor, 263)

-- Max speed: 360km/h @ SL; 435 km/h @ 4000m; 5:40 to 4000m; ceiling 11,000m; duration 2hrs at cruising speed 350 km/h ; empty 1,134kg; loaded 2,060kg; span 10.515m; length 8.40m; height 3.45m; wing area 27.2m². (Taylor, 263)

Caudron C.714 (07/1936, 07/1938) -- [Premium] -- Fighter -- Marcel Riffard -- 98 built -- [1,880 kg] -- entered service early 1940; all delivered by 02/1940

Image: Wargaming

IV C.714 C1 'Cyclone'

IV Renault 12R-03 450hp -- 465 km/h @ 5000m -- 302.5 mph @ 13,120 ft

IV 4x7.5mm MAC34 Mle 39

Data: Wargaming / Green

-- total production = 98. (Weal, 90)

-- "Development of pre-war civil racing series, C.714 ' Cyclone' lightweight fighter entered FAF service early 1940; only 6 of intended 50 allocated to Finnish AF delivered before end of Winter War; brief employment one sqn 1940; only FAF unit to fly C.714 during Battle of France was single Groupe of Polish volunteers; operated [06/02/1940-06/13/1940], destroying 12 German aircraft at cost of 13 'Cyclones'; after Armistice 9 C.714s tp FVAF, 20+ to Germany." (Weal, 90)

-- "... one of the few true lightweight fighters to attain production status during [WWII] ... evolved indirectly from the experimental C.710 fighter inspired by the small racing aircraft which competed in the 1933-1935 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe." (Green, 39)

-- "... designed by Marcel Riffard and was based on his sleek C.460, which between 1933 and 1936 has been outperforming larger, more powerful aircraft in international competitions." (Guttman, 285)

-- 1939 article

C.460

-- "... the sensation of the 1936 US National Air Race season. Designed by Marcel Riffard at the long-established Caudron company, it set an airspeed record of 506 km/h (314 mph) in 1934 [Renault Bengali 370hp 8-liter 6-cylinder engine]. At the 1936 Thompson Trophy, it trounced the American opposition." (Grant, 128)

C.710-01

-- "Prototype; experimental lightweight fighter; Renault 12R 01 450hp; [2x20mm] (1)." (Weal, 90)

-- "Designed by Marcel Riffard, the C.710-01 first flew on [07/18/1936] with a [Renault 12RoI 450hp] engine and [2x20mm]." (Green, 39)

C.710-02

-- "... featured more angular vertical tail surfaces ..." (Guttman, 285)

C.711

-- "The C.711 rracing monoplane did not materialize ..." (Green, 39)

C.712R

-- "Civil racer; Renault 12R 730hp." (Weal, 90)

-- "... designed for an attempt on the World Air Speed Record and flew on [12/24/1936] ..." (Green, 39)

C.713 C1

-- "Lightweight fighter version; modified C.710-01; retractable undercarriage; redesigned vertical tail surfaces (1)." (Weal, 90)

--- "... differing from the C.710 primarily in having a fully retractable undercarriage and redesigned vertical tail." (Green, 39)

-- "The C.713 Cyclone was first flown at Guyancourt in [12/1937] ..." (Green, 1939)

C.714-01

-- "Prototype; modified C.713; strengthened fuselage; revised armament; improved wing." (Weal, 90)

-- "... the C.714, which appeared the [summer 1938], was essentially similar [to C.713] but embodied a strengthened fuselage and a wing of improved profile. The C.714-01 underwent official trials at the CEMA ... from [09/1938-10/1938], during which dives up to 435 mph were performed. In [11/1938], the wing-mounted armament of [4x7.5mm MAC 1934 M39] was installed and, simultaneously, 100 machines were ordered." (Green, 39-40)

-- "... first flew on [07/06/1938] ..." (Guttman, 285)

C.714 C1

-- "Production model; as C.714-01 (92)." (Weal, 90)

-- "Production commenced in the summer of 1939, the airframes being built by a Renault factory known as 'Usine-O' in the Paris suburb of Le Pointe-du-Jour ... called for only 5,000 man-hours in its construction, and comprised a one-piece, 2-spar wooden wing and a wooden fuselage with light alloy, fabric-covered control surfaces. The Armée de l'Air decided that the fighter's climb performance was inadequate by contemporary standards, and production was terminated after the delivery of the 90th machine in [02/1940]. 50 were diverted to Finland but only 6 reached the Finnish Air Force, the remainder being lost en route. The first all-Polish unit to be formed in France, the Groupe de Chasse I/145, was equipped with the C.714 for a brief period, and saw some combat over the Rouen-Dreux area [06/1940]." (Green, 40)

-- "... featured an improved 12R 03 engine, which had a carburetor that allowed negative-G maneuvers ... [max speed 286 mph @ 16,450 ft; 9:40 to 13,125 ft]." (Guttman, 285)

-- "Kepinski chose to keep them in spite of their faults, however ... [had to] make do with the fighters until their intended replacements [MB.152]s, became available." (Guttman, 285)

-- Max speed 455 km/h @ 4000m; 460 km/h @ 5000m; 9.66 min to 4,000m; range 900km @ 320 km/h; empty 1,395 kg; loaded 1,880 kg; span 8.97m; length 8.63m; height 2.87m; wing area 12.50m². (Green, 112)

-- [Note: C.714 loaded weight is the same as the Ni-D.629]

C.715

-- see CR.760, CR.770

Morane-Saulnier MS.406 (05/1938+, 01/1939) -- Fighter -- Rene Gauthier -- 1079 built -- [2,426 kg] -- [ref: Mörkö-Moraani] -- entered service 12/1938+

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1064+ *	MS.406	Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 860hp	486 km/h @ 5000m	IV 1x20mm H-S S9*** IV 2x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)
5**	MS.410		509 km/h @ 4000m	1x20mm IV 4x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)
(1)	MS.411	Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 910hp
	MS.412 (D.3801)	Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1050hp	535 km/h @ 4200m
3 (FF 04/1939)	MS.450	Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1050hp	535 km/h @ 4200m	1x20mm 2x7.5mm (W) or 4x7.5mm (W)
	MS.540 (D.3802) (D.3803)	Hispano-Suiza 12Y52 Hispano-Suiza 12Y53

*Pelletier claims 1079 produced (Pelletier, 8)

***later replaced by H-S 404 w/ higher firing rate.

Data: Green, 59

MS.405

-- see also MS.405 notes above

MS.406

-- "Numerically the most important fighter at the commencement of World War II" (Green, 418)

-- “half of the sorties (10,119) flown during the ‘Phony War’ were by MS.406’s"

-- "... claimed 175 confirmed kills for loss of over 400 of own number" (Weal, 97)

-- "The prototype 406 C1 flew for the first time on [05/20/1938]." (Boyne, 437)

-- "The first production MS.406 flew on [01/24/1939]." (Winchester, 196)

-- 30 to Finland (12/39), 30 to Turkey (02/40), additional 87 to Finland (1940-1942); German-occupied Vichy France ordered 2 more to Finland, 44 to Croatin Air Force, 52 to Italy (Green, 418)

-- "The limited production run ... occupied 3 factories over 14 months." (Winchester, 196)

-- The MS.406 in Finland is described by Shores as being superior to the I-16 and more maneuverable than the LaGG-3; for details see MS.406 in Finland

-- 3-view / image

-- flown by Col. Lindbergh; 13th production aircraft completed at Puteaux. (Flight 10/20/1938 a)

-- Max speed 486 km/h @ 5,000m; initial climb 13 m/s; max range 1,000 km; empty 1,893 kg; loaded 2,426 kg; dimensions as for MS.405. (Green, 419)

-- Empty: 2,870 lbs; Gross 4,235 lbs. (Fredriksen, 93)

-- Empty 4180 lbs (1900kg); max take-off 5434 lbs (2470kg). (Winchester, 197)

MS.410

-- MS.406 retractable radiator [seen in picture above]; MS.410 fixed radiator

-- Max speed 470 km/h @ 4,000m; empty 1,923 kg; loaded 2,581 kg; dimensions as for MS.405. (Green, 419)

MS.450

-- "In 1937 a specification for a single-seat fighter to replace the MS.406 was issued ... To fulfil the requirements of this specification 4 prototypes were produced [D.520, VG-33, CAO.200, and the MS.450]. The design [of the MS.450] followed closely that of the MS.406 which it was intended to replace, the characteristics of the earlier fighter being well-known. Extensive use was made of Plymax, a composite material consisting of plywood bonded to aluminum for the wing structure, and the fuselage was a duralumin monocoque." (Green, 58)

-- "3 prototypes ... were built by Morane-Saulnier's Puteaux factory, the first of these making its initial flight on [04/14/1939] at Villacoublay. Initial flight tests confirmed the estimated performance, and the MS.450-01 was accepted by the CEMA on [06/06/1939]. The MS.405-02 was completed in [11/1939], and it was proposed to increase the wing-mounted armament from 2 to 4 7.5mm machine guns ... in the production model. These were to be housed entirely in the wing profile whereas the twin wing-mounted guns of the prototypes were installed in swollen fairings. In the meantime, however, the [D.520] had been placed in quantity production and, therefore, no production orders were placed ..." (Green, 58-59)

-- Max speed 560 km/h @ 5,000m; 6.8min to 5,000m; range 750 km; loaded 2,637kg; span 10.62m; length 8.82m; height 2.75m; wing area 17.10m². (Green, 420)

MS.540

-- "Development of the basic design was continued during the war years by the Morane-Saulnier design bureau, culminating in the MS.540 which was manufactured under license in Switzerland as the [Dornier-Werke AG (Doflug)] D-3802 with a Surer/SLM-built Hispano-Suiza 12Y-52 engine, the license-built MS.406 having been designated the D-3801. The 2nd Swiss-built prototype, the D-3802A, was modified up to production standards, and a progressive development, was the D-3803, which differed in having the more powerful Hispano-Suiza 12Y-53 and an all-around-vision cockpit canopy." (Green, 59)

Bloch MB.150/151 (07/1936, 09/1937, 08/1938) -- Fighter -- Maurice Roussel -- 140 built -- lost to MS.405; continued as MB.151 -- only 1 in service by 04/1939

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Weight
1* (FF 09/1937) Courbevoie	150-01	III Gnome-Rhone 14Kfs 930hp @4350m		2x20mm HS 404 (W)
12/1937 testing at Villacoublay	150-01M "modified"	IV Gnome-Rhone 14N-07 970hp@4550m + extended propeller shaft for longer-chord engine cowling	434 km/h @ 2600m	2x20mm HS 404 (W) IV 2x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)*	empty 1,700 kg loaded 2,300 kg
Courbevoie		IV Gnome-Rhone 14N-01 940hp + larger propeller + extended wingtips
03/1938		V Gnome-Rhone 14N-21 1030hp
25* (FF 08/1938)	151-01	IV Gnome-Rhone 14N-11 920hp @ 3700m		IV 4x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)
115		IV Gnome-Rhone 14N-35 920hp @3000m	485 km/h @ 4000m 470 km/h @ 4550m 465 km/h @ 5000m	2x20mm HS 404 (W) IV 2x7.5mm MAC 1934 (W)	empty 2,073 kg max loaded 2,800 kg

*25 pre-production 150's ordered, ultimately refined and redesignated 151. (Green, 69)

Data: Cristeco Weal Green, 29 / Green, 69

Notes:

-- Design by Maurice Roussel of Avions Marcel Bloch (Green, 68-69; Pelletier, 22)

-- Total production = 140. (Weal, 87)

MB.150

-- "...the Bloch 150 C1 stemmed, like the Morane Saulnier 405 and 406, [also Loire 250, Dewoitine D.513, Nieuport 161 (Green, 26)] from a French Air Ministry Specification ... first issued on [07/13/1934] and reached its final form on [11/16/1935] ... all-metal stressed skin monoplane ... construction of [prototype] had begun in [09/1935] ... [first flight] was attempted on [07/17/1936] but the machine failed to leave the ground. The design was subsequently shelved [as MS.405 had been declared winner of contest (Green, 26)] but early in 1937 development was resumed. A strengthened wing of greater area (15.4 m²) was fitted; the original Bloch undercarriage was replaced by a taller Messier unit [and a direct-drive Gnome-Rhone 14No engine of 940hp was installed (Green, 26)] and in this form [first flight 09/29/1937]." (Cristeco, 3)

-- Green claims first flight 10/1937 but does not specify exact day. (Green, 26-27)

-- Green (in another book) claims first flight 05/04/1937. (Green, 68-69)

-- "Official trials at the CEMA ... began early in [12/1937], and during these [trials] the maximum speed attained was 269.5 mph [433.7 km/h]. At the beginning of 1938, the wingtips were extended, increasing the wing span from 32 ft 10 3/4in to 33 ft 2 3/4 in, the twin wing-mounted oil radiators were replaced by a single radiator between the wheel wells, and a geared [Gnome-Rhone 14N7] was fitted. Trials [resumed 02/1938], and on the strength of these [04/1938 implied] a pre-production batch of 25 ... was ordered and a tentative order placed for a further 475 machines." (Green, 27)

-- "... single-seat fighter monoplane, which at the time of writing [1937-1938], was undergoing its initial tests. It is a low-wing cantilever monoplane of all-metal construction, with enclosed accommodation, retractable undercarriage and a 940hp Gnome-Rhone 14No engine. Armament consists of two 20mm Hispano-Suiza shell-firing guns mounted in the wings and firing outside the area swept by the airscrew. // Performance [510 km/h @ 5000m]." (Jane's 1938, 106c)

-- "Despite its mediocre performance, the [MB 150 was retained along with MS 406] for the urgent re-equipment of the French Air Force fighter units. Following the adoption of 'Plan V' on [03/15/1938] the French Air Ministry was faced with the seemingly insoluble problem of delivering 940 modern single-seat fighters ... within a year. Even the most optimistic estimates could not exceed 285 MS 406's. Though its development was not yet complete and because of its radial engine, the Bloch 150 was included in the production scheme." (Cristeco, 3-4)

-- "By [04/1939], the target date, the FAF had only taken delivery of 147 modern single-seat fighters, i.e. MS 405's and 406's, 42 American-built Curtiss H75A1's and one Bloch 151." (Cristeco, 4)

-- "SNCASO [which absorbed Avions Marcel Bloch (Green, 27)] ... which was formed on [11/16/1936] was entrusted with the mass-production of the Bloch 150 and its derivatives [at newly-constructed Chateauroux-Déols plant (Green, 27)]. // As the structure of the Bloch 150 was unsuitable for rapid mass production, the airframe was redesigned completely in order to fulfil the requirement of the contract." (Cristeco, 4-5)

-- "Simultaneously the wing profile was modified and the wing area reduced to 161.243 sq ft and a [Gnome-Rhone 14N-11 920hp @ 12,140 ft] was installed and enclosed by a long-chord, close-fitting cowling with an unusually small diameter intake for the cooling air. The modified fighter was designated MB.151, and the prototype [MB.151-01] built at Courbevoie, flew for the first time on [08/18/1938]." (Green, 27-28)

-- empty 1700kg; loaded 2300kg; span 10.02m; length 9.40m; height 3.19m; wing area 15.40m². (Green, 69)

MB.151

-- "Developed from earlier Bloch 150-01, itself an unsuccessful contender in 1934 fighter program, the Bloch 151 (first flown [08/1938]) had poor performance; despite being classified as unsuitable for first-line combat duties and relegated to fighter training role, Bloch 151s did operate with both FAF and FNAF; in latter service sustained heavy losses in action against Italian AF in southern France [06/1940]; 9 supplied to Greece also employed against Italian AF during [10/1940] Balkans campaign; captured French 151/152s passed to Rumania as trainers." (Weal, 87)

-- "In accordance with the simplified manufacturing processes, a new prototype [MB.151] was hastily built at Courbevoie ... main characteristics were its modified wing profile, a smaller chord wing of 10.54m span and the wing area reduced to 15 m² ... attractive close-fitting cowling offering a remarkably small frontal area to the cooling air. The unique oil radiator had been slung under the port wing and a skid replaced the tail wheel of the Bloch 150 ... SNCASO test pilot, R. Blanc, flew [MB.151 first flight] on [08/18/1938] at Villacoublay. Several modifications were made to the machine, including a larger tailplane, a lengthened engine mounting and a new Gnome-Rhone airscrew." (Cristeco, 5)

-- "... despite all efforts to improve the Bloch 151 prototype, the performance remained rather disappointing. The estimated 480 km/h was never attained, either by the prototype or by the production Bloch 151. // 3 further pre-production machines were left at SNCASO's disposal to be used as test beds." (Cristeco, 5)

-- "Once the teething troubles of the MB.151 and MB.152 had been overcome they were generally considered to be excellent combat aircraft. They made steady gun platforms, their sturdy structures were capable of absorbing considerable battle damage ... excellent maneuverability, high diving speeds, and their handling characteristics were pleasant." (Green, 30)

-- Empty 4,374 lb / Max Loaded 5,706 lb. (Green, 30)

-- empty 4,570 lb (2,073 kg); max loaded 6,173 lb (2,800 kg); span 10.54m; length 9.10m; height 3.03m; wing area 17.32m²; time to 1000m 1.95min. (Green, 69)

Loire-Nieuport LN 161 (10/1935, 03/1936, 03/1938) -- fighter -- Mary and Dieudonné -- 2 built -- [2,278 kg] -- lost to MS.405; continued as CAO.200

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1 (FF 1/05/1935)	Nieuport 160 (prototype 1)	Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 690hp (2-bladed fixed-pitch prop)	480 km/h @ 4000m 470 km/h @ 6000m 398 km/h @10000m	1x20mm IV 2x7.5mm (W)
(1) (FF 03/1936)	Nieuport 161 (prototype 1 converted) SNCAO 161 (prototype 2)	V Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 860hp (3-bladed 2-pitch prop)		1x20mm IV 2x7.5mm (W)
1 (03/1938)	Loire-Nieuport 161 (prototype 3, definitive)		478 km/h @ 4000m	1x20mm IV 2x7.5mm (W)
0	(prototype 4 not completed)

Data: Green, 354

-- "During 1934, the Aterliers et Chantiers de la Loire amalgamated with the Société Nieuport-Astra to result in the Groupement Aviation Loire-Nieuport. The two concerns maintained separate design offices which, at times, were to find themselves in competition, a case in point being the LN 161. This, like the Loire 250, was intended to meet the requirements of the 1934 Service Technique specification for a new single-seat fighter. Designed by engineers Mary and Dieudonnée … was of advanced structural concept with an all-metal monocoque fuselage and a metal stressed-skin wing. Armament comprised [1x20mm (E) + 2x7.5mm (W)]. Although designed for the [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs 860hp], the non-availability of this power plant dictated installation of [Hispano-Suiza 12xcrs 690hp] driving a 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. The prototype flew as the Nieuport 160 on [10/05/1935]. In [11/1935], it was returned to the factory for various modifications and installation of the definitive engine, resuming flight test at the end of [03/1936] as the Nieuport 161 fitted with a 3-bladed 2-pitch propeller. The prototype showed considerable promise and was the favored contender for Armée de l'Air orders, 3 additional prototypes being contracted. The 1st prototype crashed on [09/22/1936], and the 2nd prototype, temporarily designated SNCAO 161 (Loire-Nieuport having meanwhile been absorbed by [SNCAO]), did not enter flight test until [10/15/1937]. The 3rd prototype, bearing the definitive designation of Loire-Nieuport 161, followed in [03/1938]. During the next month. the 2nd prototype was written off in a landing accident, but the results were by then of purely academic interest as the Morane-Saulnier contender [MS.405] had been ordered into production. Consequently the 4th prototype was not completed." (Green, 354)

-- [protracted development may be explained in part by the nationalization of the aircraft industry 1936-1937]

-- SNCAO further developed the LN 161 under the designation CAO.200, first flown [01/31/1939] to compete with the D.520; production of service trial aircraft halted by Armistice (Weal, 99)

-- SNCAO CAO.200 interceptor fighter under development used Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31 860hp, Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1100hp [same engine used in D.523 below] (Weal, 99)

-- front view / side / side view in flight / 3-view / front-side / side / front-side 161 / specs

-- detailed article in Le Fana de l'Aviation 05/1971 #22 by Robert J. Roux (specs, 3 pictures, 3-view)

Loire 250 (09/1935) -- fighter -- ~1 built -- [2,200 kg] -- lost to MS.405

Hispano-Suiza 14Ha 980hp -- 300 mph [482.8 km/h]

2x20mm + 2x7.5mm

Data: Flight 11/19/1936 p.543

-- "In 1934, the Service Technique issued an outline specification for a new single-seat fighter, all the contenders but one having all-metal stressed-skin monocoque structures with enclosed cockpits and retractable undercarriages. The structural exception was the MS.405. The Loire 250 was powered by a [Hispano-Suiza 14Ha-79 1000hp] 2-row radial and was first flown on [09/27/1935] temporarily with a fixed-pitch 2-bladed wooden propeller. Intended armament comprised [2x20mm (S) and 2x7.5mm] but trials with the Loire 250 proved disappointing from the outset, the prototype suffering serious drag problems. Various palliatives were applied to reduce drag, the vertical tail was redesigned to rectify a stability problem and a 3-bladed variable-pitch propeller was fitted. Nonetheless the fighter proved incapable of attaining the max speed of 'at least 485 km/h (301 mph)' called for by the specification, and thus the Loire 250 was eliminated from the contest at an early stage." (Green, 354)

-- Max speed 480 km/h @ 4500m; 5.5min to 4500m; range 875 km @ 350 km/h; empty 1500kg; loaded 2200kg; span 10.80m; length 7.81m; height 3.72m; wing area 16.30m². (Green, 354)

-- "The Loire is fitted with one of the new Hispano-Suiza 14Ha 2-row, 14-cylinder radials of 980hp and is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with awing of peculiar formation. The center section is proportionally wider than usual and is given no dihedral, this being reserved for the outer panels. The undercarriage retracts and in an inward sense into the wing which carries trailing-edge flaps designed to keep the landing speed down to 62mph [99.8 km/h] in spite of the wing loading of over 30 lb/sq ft. // The fuselage behind the big Hispano radial is of circular section as far back as the pilot's cockpit thence developing an oval section. // The cockpit enclosure is of more than usual interest because its tail fairing is quite transparent to improve the field of view. // Full night-flying gear is specified, together with 2-way wireless, 2 canons mounted in the wings and 2 machine guns. // A 3-bladed Hispano-Suiza airscrew is fitted, being a Hamilton type built under license in France. In round figures the maximum speed is given as 300 mph [482.8 km/h] and the time of climb to 13,120 ft as 5 minutes." (Flight 11/19/1936 p.543)

Flight 11/19/1936 p.542

Flight 11/19/1936 p.543

Mureaux 190 (07/1936) -- lightweight interceptor -- Brunet, Lemaitre, Hubert -- [1,290 kg] -- lost to MS.405; continued as Potez 230

Salmson 12Vars 450hp -- 489-499 km/h

1x20mm+ 2x7.5mm

Data: Green, 60 // Flight

-- "Prior to the nationalization of Les Mureaux in 1937 as a part of the SNCA du Nord, this company had produced a series of single-seat fighters which included the Mureaux 170, 180 and 190. The Mureaux 190 was a lightweight all-metal interceptor with a fixed undercarriage and powered by [Salmson 12Vars 450hp], and the prototype was flown for the first time in 1936. With the absorption of Les Mureaux by the SNCA du Nord, Messrs. Brunet (the former Mureaux chief designer), Lemaitre and Hubert, continued the development of the Mureaux line of lightweight fighters at the former Potez-CAMS factory at Sartrouville, and in the autumn of 1938 began work on the Potez 230 which was a logical development of the Mureaux 190 featuring numerous refinements and a powerful engine." (Green, 60)

-- "... flown for the first time in [07/1936], but tests were abandoned in 1937 because of the poor reliability of the Salmson engine, and a projected development with a retractable undercarriage, the Mureaux 191, was dropped." (Green, 19)

-- Max speed 550 km/h @ 4,000m; 430 km/h @ SL; endurance 2 hrs; empty 850 kg; loaded 1,290 kg; span 8.38m; length 7.20m; height 3.00m; wing area 10.00m². (Green, 19)

-- "The Mureaux 190 single-seater fighter represents a widely advocated class, being a small light machine with an engine of comparatively small capacity (450hp), but carrying a canon, 2 machine guns and a wireless while retaining an excellent performance." (Flight 11/19/1936 p.543)

-- "... the little Mureaux 190 C1 with an inverted vee-twelve air-cooled 14-liter Salmson of 450hp. The airscrew shaft of this engine is geared up, permitting a canon to be mounted above the crank case, whence it fires through the shaft. There are, in addition, 2 outboard rifle-caliber machine guns. // The all-up weight of this interesting little metal-clad monoplane is only 2,843 lb when carrying its full equipment and fuel sufficient for a [2.5 hr] endurance. At about 13,000 ft the maximum speed is said to be 304-310mph [489-499 km/h]. // One gathered that it is an 'aerobat' of the first order, that the turning circle puts its bigger and heavier brothers to shame, and that the landing speed is about 60 mph. // Considering that 3 guns, 2-way radio and all the usual fighting equipment is specified, that the engine is of such a low power, and that the handling qualities are of such a high order this machine seems to justify the confidence placed by a large section of French experts in the light 'jockey' fighter and augurs well for the success of our own Vickers Venom. // Two larger, heavier and higher powered machines in the 300 mph category are the Loire-Nieuport 250 and the Morane-Saulnier [MS.405]. The last-named machine has been adopted as standard equipment and is exhibited on the official stand of the French Air Ministry." (Flight 11/19/1936 p.543)

-- image showing air intake on Mureaux 190. (Flight 11/19/1936 p.544)

-- "The new Mureaux 190 light single-seater fighter [pictured] mounts a Salmson inverted vee-twelve engine arranged to accommodate a canon firing through its airscrew boss, which, as will be seen on the right [picture], is raised accordingly. // The only moteur canon at present in quantity production is the Hispano (Series X of 690hp and 860hp Series Y), although before long, if the comparatively low-powered single-seater finds continued encouragement, we may see the adoption of the 450hp Salmson inverted vee-twelve." (Flight 12/17/1936 b)

-- "When a canon is applied to an inverted engine like the Salmson or Walter vee-twelve it immediately increases the depth of the complete installation and detracts from the view obtainable over the cowling, the comparative merit of which is one of the benefits attendant on the use of an inverted engine." (Flight 12/17/1936 c)

Blériot-SPAD S.710 (04/1937) -- Fighter (biplane) -- Andre Herbemont -- 1 built -- lost to MS.405; abandoned; butterfly tail appears again in Bugatti 100

Tier IV alternates -- prototypes, projects, imports

Edited by J311yfish, 27 May 2018 - 06:48 PM.

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J311yfish #6 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:06 PM

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Tier V

Arsenal-Delanne AD 10C2 (10/1941) -- [Premium] -- Fighter -- [2,880 kg]

SNCASE SE.100 (03/1939) -- [Premium] -- Heavy Fighter -- P.E. Mercier and Jacques Lecarme -- ~2 built -- [7,500 kg]

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1	SE.100-01	V 2x Gnome-Rhone 14N 20/21 1030hp	560 km/h
	SE.100-01	(airframe refinement)	580 km/h @ 6500m	4x20mm HS-404 (N) 1x20mm rear cannon on SAMM electro-pneumatic mount in observer's cockpit
~1	SE.100-02			6x20mm (N) 2x20mm dorsal turret 1x20mm ventral mount
	SE.101 proposed	2x Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 1200hp**
	SE.102 proposed	2x Gnome-Rhone 14N-2/3 1050hp

*300 total to be built, prevented by German occupation (Green, 545-546)

**same engine used by U.S.A. F4F Wildcat Tier V (1/3)

Data: Green, 69-70

Notes:

-- Design by P.E. Mercier and Jacques Lecarme of SNCASE. (Green, 545)

-- "... highly innovative aircraft ... [intended to replace Potez 631] ... of mixed construction with a wooden wing and a duralumin-covered welded steel-tube fuselage ... retractable tricycle undercarriage with a steerable nosewheel and small outrigger wheels retracting into the bases of the endplate vertical tail surfaces." (Green, 545)

-- "... prototype construction commenced [04/1938] at La Courneuve, near Paris." (Green, 69-70)

-- "The Mercier engine cowlings were similar to those of the LeO 451 bomber ..." (Green, 70)

-- "The outrigger or auxiliary wheels were taken from a D.500 fighter." (Green, 70)

-- "... prototype performed extremely well until [04/1940] ... crashed when the pitch of one airscrew was reversed inadvertently at low altitude." (Green, 70)

-- first flight 03/29/1939; destroyed 04/05/1940 due to starboard propeller pitch malfunction during landing approach (Green, 546)

-- production 300 planned for delivery at the end of 1940, interrupted by German occupation; 2nd prototype almost complete (Green, 546)

-- Green claims proposed production variants for SE.101 included a version with Rolls-Royce Merlins. (Green, 71)

-- "also named as LeO-50 ... [Liore-et-Olivier became SNCASE 1937] .... competed against ~~Caudron C.900~~, Hanriot H.220, Potez 670, ~~Payen 323~~" (Hartmann, 4-5)

-- Hartmann claims that a prototype flew with Gnome-Rhone 14M8/9 800hp engines and reached 560 km/h, and that maximum possible armament was 10x20mm, with 6 in the nose. (Hartmann, 4-5)

-- Hartmann also mentions these uncommon characteristics: 1) reverse-tricycle configuration with one wheel in front; 2) short takeoffs possible due to special lift mechanisms [difficult translation from French]; 3) exceptional view for rear gunner to cover 90-degrees (Hartmann, 4-5)

-- Hartmann claims that the Gnome-Rhone engines were tested by the Germans and then used on Henschel Hs 129 [Hs 129B] to good effect as an upgrade to the Argus engine [Hs 129A] (Hartmann, 4-5)

-- front view / side view

Dewoitine D.520 (10/1938, 11/1939) -- Fighter -- Emile Dewoitine, Robert Castello, Jacques Henrat -- 910 built -- [2,780 kg] -- entered service ~11/1939; only 36 delivered by 05/1940

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
3 prototypes (FF 10/1938)	D.520-01/03	V Hispano-Suiza 12Y 21 890hp VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y 51 1000hp V Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 830hp	550 km/h	1x20mm (E) 2x7.5mm (W)
710 ordered* (FF 11/1939)	D.520	V Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 w/ Szydlowski s.c. 935hp	535 km/h @ 6000m 534 km/h @ 5500m 425 km/h @SL	1x20mm HS 404 (E) 4x7.5mm MAC 34 M39 (W)
		VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y49 w/ improved supercharger
1 (FF 02/09/1940)	D.521	V Rolls-Royce Merlin III 990hp	560-570 km/h	2x20mm HS404(W) 2x7.5mm MAC 34 M39(W)
(1)	D.523	VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1000hp
(1)	D.524	VII Hispano-Suiza 12Z89 1200hp	616 km/h est.

*more completed under occupation

** Weal claims that prototypes also used Hispano-Suiza 12Y21 890hp, Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 830hp (Weal, 91)

Data: Weal, 91 / Green / Pellatier / Guttman / Belcarz

Notes:

-- "Arguably FAF's finest fighter, only 36 D.520's (of total 2,320 on order) delivered prior to German attack [05/10/1940]; equipped 5 Groupes (plus 3 Escadrilles FNAF) by Armistice; having scored 114 confirmed 'kills' for loss of 85 of own number; production resumed under Vichey regime; operated FVAF, FVNAF units; saw action against Allied forces North African, Middle East (Syrian) campaigns; over 400 seized by Germany after occupation Vichy France [11/1942]; employed Luftwaffe training Geschwader; also supplied Italian, Rumanian, and Bulgarian AFs; used by latter in home-defense role against incursions US 9th/15th AFs; resumed FAF (FFI) service latter half 1944, engaged in reduction German pockets SE France; continued limited post-war use until early 1950s." (Weal, 91)

-- Designed by Emile Dewoitine in collaboration with Robert Castello and Jacques Henrat; to meet 06/1936 requirements (Green, 181-182)

-- "In [06/1936 Emile Dewoitine] set up a new design bureau, headed by Robert Castello ..." (Guttman, 121)

-- [Note: Robert Castello in 1948 is one of the designers of the Fouga Magister, whose butterfly tail resembles the Bugatti 100P]

-- prototypes ordered 04/03/1938; first flight 10/02/1938; second prototype flight 01/28/1939; third 05/05/39; order for 200 placed 03/14/1939; order for 510 placed 07/11/1939; first production aircraft flown 10/31/1939; 437 completed by 1940 Armistice; those built after 05/1942 used the [Hispano-Suiza] 12Y49 engine (Green, 181-182)

-- 246 captured by Germans in Vichy France; additional 192 completed under occupation; 150 to Romania, 96 to Bulgaria, 72 to Italy, others used as trainers (Green, 182)

-- "... resembling its predecessor, the D.513. Forward of the cockpit, however, was a wing with a new shape and a cleaner-looking engine installation." (Winchester, 67)

-- production of the D.520 with the 12Y and 12Z engines [12Z 89?] produced for the Vichy government; several hundered ordered (Flight Magazine 1/1943)

-- "Total production = 910." (Weal, 91)

D.520-01/03

-- "Prototypes; [multiple engines see table above]; wing, vertical tail, canopy modifications; 02 [1x20mm(E)+2x7.5mm(W)]; 03 with tailwheel in place of skid (3)." (Weal, 91)

-- "The D.520-01 prototype first flew on [10/02/1938] with Marcel Doret [his 35th prototype flight] at the controls ... order for 200 [in 04/1939]." (Guttman, 122)

-- "The 2nd prototype was first flown on [01/06/1939]. Already the initial trials gave outstanding results … Test flying by Marcel Detroyat confirmed the excellent performance … D.520 was thus earmarked for state trials that commenced at Villacoublay (near Paris) in late [01/1939]. During these C. Rozanoff achieved a speed of 520 km/ h, and even 825 km/h in a dive [02/07/1939]. Once the trials were completed … returned to the factory at Toulouse, where a more powerful engine [H-S 12Y-31 1100hp] was fitted … in this configuration achieved 550 km/h, even though it did not have a supercharger. This was fitted in the 3rd prototype [D.520-03] first flown by Marcel Doret on [05/05/1939]." (Belcarz, 405)

-- Belcarz claims D.520-01 flew first with [H-S 12Y-12], wooden 2-blade fixed-pitch prop, short fin with 2 radiators under wings, tail skid, unarmed; then changed to [H-S 12Y-29] 3-blade prop, radiator under fuselage, achieved 520 km/h; D.520-02 flew with [H-S 12Y-29] and enlarged fin, central radiator, strengthened undercarriage, new canopy, armed [1x20mm (H) + 2x7.5mm (W)]; D.520-03 flew with [H-S 12Y-31] and Szydlowski supercharger, tail wheel. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.520

-- "Production model; [multiple engines see table above]; lengthened fuselage; armour; increased wing armament (905)." (Weal, 91)

-- "The first production D.520 ... did not fly until [11/1939]." (Guttman, 122)

-- Empty 4,608 lb (2,090 kg) / Max Loaded 6,129 lb (2,780 kg). (Green, 49)

-- Empty 4,479 lb (2,036 kg) / Max take-off 5,899 lb (2,677kg). (Winchester, 67)

-- Initial climb rate 5:48 to 4000m (13,120 ft). (Winchester, 67)

-- Range 890 km (950 miles). (Winchester, 67)

-- "The latest product of the SNCA du Midi is the [D.520] … structure has been designed with a view to very rapid production, utilizing hydraulic presses. It has been stressed to take engines of as much as 1,100 hp." (Flight 10/20/1938 a)

-- Belcarz claims similar to D.520-03; #1-350 had [Hispano-Suiza 12Y-45] + Ratier 1060 propeller + Szydlowski-Planiol supercharger; #351+ had [Hispano-Suiza 12Y-49 + Chauviere 3981 propeller + Szydlowski-Planiol supercharger; 403 completed by armistice; additional 349 completed under Vichy regime. (Belcarz, 6-11)

-- 3-view

D.520Z

-- "As D.520; modified coolant/exhaust systems; improved undercarriage (1 conversion)." (Weal, 91)

D.521-01

-- "Re-engine D.520; [V Rolls-Royce Merlin III 990hp] (1 conversion)." (Weal, 91)

-- D.521 prototype first flight 02/09/1940, did not proceed to production [heavier engine caused center of gravity issues] (Green, 183)

-- Belcarz claims the adaptation of #41 for Merlin was in anticipation of Hispano-Suiza 12Y-45 delivery problems; 2x20mm and 2 machine guns; CG issues; development halted 03/23/1940 after 7 flights. (Belcarz, 6-11)

-- "In 1939 the French aero-engine industry was unable to meet the demand for engines from its own airframe manufacturers; and in view of the world-wide reputation which the Merlin was rapidly acquiring for its performance in the Hurricane and Spitfire, the French Air Ministry decided to request … to negotiate with Rolls-Royce for a license to manufacture the Merlin. The original scheme was discussed in London in [03/1939]." (Lloyd, 11)

-- "The British Air Ministry … agreed to the sale of manufacturing rights on certain conditions. The first of these was that the early [Merlin III]'s could be released in connection with the contract and the building up of production in France, but not the later Merlin X's. It was realized that there was no hope of the Fordair factory producing complete Merlins for the French aircraft manufacturers much before the spring of 1940 …" (Lloyd, 12)

-- "Though the project for manufacturing Merlins in France was completely abandoned, the French Air Force still required Merlin engines for 2 types of aircraft -- the Amiot bomber and Dewoitine fighter -- which it was intended should use them. By [04/11/1940] 126 engines had actually been delivered under the agreement between the British and French Air Ministries, and it appeared that the French intended to ask for another 200 engines when the 300 originally ordered had been delivered. By the fall of France [06/25/1940], 143 Merlins had been delivered in all." (Lloyd, 19)

D.522

-- re-engined for Allison V-1710C-1, in anticipation of delivery problems with Hispano-Suiza; abandoned after armistice 06/22/1940. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.523

-- "Re-engined D.520; [Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1000hp]; (1 conversion)." (Weal, 91)

-- development version; planned from #601 onwards; [H-S-12Y-51 1000hp] + Szydlowski-Planiol supercharger; 570 km/h. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.524

-- "Re-engined D.520; [Hispano-Suiza 12Z 89 1200hp]; (1 conversion)." (Weal, 91)

-- test machine #41, work commenced but never flown; 616 km/h @ 7000m est. (Belcarz, 6-11)

-- D.524 development abandoned due to Armistice (Green, 183)

D.525

-- new Hispano-Suiza supercharger; development version, from D.523, planned from #751 onwards. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.530

-- Hispano-Suiza 12Y 1800hp or Rolls-Royce Merlin 1400hp; planned development, prototype never built. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.550

-- [Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs] racer version; smaller span wings; private venture by Emile Dewoitine; 702 km/h on 02/24/1940; test interrupted due to engine temperature before full power reached; last flight 05/18/1940; FF 06/23/1939. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.551/552

-- [Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51]; military version of D.550; 18 under construction at armistice; 08/09/1940 Germans decide to make sports aeroplane as D.560; abandoned; scrapped. (Belcarz, 6-11)

D.553/554

-- [Hispano-Suiza 12Z] + Szydlowski-Planiol supercharger; planned version. (Belcarz, 6-11)

HD-780

-- "Floatplane version, modified D.520 (1)." (Weal, 91)

-- [Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1100hp]; floatplane fighter development; 2 floats + inverted-gull wings; 11/1939 prototype commenced; 04/1940 aborted in favor of D.790. (Belcarz, 6-11)

SE.520Z

-- "Improved D.520; [Hispano-Suiza 12Z 1200hp/1600hp]; modified (lengthened) forward fuselage; revised armament; prototype only (1)." (Weal, 91)

-- modified/lengthened cowling, new cooling system, redesigned undercarriage; 3x20mm; 650 km/h est.; Vichy given approval 1942; 03/1943 construction terminated. (Belcarz, 6-11)

Arsenal VG-33 (10/1938, 05/1939) -- lightweight interceptor-fighter -- Vernisse & Jean Galtier -- 49 built -- [2,656 kg] -- 19 delivered by 06/1940

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Weight
1	VG 30	Potez 12 Dc 610hp@1000m		V 1x20mm H-S (proposed) 2x7.5mm MAC (proposed)
(FF 10/01/1938)		Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 690hp	“faster than MS.406” (Green)	V 1x20mm H-S 404 4x7.5mm MAC
0	VG 31	V Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 860hp
1	VG 32	V Allison V-1710-C15 1040hp
44 (FF 05/1939)	VG 33	V Hispano-Suiza 12Y31 860hp Chauvière-375 airscrew	558 km/h @ 5200m 590 km/h @ SL	V 1x20mm H-S 404 (E) 4x7.5mm MAC 1934 M 39 (W) Baille-Lemaire 40 gun sight	empty 2,050 kg loaded 2,656 kg
(from VG-33) (FF 01/1940)	VG 34	V Hispano-Suiza 12Y45 910hp	576 km/h @ 6500m
(1 from VG-33) (FF 02/1940)	VG 35	VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1000hp
(1 from VG-35) (FF 05/1940)	VG 36*	VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y51 1000hp	590 km/h @ 7000m

*(some redesign to radiator and rear fuselage)

Data: Green / Weal, 86 / Green, 20-23

Total production = 49 (Weal, 86)

VG-30

-- designed by Vernisse and Jean Galtier (source of VG designation) (Green, 30)

-- designed to meet a lightweight interceptor requirement, in competition with Caudron C.713 (Green, 30)

-- wooden stressed-skin construction; first flight 10/01/38 with [Hispano-Suiza] 12Xcrs engine [due to delay of Potez engine] (Green, 30)

-- "[VG-30] ... proved faster than the MS.406 ... allegedly attained 805 km/h in a dive between 4000m and 2000m; development abandoned in favor of VG-33" (Green, 30)

-- wing area 150.695 sq.ft. All developments after VG-31 retain the original 150.695 sq. ft. (Green, 20-1)

-- built of wood; Hispano-Suiza X engine with motor cannon. (Flight 10/20/1938 a)

-- underside (Flight 12/01/1938 p.486)

VG-31

-- VG-31 had a slightly smaller wing, and moved the radiator aft; prototype never assembled. (Green, 30)

-- wing area 129.167 sq ft; not assembled. (Green, 20)

VG-32

-- prototype; re-engine VG-30. (Weal, 86)

-- prototype [with American engine] captured by German forces [at Villacoublay] before it could make maiden flight in 1942 (Green, 30; 21)

-- "The proposed production model of the VG-32 was to have employed the VG-36 fuselage and the VG-39 wings, but armament was to have been restricted to [6x7.5mm] owing to the inability of the [Allison engine] to take the 20mm cannon. The SNCAN factory at Meaule and the Couzinet factory at La Roche-sur-Yon were intended to participate in the VG-fighter series production program, but tooling at these plants had not commenced at the time of the French collapse." (Green, 23)

VG-33

-- production model; modified VG-30; inc 4 prototypes; 44 built. (Weal, 86)

-- prototype first flight 05/1939; 720 machines ordered, only 40 completed -- 19 taken on charge by FAF prior to Armistice [06/1940]; 21 seized by Germany, fate unknown. (Weal, 86)

-- VG-33 development commenced 05/24/1939; order for 220 placed 08/1939, raised to 1000 but only 19 complete by the time France collapsed. (Green, 30)

VG-34

-- prototype; re-engined VG-30. (Weal, 86)

-- VG-34 first flight 01/20/1940; engine change, otherwise identical to VG-33 (Green, 30)

VG-35

-- prototype; re-engine VG-30. (Weal, 86)

-- VG-35 first flight 02/25/1940; engine change, otherwise identical to VG-33 (Green, 30)

VG-36

-- modified VG-35; redesigned rear fuselage and radiator bath. (Weal, 86)

-- VG-36 first flight 05/14/1940; "some redesign of rear fuselage into which a shallower, wider radiator bath was faired." (Green, 30)

VG-37

-- "further design study employed a proposed [Hispano-Suiza 1000hp] which did not materialize." (Green, 22)

VG-38

-- "... intended to use the Hispano-Suiza 77 with 2 Brown-Boveri exhaust-driven turbo-superchargers." (Green, 22)

VG-39

-- modified VG-33; Hispano-Suiza Type 89ter 1200hp; modified wing with 2 additional machine-guns; 1 built. (Weal, 86)

-- "... [Hispano-Suiza 89ter 1200hp] and a modified wing structure ... [6x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9] ... [388 mph @ 18,865ft (624 km/h @ 5750m)]." (Green, 23)

VG-39bis

-- "... was to have embodied the modified fuselage of the VG-36 with shallower radiator. Initial production aircraft were to have had [Hispano-Suiza 89ter] and [1x20mm + 6x7.5mm], and later models were to have carried a similar armament but were to have had [Hispano-Suiza 12Z 1600hp]." (Green, 23)

See Pelletier

Bloch MB.152 (12/1938) -- fighter -- ~482 built -- [2,800 kg max] -- entered service 04/1939+; ~100 operational by 01/1940

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
200 ordered	152	V Gnome-Rhone 14N-25 1080hp @ TO; 1000hp @3600m**	482 km/h @ 5500m 509 km/h @ 4500m	2x20mm HS 404 (W) 2x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9 (W)
288 ordered	152 No.301+	V Gnome-Rhone 14N-49 1000hp @3600m Chauvière type 371 airscrew	509 km/h @ 4500m	4x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9 (W)
(1) (FF 04/1939)	152 No.434 153-01	V Pratt & Whitney R-1830-SC3-G Twin Wasp 1050hp	545 km/h @ 6000m
0	154	V Wright GR-1820-G205A Cyclone 9 1200hp

*total of 482 ultimately delivered; 20 of which were supplied to Romania by the Vichy government

** Weal claims Gnome-Rhone 14N-21 1030hp was used on 152-01 prototype

Data: Weal / Cristesco / Green

-- "...differed primarily in the sub-types of 14N engine specified, and in armament provisions." (Green, 69)

MB.152-01

-- "prototype; Gnome-Rhone 14N-21 1030hp; modified MB.151; modified engine cowling; revised (belt-fed) armament (1)." (Weal, 87)

MB.152

-- first flight 12/15/1938 by R.Blanc with Gnome-Rhone 14N21 [1030hp (Green, 28)] engine; Gnome-Rhone 14N25 [1080hp (Green, 28)] engine fitted 01/1939 (Cristesco, 5); "...official trials at CEMA [02/1939 and 400 ordered] of which 60 were to be MB.151s and remainder MB.152s." (Green, 28)

-- manufactured in parallel with Bloch 151; first flight 12/15/1938; delivery 04/1939 (Green, 69)

-- "production model; Gnome-Rhone 14N-21 or Gnome-Rhone 14N-49 1060hp; 481 produced." (Weal, 87)

-- "The 1st true aircraft built in accordance with the prototype order No. 308/8 was the Bloch 152-01, completed at Courbevoie in [10/1938] using the airframe numbered 433. Essentially it differed from the Bloch 151 in that it had the more powerful Gnome-Rhone 14N21 engine, rated at 1030hp with which a max speed of 520 km/h (323mph) was expected at an altitude of 5000m (16,400ft). The proposed armament was to be either [4x7.5mm] or [2x20mm HS404 and 2x7.5mm], the second variation practically always being mounted on the Bloch 152." (Cristesco, 5)

-- "As with the Bloch 151 ... cooling difficulties were the cause of engine overheating not allowing the machine to be flown at full throttle, thus limiting the top speed to 470 km/h (292mph). During 1939 various airscrews and engine cowlings were tested in flight in an attempt to solve this problem." (Cristesco, 5)

-- "Cooling difficulties necessitated an increase in the diameter of the engine air intake to cool the rear surface of the engine." (Green, 29)

-- "After intensive test flights, the Bloch 152-01 was brought up to the series standard and redesignated the Bloch 152 No.433. It was finally taken on charge by the French Air Force on [05/15/1940]." (Cristesco, 6)

-- "...of nearly 300 machines delivered to FAF by 01/1940, almost two-thirds remained non-operational for lack of correct propellers ... claimed 146 enemy aircraft destroyed for 86 of own number lost in action." (Weal, 87)

-- "The Bloch 152, the most widely used French machine during the last weeks before the armistice, was about to be replaced, too late, by more modern aircraft. Compared with its French contemporaries, the Bloch 152 was the least successful in combat and the one that suffered the heaviest losses. Its two main faults were its inadequate range and poor maneuverability at altitude, where its powerful armament frequently became useless due to insufficient heating [HS404's in the wings rather than in proximity to engine], thus depriving many pilots of their 'kills'. The Bloch 152 was, nevertheless, a very sturdy machine and capable of taking much more punishment than its stablemates. It was also considered to be a very steady gun platform and could quickly attain high speeds in a dive." (Cristesco, 3)

-- "The cooling difficulties of the 14N25 and 14N35-powered Blochs were partly remedied thanks to a modified air intake which was gradually introduced to almost all serving machines." (Cristesco, 7)

-- production at SNCASO plant at Bordequx-Mérignac. (Green, 28)

-- "... on MB.152 No.641 and subsequent .. the trim tab was adjustable in flight." (Green, 29)

-- "... production terminated with MB.152 No.699 [at Franco-German Armistice]." (Green, 30)

-- Empty 4,453 lb / Max Loaded 5,908 lb. (Green, 30; Frederiksen, 49)

-- max speed 509 km/h @ 4500m; range 540km; 3.4min to 2,000m; empty 4,758 lb (2,158kg); max loaded 6,173 lb (2,800kg); span 10.54m; length 9.10m; height 3.03m; wing area 17.32m². (Green, 69)

-- 3-view

MB.153

-- Bloch 153-01 first flight 04/08/1939 with American engine; delivered 05/28/1940; did not proceed to production (Green, 69)

-- "The second machine of the prototype order No.308/8, the Bloch 153 No.01, was assembled late in [10/1938] using the 434 airframe and an American-built [Pratt & Whitney R1830 SC3-G 'Twin Wasp'] driving a Hamilton airscrew. Following its maiden flight at Villacoublay on [04/08/1939], the Bloch 153-01 was evaluated by CEMA and was the subject of many modifications similar to those which had been carried out on the Bloch 151 and 152 prototypes." (Cristesco, 6)

-- [The MB.153 prototype] retreated south after being accepted by the Air Force on [05/28/1940] as Bloch 153 No.434, and was later flown again by the Vichy Air Force." (Cristesco, 6)

-- "prototype; modified Bloch 152; Pratt & Whitney R1830 SC3-G 1050hp 'Twin Wasp' (1)." (Weal, 87)

-- "... prototype [destroyed 05/1940] when its pilot failed to avoid a bomb crater while landing at Villacoublay." (Green, 29)

-- "... French Government has bought the license to manufacture 2-row Pratt & Whitney radials, chiefly, if not entirely, of the Twin Wasp type … a report that France has ordered 600 engines direct from America … // It is believed that the first installation of a Pratt & Whitney engine in a French military prototype concerns the Bloch 151 … which … was originally fitted with a 2-row Gnome-Rhone radial." (Flight 10/20/1938 a)

MB.154

-- "The third and last prototype of the 308/8 contract was to have been called the Bloch 154, constructed on the No.435 airframe. It never reached completion as its intended engine, a Wright R1820 Cyclone, did not arrive in time." (Cristesco, 6)

-- Bloch 154 did not reach flight testing due to engine delay; development overtaken by Bloch 155 (Green, 69)

-- "... proposed version powered by Wright R-1820 Cyclone, but no prototype of this variant was completed." (Green, 30)

Bloch MB.155 (12/1939) -- fighter -- M. Fandeux -- 29 built -- [2,900 kg max] -- intended to enter service 06/1940

Production

Airframe

Engine

Speed

Armament

Bombs

400 ordered, 29 delivered*

(FF 12/1939)

155

V Gnome-Rhone 14N-49 1140hp

3-blade Ratier electric

520 km/h @ 5500m

520 km/h @ 4500m

2x20mm HS 404 and 2x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9 (W) or

2x20mm HS 404 and 4x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9 (W) or

6x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9 (W)

*400 ordered, 10 delivered prior to Franco-German Armistice; 19 to Vichy-controlled Armee de l’Air de l’Armistice

Data: Weal / Green, 31-32 / Cristeco / Green, 69-70

-- SNCASO design team led by M Fandeux to overcome shortcomings of [MB.152] [Bloch company absorbed by SNCASO] (Green, 69-70)

-- MB.155 featured a larger fuselage fuel tank, center of gravity and spacing considerations ... movement of cockpit farther aft ... major structural redesign of forward and center fuselage ... tail bracing struts eliminated ... otherwise similar to MB.152. (Green, 69)

-- 1st production aircraft flown 04/03/1940; 10 completed prior to Armistice; 19 completed for Vichy-controlled Armee de l'Air de l'Armistice (Green, 69)

-- "... [designed as] an improvement on the [MB.152]. Its essential difference was that it had increased fuselage fuel tanks, a cleaner engine cowling on which no outer fairing protruded around the cylinder heads, a slight increase in the wing chord, an armored 40mm Triplex windshield and more powerful armament consisting of [2x20mm HS-404] belt-fed cannon and [4x7.5mm MAC 1934-M39]. The modified fuel tank necessitated the re-designing of the whole of the fore part of the fuselage as the cockpit had to be moved further aft." (Cristesco, 8)

-- "The prototype Bloch 155-01 was presumably assembled using the No.449 airframe built at Châteauroux-Déols, from which airfield the first flight took place on [12/03/1939] with SNCASO test pilot Bellecroix at the controls." (Cristesco, 8)

-- "The 1st production machine, Bloch 155-701, made its maiden flight from Déols on [04/03/1940]. // By mid [06/1940], some 10 machines had come off the assembly line and were intended to enter service with G.C. I/1 at Agen; but the armistice of [06/25/1940] prevented this." (Cristesco, 8)

-- "Only 8 Bloch 155s completed prior to Franco-German armistice of [06/25/1940]; production subsequently resumed for Vichy AF; several captured examples employed by Luftwaffe as fighter-trainers, 1942-1944." (Weal, 87)

-- "... the first French production fighter to feature belt-fed cannon and an armored windshield [40mm Triplex glass]." (Green, 32)

-- Empty 4,630 lb / Loaded 6,393 lb. (Green, 32)

-- max speed 520 km/h @ 4500m; range 1,050km; 6.92min to 4,000m; empty 4,178 lb (2,140kg); max loaded 6,393 lb (2,900kg); span 10.54m; length 9.05m; height 3.21m; wing area 17.32m². (Green, 69-70)

Tier V alternates -- prototypes, projects, imports

Edited by J311yfish, 28 October 2018 - 02:57 AM.

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J311yfish #7 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:06 PM

Second Lieutenant

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Member since:
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Tier VI

Dewoitine D.551 (spring 1940) -- Fighter -- 3+ built

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1 (FF 06/1939)	D.550	Hispano-Suiza 12Y 1300hp	701.7km/h @ 6000m	None
1 prototype; 16 ordered, 3+ completed (FF spring 1940)	D.551	VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1100hp	560.1 km/h @ 5000m	1x20mm H-S 404 (E) 4x7.5mm MAC 1934 M39 (W)
	D.552			1x7.5mm (N) 6x7.5mm (W)

Data: Green, 51 / verify

D.550

-- D.550 first flight [06/23/1939] by Marcel Doret at Toulouse-Francazals. (Green, 50)

-- "... designed for an attempt on the World Air Speed Record ... initial trials conducted with [Hispano-Suiza 12Y] boosted to 1300hp ... attaining 436 mph @ 19,685ft [701.7 km/h @ 6000m] with this engine on [11/22/1939]. The advent of [WW2] prevented development of the special 1,800hp engine with which the boosted HS12Y was to have been replaced, but the potentialities of the basic design prompted the SNCAM staff to evolve a fighter variant, the D.551." (Green, 50)

-- D.520 modified to increase speed; reduced wing span, reduced fuel capacity; designated D.550 (source)

-- D.550 reached 420 mph @ 19680 feet on 10/23/1939 [676 km/h @ 6000m] (source)

D.551

-- "...possessed a fuselage essentially similar to that of the D.550, but internal fuel capacity was increased and a cockpit canopy similar to that of the D.520 was fitted. A [Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1100hp] engine with a hub-mounted cannon was installed and the wing's area was increased from the D.550's 96.875 sq.ft. to 118.4 sq.ft., and accommodated 4 belt-fed machine guns. All-metal construction was employed, and the design was particularly suited for mass production. A one-piece, single-spar wing and monocoque fuselage were employed, and the control surfaces were fabric-covered. The tail skid was fully retractable." (Green, 50)

-- "16 pre-production D.551 fighters were ordered by the French Air Ministry in the spring of 1940 prior to the prototype's first flight, but only the prototype, 2 pre-production machines and 10 fuselages were completed before the Franco-German Armistice, and very few flight tests had been completed by [06/25/1940], after which the German Armistice Commission forbade any further trials." (Green, 51)

-- for development details and speeds at various altitudes see article in Le Fana de l'Aviation 06/1975 #67, or Docavia book #4 by same authors Raymond Danel and Jean Cuny.

Arsenal VG-39bis (05/1940) -- interceptor-fighter -- ~1 built; production planned

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1 (FF 05/1940)	VG 39-01	VII Hispano-Suiza 12Z89 1280hp	624 km/h @ 5750m	6x7.5mm MAC 1934 M 39 (W)
	VG 39bis	VII Hispano-Suiza 12Z89 1280hp (early models) VIII Hispano-Suiza 12Z 1600hp (later models)		6x7.5mm MAC 1934 M 39 (W) 1x20mm (E)
(07/1938+)	VG-40	Rolls Royce Merlin III 1300hp @ 2700m w/ 100-octane fuel + 12psi boost* [ref: Spitfire I, Hurricane I]
	VG-50	V Allison V-1710-39 1150hp [ref: Curtiss P-40]
	VG-60	VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1100hp w/ 2-stage Sidlowsky-Planiol turbo charger	___ km/h @3260m

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs/Rockets
	VG-60 (1939)	VI Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1000hp w/ Sidlowsky-Planiol supercharger	660 km/h @ alt. est.
	VG-60 (1942)	VII Hispano-Suiza 12Z 1200hp w/ Rateau turbocharger

Data: Pellatier / Green / unverified

VG-37

-- "further design study employed a proposed [Hispano-Suiza 1000hp] which did not materialize." (Green, 22)

VG-38

-- "... intended to use the Hispano-Suiza 77 with 2 Brown-Boveri exhaust-driven turbo-superchargers." (Green, 22)

VG-39

-- modified VG-33; Hispano-Suiza Type 89ter 1200hp; modified wing with 2 additional machine-guns; 1 built. (Weal, 86)

-- "... [Hispano-Suiza 89ter 1200hp] and a modified wing structure ... [6x7.5mm MAC 1934 M9] ... [388 mph @ 18,865ft (624 km/h @ 5750m)]." (Green, 23)

-- the final development of the VG-30 series to be flown; flight testing began 05/03/1940 (Green, 30; Pelletier, 49)

-- "...differed primarily in [engine choice], a revised wing structure which retained the profile and contours of the earlier wing, and [upgraded armament]" (Green, 31-32)

-- VG 39-01 last flown 06/15/1940; destroyed on the ground ahead of the advancing Germans (Pelletier, 49)

VG-39bis

-- VG 39bis was to be the production model, with fuselage similar to VG 36, [with upgraded engine] and addition of 1x20mm engine-mounted cannon. (Green, 32)

VG-40

-- unverified

-- *same engine used in Hurricane Mk.I, Spitfire Mk.I ... first delivered 07/01/1938

VG-50

-- unverified

VG-60

-- unverified

-- This information comes from an article by Gerard Hartmann detailing the history of Arsenal, with translation by Google:

-- "VG 60 is a project dating back to [10/1939] a fighter engine Hispano-Suiza 12Y-51 1000 hp turbocharged Sidlowsky-Planiol double floor powered by gasoline octane 140 delivering 1800 hp capable of flying at high altitude to 660 km/h. The project was taken in 1942 under as a study of a single-engine [fighter] redesigned around the Hispano-Suiza Z 12 1200 hp supercharged by a highly Rateau turbocharger cooled by an inter-cooler located in an air stream. The aircraft must therefore exceed 700 km/h with only 2000 hp, with advanced aerodynamics. The study fails." (Hartmann, 8; perhaps a poor translation)

-- [a very small side-view drawing of the VG-60 is on page 9. It resembles the VG-33 and later VG-40, though with a larger tail, and appears to have a ventral air intake, as found also on the VG-70. I don't know if the picture is authentic or if it represents artist interpretation.]

Tier VI alternates -- prototypes, projects, imports

Edited by J311yfish, 27 May 2018 - 08:50 PM.

Tech tree projects: JAPAN • UNITED KINGDOM • UNITED STATES • GERMANY • USSR

Europe tech tree projects: ITALY • FRANCE • SWEDEN • Finland (skins) • Poland • International // Retired projects: China • Brazil

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J311yfish #8 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:07 PM

Second Lieutenant

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Member since:
12-13-2013

Tier VII

Arsenal VB-10 (07/1945) -- [Premium] -- Heavy Fighter -- Michael Vernisse and M. Badie -- ~4 built -- [8,860 kg]

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1 (FF 07/1945)	VB-10-01 prototype	2x Hispano-Suiza 12Y-31 860hp	490 km/h @ SL
1 (FF 09/1946)	VB-10-02 prototype	VII 2x Hispano-Suiza 12Z 1150hp		VII 4x20mm H-S 404 (W) VII 6x12.7mm (W)
3* (FF 11/1947)	VB-10 production	2x Hispano-Suiza 12Z-15/16 1300hp	517 km/h @ SL 700 km/h @ 7500m	VII 4x20mm H-S 404 (W)	up to 500kg
	VB-10-03 / VB-15	2x Arsenal 12H (Jumo 213) 1750hp

Image: Wargaming

Notes:

-- developed under the direction of M. Badie (Green, 31; Flight Magazine 1947) [Vernisse and Badie = VB designation]

-- "... all-metal single-seat fighter powered by engines mounted in tandem fore and aft of the pilot's cockpit and driving contra-rotating co-axial propellers (Green, 31)

-- "...tandem-engined ... originally conceived as a fighter-attack machine ... [also produced as a photographic reconnaissance type]. (Flight Magazine 10/1947)

-- provision for 4x20mm cannons, 6x12.7mm machine guns, and bombs for fighter-attack role (Flight Magazine 11/1946, Flight Magazine 10/1947)

-- performance figures as of Flight Magazine 1947: 435 mph at 26,250 ft [700 km/h @ 8000m]

-- VB-10-01 prototype first flight 07/07/1945; VB-10-02 prototype first flight 09/21/1946; first production aircraft flown 11/03/1947; production cancelled 09/21/1948.

-- *30 ordered off the drawing board 05/1940, interrupted by Armistice; 200 ordered 12/22/1945; order later changed to 50; contract cancelled 09/21/1948 after production of 2 prototypes and 3 production models

-- VB-10-01 prototype did not have a bubble canopy (link above), while the VB-10 production model did.

-- [a company here makes an R/C model]

-- 20-page article on VB-10 found in Le Fanatique de l'Aviation No.246 (May 1990) confirms prototype designations, engines, armament

-- 5-page article on VB-10 found in Le Fanatique de l'Aviation No.250 (Sept 1990 by Alain Marchand) compares directly to the Dornier Do 335

-- side-rear view / side view / under construction / sideview

-- "The VB-10, although basically a pre-war design … was seen to have strong potential and so 2 navalised prototypes were ordered on [12/31/1944]. However, the difficulties encounted with this aircraft led to the cancellation of the order just one month later, to be replaced by a navalised Sud Est SE.580." (Carbonel, 97)

-- max speed 520 km/h @ SL; 700 km/h @ 7500m; normal range 1,700km; initial climb 10.2 m/s; empty 6,230 kg; normal loaded 8,860 kg; span 15.49m; length 12.98m; height 5.20m; wing area 35.50m². (Green, 31)

Development timeline

Dewoitine D.520Z / SNCASE SE.520Z (spring 1940, 02/1943) -- fighter -- 1/1 built

Midi M.520T (__/19__) -- fighter -- development of D.520 continued in secret

Dewoitine D.600 (__/19__) -- fighter -- Emile Dewoitine -- development of D.551 continued abroad

Bloch MB.157 (03/1942) -- Fighter -- Lucien Servanty -- 1 built -- [3,250 kg]

Production

Airframe

Engine

Speed

Armament

Bombs

156

VII (abandoned adaptation of 14R 1310hp engine in 1939)

(FF 03/1942)

157

VIII Gnome-Rhone 14R-4 1580hp t/o, 1480hp @ 8000m*

710 km/h @ 7850m

2x20mm HS 404 (W) and

2x7.5mm MAC 1934 M39 (W)

*14R = supercharged

Notes:

-- Team led by Lucien Servanty [designer responsible for Triton, Espadon, Trident I, Trident II ... Concorde] (Green, 71)

-- "... a singularly outstanding fighter deserving of a fate far better than that for which it was destined." (Green, 33)

-- adaptation of Bloch MB.152 to use new supercharged 14R engine; first flight 03/1942; single prototype delivered to the Luftwaffe early in 1943 (Green, 71)

-- "Design work proceeded rapidly, and construction of a prototype MB.157 was initiated at Villacoublay in [12/1939]. The Gnome-Rhone 14R-4 engine ... offered 1590hp for takeoff, 1700hp @ 26,250ft, and a cruising output of 1400hp and it was proposed that an armament of [2x20mm H-S (W) and 4x7.5mm (W)]. By the time the prototype components were ready for assembly, German forces were approaching paris. Therefore, on [06/09/1940], they were loaded on a trailer which was to be towed to Poitiers, but the trailer was captured by a German column and ordered to the SNCASO establishment at Bordeaux-Mérignac in the occupied zone of France. The completion of the aircraft was authorized by the German authorities ... [first flight 03/1942], minus armament." (Green, 33-34)

-- "Flight trials were extremely successful ... an extremely advanced fighter for its time, possessing a performance attained by piston-engine fighters only during the closing stages of the war." (Green, 34)

-- max speed 710 km/h @ 7850m; range 1,100km; 11min to 8000m; empty 2,388kg; normal loaded 3,250kg; span 10.70m; length 9.15m; height 4.30m; wing area 19.40m². (Green, 71)

-- top speed 676 km/h @ 8000m; two-speed supercharger (Flight Magazine 5/1942)

-- ... all-metal, single-seat fighter, a development of the Bloch 155 and Bloch 151 ... low-wing monoplane with retractable undercarriage and camber-changing flaps ... powered by Gnome-Rhone 14R 14-cylinder twin-row, air-cooled radial of 1590hp for takeoff, and driving a Ratier three-bladed c.p. airscrew ... max speed 435 mph [700 km/h] @ 28,000 ft [8534m] ... climbs to 28,000 ft [8534m] in 11 minutes ... armament reported to be 2x20mm and 4x7.5mm (Flight Magazine 1/1943)

-- produced for the Vichy government (Flight Magazine 1/1943)

-- used in the interim as a torpedo-bomber, equipped with dive brake (Flight Magazine 11/1946)

Edited by J311yfish, 27 May 2018 - 06:16 PM.

Tech tree projects: JAPAN • UNITED KINGDOM • UNITED STATES • GERMANY • USSR

Europe tech tree projects: ITALY • FRANCE • SWEDEN • Finland (skins) • Poland • International // Retired projects: China • Brazil

Historical scenarios: Spanish Civil War (skins) • Invasion of Poland • Winter War • Continuation War

Map proposals: Panama Canal • Great Wall of China • Cliffs of Dover // Clan: 343 Kokutai // Tutorial: How to ignore forum posts and signatures

J311yfish #9 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:08 PM

Second Lieutenant

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Tier VIII

SNCAC NC.1070 (05/1947) -- [Premium] -- Attack -- 1 built -- [10,700kg]

Bugatti 110P (design began ~1939) -- light fighter -- Louis de Monge -- development continued in secret during German occupation of France

SNCASE SE.580/582 (10/1943++) -- Robert Castello and Jacques Henrat -- 2 prototypes ordered 1944; planned production as of 1945

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1 prototype incomplete	SE 580	Hispano-Suiza 24Z 3000hp @ SL; 2500hp @ 9300m 2 contra-rotating props (3.5m)	749 km/h @ 9300m est. 600 km/h @ SL est.	1x30mm (H) and 4x20mm H-S 404 (W) and 6-8x7.5mm (W) or 6x12.7mm (W)	1x500kg
(1 modified)		Arsenal 24H (Jumo 213 derivative) 5-bladed prop (3.7m)
	SE 582 (navalised)				1x500kg or 1x690kg torpedo or 1x300 liter drop tank

Data: Carbonel, 32-33, 98

SE.580

-- "This heavy fighter began life before the war at Société National de Constructions Aéronautiques du Midi as the M.580. It was to be powered by [2xHispano-Suiza 12Z] driving, through a single transmission box, a pair of contra-rotating propellers. Once again the project was allowed to continue during the war as a 'high speed mailplane'. By 1942, as the SE.580, it had been altered to take a single 24-cylinder engine offering twice the power of the original pair of 12Z units. Following intensive wind tunnel testing, in 1943 a complete set of blueprints was prepared with the hope of building this high performance machine as soon as circumstances would permit … this happened in the following year [1944] when the new Ministére de l'Air placed an order for 2 prototypes." (Carbonel, 32-33)

-- "The SE.580 showed its filiation with pre-war Dewoitine designs through the general shape of its airframe, wings and fin-rudder assembly. What set it apart was the air-cooler intake placed behind the cockpit … restricted severely the rearwards view for the pilot. The engine was [Hispano-Suiza 24Z 2500hp @ 9300m] and the armament was to be very heavy. There was a [1x30mm (H)] in the centre of the propellers (contra-rotative airscrews of [3.5m] diameter had been retained from the earlier twin-engine version), [4x20mm (W)] plus [6-8x7.5mm (W) or 6x12.7mm (W)]. The aircraft also had provision for [1x500kg] to be attached under the fuselage and for a camera to be mounted inside the fuselage (the SE.580 was actually intended to be a multi-role machine -- fighter, dive bomber and reconnaissance aircraft)." (Carbonel, 33)

-- "Unfortunately .. the [Hispano-Suiza 24Z] was an engine whose development was never completed satisfactorily, which for the SE.580 also meant replacement by an Arsenal 24H. This in turn required modifying the propeller … After that the ground clearance was no longer sufficient and so the landing gear also had to be redesigned. At the same time it was proposed to improve the aerodynamics by adding a fairing at the wing leading edge. These modifications had a cumulative effect that delayed the first flight of the SE.580, by which time the writing was on the wall for piston-engined fighters. On top of this, the 'post-libération' enthusiasm was gone and military budges had been tightened by the massive reconstruction work required across France. The whole SE.580 project was scrapped before the prototype had been finished." (Carbonel, 33)

-- Max speed: 749 km/h @ 9,300m; Span 15.86m; Length 13.00m; Gross wing area 35.09 m²; Gross weight 7,524-8,128kg. (Carbonel, 33)

-- for more details see the Docavia books by Jean Cuny (No.28 and 30) [sold here], or find the article by Jean Curnel in 'Le Fana de l'Aviation' magazine (07/1972 #35).

-- Dewoitine factory at Toulouse [southern France] absorbed by SNCAM 1937; in 1941 it was acquired by SNCASE; (Hartmann, 13-14)

-- French engineers withdrew in secret to Toulouse to work on aircraft in the southern zone; high activity at the factory in Toulouse, and also in Marignane [city on southern coast of France ~388 km away by auto]; work continued until 11/1942; [work may have been interrupted because] the engineers had to improvise by using a veterinary school to continue their work in 1943 (Hartmann, 13-14)

-- In 10/1943 the engineers unveiled their adaptation of the D.520 to use the Hispano-Suiza 24Z 3000hp engine, however the engine was still not complete, and by 1946 the project was abandoned [probably due to jet developments in progress by SNECMA established 1945] (Hartmann, 13-14)

-- Hartmann also claims that 2 prototypes were developed (Hartmann, 33)

-- source here claims that a navalised version of the SE.580 was designated SE.2200 (source)

-- image 1 / image 2 / model available / model completed / 3-view / more

SE.582

-- "This was the navalised SE.580 with the addition of an arrestor hook and a folding wing. The wing span when folded came down to [7.5m] to allow it to fit within the lift of the new planned PA or Porte Avions (aircraft carriers) then being studied by the French Navy. It was to have carried either [1x500kg bomb] or [1x690kg torpedo] or [1x300 liter drop tank]. In 1945 it was planned to equip 4 flotilles of 24 aircraft each with this aircraft, but the SE.580 had already encountered its share of troubles with its engine … The project was transferred to SNCA du Centre at Boulogne Billancourt while SNCASE concentrated on other designs, but by then [end 1946] the aircraft was becoming obsolete and so the project was abandoned in 1947 without any prototype being completed." (Carbonel, 98)

Development timeline

unverified information -- secondary internet sources (forums, blogs, etc.)

unverified information

The SNCA Sud Est SE 580 comes from the SNCA du Midi M 580 project of 1940. It would have 2 coupled engines. Then SNCASE overtook the SNCAM, and wind-tunnel trials occured in 1943. After France being freed, in 1944, the SE 580 prototype was officially ordered, by the Air Minister then by the French Navy. The 580 code was linked to the 520 (Dewoitine) family, and the wing structure was typically Dewoitine (private companies disappeared in the French aviation world in 1936, replaced by government-owned SNCAs : Sociétés Nationales de Construction Aéronautique / Aeronautic Manufacturing National Societies). The rear fuselage included an internal radiator, feeded in air by a dorsal intake. With this position, the radiator was almost protected. The dorsal air-intake principle was kept alive on projects SE 2410/2415 [Grognard]. On the SE 580, the engine would have been a 24-cylinders one, instead of 2x 12 cylinders ones. The power was 2500 hp for a start, but 3600 hp was expected. Armament would have been a 30mm gun in the airscrew and four 20mm guns in the wing, and a vertical camera would have been installed in the central fuselage. In 1946, the Hispano-Suiza 24Z engine (with contra-rotating airscrews) was discarded and changed for a Arsenal] 24H engine (German Jumo 213 manufactured in France), with one big 5-blade propeller and a lower axis, and so a longer landing gear. Then wind-tunnel test required to move the engine forward and make important changes in the wing. That was a lot of work, and the piston-engined aircraft were not up-to-date anymore. And the SNCASE had enough work with other projects. So SNCASE stopped work on this SE 580, without achieving the prototype manufacturing. The SNCA du Centre (SNCAC) could have taken on this project to finish it, but this project was discarded, too. So, no "first fly" for the SE 580. Span 15.862m - Length 13.000m - Weight 5093kg empty and 8128kg maximum - Maximum speed 749km/h (much !). All that comes from the Docavia book No.28 (wonderful book, with many French unbuilt projects of 1944-1960, but it is rather expensive).

unverified information 2

In 1944, when France been freed , the Aeronautic Manufacturing National Societies or SNCA try to built a new type of fighter based on the project of the SNCA du Midi M 580-an early design of SE 580 in 1940, the SE 580 wing planform-with its near mid-chord single spar and its empennage surfaces planforms-was similar to the D520, albeit the horizontal planes had slightly greater aspect ratio. Initially designed to be powered by the 24-cylinder Hispano Suiza 24Z (H type) of 2,000hp, its postwar redesign accommodated the 24-cylinder arsenal 24 H of 3,400hp. This latter engine used the cylinder blocks of the German Junkers IV12 213 engine.

Two 12.1-foot-diameter coaxial, counter-rotating propellers were to be utilized for propulsion. It was to be armed with a 30mm cannon firing through the propeller axis, plus four 20mm cannon and either eight 7.Smm or six 12.7mm machine guns mounted in the wings outboard of the propeller arc. A 500kg (1,100 lb.) bomb could be carried beneath the fuselage. It is obvious that the after-cockpit buried radiator with top-mounted radiator intake was for protection from ground fire.

One thing was sure is 2 prototypes were ordered but they were not complete because the project was cancelled when the Amee de Air( French airforce) focus more on jet fighters along with it competitor-the Arsenal VB-10 shortly thereafter.

Specification:

Powerplants:Hispano Suiza 24Z(2x Hispano Suiza 12Z)
Armaments:30mm cannon in the props axis, 2x HS 404 cannons in each wing
Propellers:6 blades contra rotating props or 5 blades counter rotating prop
Span 15.862m
Length 13.000m
Weight 5093kg
Maximum speed 749km/h

(source)

all of this information need to be confirmed with a primary source; no details by Green

"Ordered 1944; cancelled end of 1947"

SNCASO SO.6000 Triton (11/1946) -- Lucien Servanty -- first French jet to fly

-- "A couple of projects underwent secret development (i.e., on paper), such as the SO.6000 Triton, which after 1945 became the first French jet aircraft to fly." (Boyne, 239)

-- "... envisioned as an all-metal low-wing aircraft to be powered initially by a yet-to-be-produced Rateau turbine engine, thereby making the aircraft an all-French project ... all-metal structure with stressed metal skin and a single wing spar, and the wing was fitted with trailing-edge flaps between the ailerons and fuselage." (Buttler & Delezenne, 22)

-- "Construction of the first airframe began in the original [WWI-era] Nieuport factory in Issy-le-Moulineaux outside Paris, but was later transferred to the old Farman aircraft factories in Suresnes, also near Paris." (Buttler & Delezenne, 22)

-- "Work on the fuselage went faster than projected, while development of the 3,250lb (14.4kN)-thrust French Rateau SRA-1 engine lagged behind. Consequently the decision was made to equip the Triton for its first flight with a single German wartime 1,980lb (8.8kN)-thrust Jumo 004B jet engine. Since France had acquired control of the German sector where BMW had been producing Jumo engines during the war, the designation of the first aircraft became SO.6000 Triton J (J for Jumo)." (Buttler & Delezenne, 22)

-- "It was a Jumo 004 that powered France's first experimental jet aircraft, the SO.6000 Triton, which flew for the first time on [11/11/1946] with test pilot Daniel Rastel at the controls, and also the Arsenal VG-70, which flew on [06/23/1948]." (Jackson, 82)

-- First flight occurred only 3 days before the opening of the Paris Air Exhibit; on display at the show; claimed 900 km/h (then unheard of). (Buttler & Delezenne, 22)

-- "The first 2 prototype Tritons flew with Junkers Jumo engines, but another decision was taken to equip the next 3 with British Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojets ..." (Buttler & Delezenne, 22)

-- "Aircraft 04 first flew with the Nene installed on [03/19/1949] from Bricy, and a few days later Jean Sarrail took it to [893 km/h]. The stability was apparently now also improved and subsequently a speed of [954 km/h] and a ceiling of 39,000 ft (11,887m) were recorded." (Buttler & Delezenne, 24)

Arsenal VG-70 (06/1947) -- Jean Galtier -- high-speed research aircraft

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
	VG-70-01	Junkers Jumo 004 845 kgf	~901 km/h est.
	VG-80	Rolls-Royce Derwent 1600 kgf

Notes:

-- By 09/1944, a design team led by Jean Galtier began study of a single-seat fighter derived from the [piston-powered] VG-60 [see above] to be powered by the captured Junkers Jumo 004 jet engine 845 kgf (Hartmann)

-- [The best description comes from a 11/1946 Flight Magazine article]: "In common with other countries, France proposes to make a profound study of transonic flight. To this end various manufacturers are building sleek Germanic-looking machines with turbo-jet propulsion. The prettiest of these on show (and, it is understood, the most nearly completed) is the VG-70-01, designed by M. Galtier. Surfaces are sharply swept back and have elliptical tips. The wing has pillar-box slots [so named because it resembles the mail slot on postal pillars in Britain] and the wing is mounted low. A Jumo 004 axial-flow turbine-jet has been installed because this is the only unit of its class at present available in France. The intake is below the fuselage and the unit itself in the rear, together with three tanks. Wooden construction is used for the two-spar wing, which houses seven more tanks, but the fuselage is metal. A normal tricycle undercarriage is used, the main wheels retracting into the wing. Dive breaks are to be fitted above and below the wing to slow the machine should compressibility danger threaten. The all-up weight of this unusually interesting machine is to be about 6000 lb [2722 kg]. An endurance of over 30 minutes should be attained, and the maximum level speed with the Jumo should be the order of 560 mph [901 km/h]. Much higher figures will of course be attained in shallow dives."

-- VG-70 first flight 06/23/1947 with Junkers Jumo 004 engine (Hartmann) [sidenote: SO.6000 Triton first flight 11/11/1946 with same engine]

-- Hartmann claims that revision to the VG-70 was made in order to adopt a swept-wing design, in order to eclipse the Triton flown 8 months earlier with same engine, that was able to achieve 760 km/h in one of its test flights.

-- Rolls-Royce Derwent 1600 kgf engine was proposed, but development of VG-70 halted in order to continue as VG-90 (Hartmann)

-- article here claims "VG-70 has been flying with a Jumo 004, but that it might later try Rolls-Royce Derwent 5" [which is not a true Derwent but rather a Nene reduced in size] (Flight Magazine 5/1949)

-- view from front / view from front-side / tail detail / construction / Flight Magazine 10/1947

-- article describing construction details (Flight Magazine 10/1947), expected speed (Flight Magazine 10/1947)

-- a model may exist by the company Dujin

https://www.flightgl...947 - 1791.html

https://www.flightgl...947 - 1792.html

https://www.flightgl...947 - 1793.html

Pulquí I (Arrow) (08/1947) -- Emile Dewoitine in Argentina -- [5,550 kg]

SNCASO SO.8000 Narval (04/1949) -- carrier-borne strike -- Dupuy -- 2 built -- [6,606 kg]

Production

Airframe

Engine

Speed

Armament

Bombs

(FF 04/1949)

(FF 12/1949)

SO.8000-01

SO.8000-02

Arsenal 12H-02 (Jumo 213) 2200hp

730 km/h @ 8500m est.

6x20mm MG 151/20

up to 1000kg

SO.8010

VIII Rolls-Royce Nene 4,855lb

Data: Green / Carbonel, 98-100

SO.8000

-- design by Jean Dupuy. (Carbonel, 98)

-- design team led by Ing Dupuy at SNCASO; to be a shipboard fighter and attack aircraft (Green, 548; Flight Magazine 5/1949)

-- double-boom pusher-prop powered by Arsenal 12HO2 engine (Jumo 213 derivative); contra-rotating propellers (Flight Magazine 5/1949)

-- twin-boom configuration with a sweptback wing (24 degrees inboard, 13.5 degrees outboard on leading edge), tricycle undercarriage ... contra-rotating pusher-propellers (Green, 548; Fight Magazine 5/1949)

-- 2 prototypes ordered 05/31/1946; first flight 04/01/1949; second flight 12/30/1949; unfavorable evaluation 01/1950 led to cancellation; last flight 01/08/1950 (Green, 548)

-- "... elegant twin-boom aircraft with a pusher propeller … tricycle undercarriage … [details] … Armament would have featured no less than [6x20mm (N)] with attachment points for bombs and rockets under the wing. The result was an outwardly modern and pleasant-looking aeroplane which went on to disprove the common wisdom that a beautiful design will fly beautifully. // The problems began with the engines. The intention had been to use a Rolls-Royce Griffon that proved too difficult to obtain, so [Hispano-Suiza 12Z instead], which at the time was not developed sufficiently. Therefore in desperation a German Jumo 213 'Francised' as the Arsenal 12H was fitted to the prototypes [as a 'makeshift' solution]. Both prototypes were ordered on [05/31/1946] (Contract 5161/46), and, after a pre-series of 5 aircraft, it was hoped to manufacture 65 production machines. Deliveries were expected to begin on [09/01/1949] and end in [03/1951] and the goal was to replace the Douglas SBD Dauntless." (Carbonel, 98)

-- "After a long period of ground tests it was prototype 02 that flew first, on [04/01/1949] … The basic flight handling … was so poor that in [12/1949] it was decided to ground the type. This decision was, however, not implemented and the tests continued but without being any more successful. The engine was not performing well and had to be limited to 3,000 rpm and the Chauvière contra-rotating propellers were also disappointing with thoughts turning towards replacing them by a Rotol propeller, though this was not done." (Carbonel, 98)

-- "Prototype 01 flew for the first time on [12/30/1949], again with Jacques Guignard at the controls. The main difference from 02 was that 01 had received its military equipment [6x20mm MG 151/20]. However, the following month, the Centre d'Essais en Vol issued its report on the type, which was damning … SO.8000-01 never flew again while prototype 02 was grounded after its 43rd flight on [01/08/1950]. In [04/1950] the contract was terminated …" (Carbonel, 100)

-- Span 11.77m; Length 11.83m; gross wing area 26.30m²; gross weight 7,171kg. (Carbonel 100)

-- max speed 730 km/h @ 8500m; max range 4,500km @ 530 km/h; empty 4,821 kg; loaded 6,606 kg; span 11.77m; length 11.83m; height 3.20m; wing area 26.30m². (Green, 548)

SO.8010

-- "A planned jet-powered version, the SO.8010, would have used a Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet." (Carbonel, 100)

-- proposals to adapt the design to the Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet were not pursued [note that France instead built the De Havilland Vampire under license and modified it with Nene engine to become the Mistral, below]

-- Span 11.77m; Length 11.83m; gross wing area 26.30m². (Carbonel 100)

SNCASE SE.532/535 Mistral (04/1951, 12/1951) -- French development of De Havilland Vampire -- ~428 built -- [6,100 kg] -- delivered 12/1951-03/1954

SNCASE SE.201 Aquilon (10/1952) -- development of de Havilland Sea Venom Mk. 20 -- 40 built -- [5,500 kg] -- adopted 1951; entered service 1952+

Tier VIII engines -- see here

Tier VIII alternates -- prototypes, projects, imports

Edited by J311yfish, 02 June 2018 - 11:09 PM.

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J311yfish #10 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:08 PM

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Tier IX:

SNCASO SO.6020 Espadon (Swordfish) (11/1948) -- interceptor-fighter -- Lucien Servanty -- ~4 built -- [7,454 kg]

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs/Rockets
1 (FF 11/1948)	SO.6020-01	VIII Hispano-Suiza Nene 102 [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Nene]	~900 km/h	4x30mm and x12.7mm, or 6x15mm, or 6x20mm
1	SO.6020-02	VIII Hispano-Suiza Nene
1	SO.6020-03	VIII Hispano-Suiza Nene
1 (FF 09/1950)	SO.6021	Hispano-Suiza Nene + Turbomeca Marbore each wingtip	~1175 km/h @ ____m	6x20mm	not specified
0	SO.6021 attack proposal	Rolls-Royce Tay w/ afterburner [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Tay]		2x30mm
(1) (FF 12/1949)	SO.6025 (SO.6020-02 with rocket)	Hispano-Suiza Nene + SEPR 25 rocket
(1) (FF 03/1953)	SO.6026 (SO.6020-03 with rocket)	Hispano-Suiza Nene + SEPR 251 rocket	~1224 km/h @ ____m	6x20mm

Data: Green

Notes:

-- design study initiated 1945 by Lucien Servanty. (Flight 05/12/1949 p.551)

-- "France's first indigenous jet fighter design"; first flight 11/12/1948 (Winchester, 112-113)

-- design team led by Lucien Servanty in response to requirements issued 03/25/1946; [three prototypes ordered, two of which were later given rocket attachments and re-designated]

-- SO.6020-01 first flight 11/12/1948; SO.6025 first flight 12/28/1949; SO.6026 first flight 03/28/1953; SO.6021 first flight 09/03/1950 (Green, 547)

-- In 1948 a design team at SNCASO began to consider the notion of an interceptor that would use an auxiliary rocket to reach altitude quickly. In order to prove the concept, a SEPR 25 rocket was fitted to an existing jet prototype, the SNCASO SO.6020 Espadon [pictured above without rocket attachment]; the rocket was to be mounted near the ventral air intake (Rothmund, 1-2)

-- SEPR 25 rocket engine used furaline and nitric acid; the pump was driven mechanically by the jet engine, and cooled by a flow of nitric acid; successfully tested 10/30/1950 before attachment to Espadon; after attachment, tested on the ground 05/1951; first flight with SEPR 06/10/1952; a total of 76 rocket-assisted flights made until 07/07/1955 (Rothmund, 2)

-- SO.6025 Espadon first European aircraft to reach Mach 1 in level flight 12/15/1953 (Rothmund, 2)

-- SEPR 25 architecture modified to become SEPR 251, performance otherwise the same, fitted to SO.6026 Espadon; rocket propellant now store in wingtip fuel tanks; first flight 03/28/1953; a total of 13 rocket-assisted flights made until 10/12/1954; overall 392 rocket tests on the ground, and 89 rocket-assisted flights to prove the mixed-propulsion concept (Rothmund, 3)

-- "Although not selected to go forward into production, the 4 Espadons served in a research capacity, particularly to test various performance-enhancing auxiliary rocket engines that pushed the aircraft's top sea level speed to 621 mph [999 km/h], or took the machine to 33,000 ft [10,000m] in 9 minutes [18.5 m/s avg]." (Cowin, 63)

Follow-on rocket development:

-- "After the successful demonstration of man-rated demonstration engines on the Espadon prototypes, such propulsion systems soon became part of the fighter requirements. On 01/28/1953 the French Air Force headquarters issued a request [for lightweight interceptor designs capable of reaching Mach 1.3, with high rate of climb and the ability to operate from makeshift airfields]." Three proposals were made: SNCASO Trident II, SNCASE Durandal, Dassault MD 550 Mystere Delta. (Rothmund, 3)

-- SEPR 48 used in Trident I, SEPR 63 for Trident II; SEPR 65 for Durandal; SEPR 66 for Dassault Mirage I, SEPR 84 series for Dassault Mirage III (Rothmund, 3-7)

-- the final SEPR man-rated reusable rocket engine design was the SERP 77, which was studied on Dassault Mirage IV and a bomber version of the SO.4060 Vautour [1956-1957]; both projects cancelled autumn 1958. (Rothmund, 9)

-- of the following SEPR engines [below], use of the SEPR 84 by far exceeds all of the others in both production and use (275 produced, over 20,000 flights) (Rothmund)

	SEPR 25	SEPR 48	SEPR 63	SEPR 65	SEPR 66	SEPR 84	SEPR 77
Thrust	15 kN @ SL 16.5 kN @ 12000m	15, 30, or 45 kN @ SL 52 kN max @ 36000'	15-30 kN	7.5 kN est @ 8000m	15 kN
Propellant	nitric acid / furaline	nitric acid / furaline	nitric acid / furaline	nitric acid / TX*	nitric acid / furaline	nitric acid / furaline	nitric acid / furaline
Aircraft	Espadon	Trident I	Trident II	Durandal	Mirage I	Mirage III	Mirage IV / Vautour

*Triethylamine-Xylidine

Of those aircraft within the timeline established by the game, only two were armed with guns:

Espadon -- several gun options

Trident I -- no guns

Trident II -- no guns

Durandal -- guns / rockets

Mirage I -- no guns

Mirage III -- speed is ridiculous (Mach 2) and first flight puts it on the edge of the timeline, if not over (first flight Nov 1956, introduced 1961)

Mirage IV -- outside timeline

"Super" Vautour -- outside timeline

Dassault MD.450 Ouragan (Hurricane) (02/1949+) -- fighter -- [6,950 kg] -- entered service 1952

Dassault Mystere (02/1949+) -- fighter -- Deplant, Cabriere, Rouault -- 367+ built

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Weight
3	prototype	IX Rolls-Royce Nene 102 2267kgp 5000lb st [see Supermarine Attacker - Nene No.28]	*930 km/h @ SL 810 km/h @ 12000m	4x15mm 8 rockets
14	preproduction (details)
50	MD.450A Ouragan
300	MD.450B Ouragan	Rolls-Royce Nene 104B 2300kgp 5070 lb st		4x20mm HS 404 16 Matra T-10 rockets
1	MD.452-01 Mystere I	(new 30-degree sweptback wing and tail surfaces)
1	MD.452-02 Mystere IIB	Hispano-Suiza Tay 250 [see Supermarine Attacker - Rolls-Royce Tay]
1	MD.452-03 Mystere IIA	SNECMA ATAR 101C
1	MD.452-04 Mystere IIB	Hispano-Suiza Tay 250
16	MD.452 Mystere II preseries	various **		**
32 + 2	MD.452 Mystere II production	various **
90	MD.452 Mystere IIC***	ATAR 101D-2 or ATAR 101D-3 2800 kgp	1030 km/h @ SL 956 km/h @ 9000m	2x30mm

***increased tail sweepback messy development, I'll fix this later

Notes:

-- The first fighter developed by Avions Marcel Dassault and the first jet fighter of French design to attain series production [Ouragan] (Green, 146)

-- Designed by Deplant, Cabriere, Rouault; first flight 02/28/1949 (Green, 146)

-- 104 modified MD.450B's exported to India; 70 to Israel; Israel later sent 18 to El Salvador were they served into the 1980's (Green, 146-147)

-- the Ouragan was developed incrementally into variations subsequently called Mystere; MD.452 Mystere II was initially an Ouragan with 30-degree swept wings, otherwise the same; additional development improved the engine (Hispano-Suiza Tay 250, Atar 101C, Atar 101C-1, Atar 101C-3, Atar 101D-1, Atar 101D-2, Atar 101F-2) and armament (2x30mm) ... 1030 km/h @ SL, 956 km/h @ 9000m (Green, 148)

Mystere I

-- "The first Mystere was merely an MD.450 Ouragan with 30-degrees of sweep to the wings and tail. This aircraft, the Mystere I, first flew in [02/1951]. Over the course of the following 2 years, 8 further prototypes were built and flown. The original aircraft was powered by the ubiquitous Rolls-Royce Nene, while the remainder were fitted with a license-built [Hispano-Suiza] version of the Tay." (Sharpe, 73)

Mystere II

-- "Pre-production aircraft were fitted with the all-French Atar axial engine, the first use of any French gas turbine for military aircraft propulsion. In [04/1953] the Armee de l'Air ordered 150 of the fighters; ultimately 180 were built, 156 for France and 24 for Israel (never delivered). Service career was short, but the aircraft is important as the first swept-wing fighter to go into production in Europe." (Sharpe, 73)

Mystere IIC

-- "Bearing more than a general aerodynamic resemblance to its immediate predecessor, only 150 production examples of the Mystère IIC saw limited service with the Armée de l'Air." (Boyne, 165)

-- [SNECMA Atar 101D3 3000kg (6600lb)] -- 1060 km/h (658 mph) -- ceiling 13,000m (42,650ft) -- range 1200km (745 miles). (Sharpe, 73)

-- [2x30mm Hispano 603]. (Sharpe, 73)

-- Empty: 5250kg (11,514 lb); Loaded 7450kg (16,442 lb). (Sharpe, 73)

SNCASE SE.2410 Grognard I (Grumbler) (04/1950) -- attack -- Pierre Sartre -- 2 built

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs/Rockets
	SE.2400	VIII 2x Rolls-Royce Nene [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Nene]
1 (FF 04/1950)	SE.2410 Grognard I (1-seat)	IX 2x Hispano-Suiza Nene 101 4850lbf [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Nene]	1038 km/h @ 6800m	2x30mm H-S	bombs, rockets
1 (FF 02/1951)	SE.2415 Grognard II (2-seat)
	SE.2416
	SE.2417
0	SE.2418	IX 2x Rolls-Royce Tay* [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Tay]	1086 km/h @ SL est. 1046 km/h @5029m est. 974 km/h @10970m est.	2x30mm H-S	(see notes below)
	SE.2419
	SE.2420
	SE.2421
	SE.2422
	SE.2423
	SE.2424
	SE.2450

*Rolls-Royce Tay was built under license as Hispano-Suiza Verdon

Notes:

-- SE.2410 Grognard I wind tunnel model created before Flight Magazine 5/1949; proposal also for version with [Rateau] T.R.1008 engines positioned side-by-side

-- SE.2410 Grognard I -- (pictured above) prototype first flight 04/30/1950; "after the program was cancelled in 1952, Grognard I continued to be used until 1954 as a testbed for native-developed AAM's" (source)

-- SE.2415 Grognard II -- (second prototype) flight 02/1951; "heavier armament"; "program cancelled early 1952 ... succeeded by SO.4050 Vautour" (source)

-- SE.2415 Grognard II three-view / top-front view / front-side view / top-side view / rear view / 32x60 lb rockets (configuration #2 as described in Flight Magazine 10/1953)

-- SE.2418 had 8 different armament schemes for bombs and rockets (Flight Magazine 10/1953) [that might account for the designations for which there is not much information]

-- for a good collection of high-quality Grognard I & II pictures see here, here and here [the primary visual distinctions between Grognard I and II appear to be the cockpit, wing sweep, and tail nozzles]

-- "47-degree wing sweep on Grognard I and 32-degree wing sweep on Grognard II" (Winchester, 303)

-- Winchester claims that both prototypes were unarmed, and that the definitive version was to be equipped with 2x30mm and bombs/rockets (Winchester, 303)

-- development canceled in favor of Vautour to fill the anytime fighter/bomber role

-- design by Pierre Sartre

Development timeline

-- Flight Magazine 5/1949 -- proposal for SE.2410 version with T.R.1008 engines positioned side-by-side

-- Flight Magazine 10/1949 -- describes the overall post-war plan for aircraft developments and categorizes SE.2400 as a heavy fighter

Breguet Br.961 Vultur (08/1951) -- carrier-borne strike -- 2 built

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs/Rockets
1 (FF 08/1951)	960-01 prototype two-seat	Armstrong Siddeley Mamba 1 980hp + Hispano-Suiza Nene 101 2200kgp
1 (FF 09/1952)	960-02 prototype two-seat	Armstrong Siddeley Mamba 3 1320hp + Hispano-Suiza Nene 104 2270kgp	370 km/h Mamba only 893 km/h Mamba + Nene 104
0	961 attack one-seat*	_______________________ + ATAR 101B* **	925-950 km/h est.	2x30mm HS 411***	4 rocket pods (6x120mm each)
0	962	(961 with improved engine performance)		(same as 961)	(same as 961)
(1)	963	(960-01 modified for aerodynamic study)
(1)	965	(960-02 modified for ASW duty)
0	966

*(Flying Magazine 1/1952); land-based attack variant proposed to Armee de l'Air (Docavia #6, 168)

** Docavia claims several combinations of engines were offered: (Mamba, SNECMA TB 1000, or Dart 1300-1600hp) + (SNECMA ATAR 101B, or Rolls-Royce Avon 2800kgp) (Docavia, 169)

***Docavia claims attack variant was to have 2x30mm, "probably HS 411's" (Docavia #6, 168)

Notes:

-- carrier-borne Nene-jet strike aircraft with Mamba piston engine auxiliary to enable low-speed takeoff/landing and improved maneuverability

-- [this is the replacement for the NC.1071 in the carrier-borne attack role prior to adoption of the De Havilland Sea Venom (Aquilon)]

-- specification issued 11/12/1947; development began 1948; 2 prototypes ordered 04/1948; prototype first flight 08/1951; second prototype flight 09/1952 (Docavia #6, 164; Flight Magazine 5/1953)

-- typical load 1000kg underneath + 8 rockets (Flight Magazine 5/1953)

-- Flight Magazine 5/1953 article on Vultur debut: page 1 / page 2 / page 3

Development timeline

-- June 1946 -- specification issued for carrier-borne fighter issued; resulted in competition between Arsenal VG-90, Nord 2200, SNCAC NC.1080, none of which were chosen for development. (Green, 546)

-- Flight Magazine 11/1950 -- Breguet Type 96 Vultur under development as a carrier-borne strike aircraft

-- January 1951 -- decision made to adopt De Havilland Sea Venom for carrier-borne fighter role (Grumman F9F-5 Panther was also considered) (Green, 546)

-- Flight Magazine 6/1951 -- Breguet 960 Vultur development (two-seat carrier-borne), 399 km/h (248 mph) on Mamba, 901 km/h (560 mph) on Mamba & Nene

-- Flight Magazine 6/1951 -- Breguet 961 Vultur development considerations (single seat, land-based, alternate engines, swept-back wings, night fighter, etc)

-- Flight Magazine 1/1952 -- Breguet 960.01 Vultur development considerations (modifications; change from Mamba 1 to Mamba 3)

-- Flight Magazine 4/1952 -- Breguet Vultur single-seat to be developed for low-altitude operations in support of the army (low-speed maneuverability advantage)

-- Flight Magazine 5/1952 -- Breguet Vultur still using Nene

-- Flight Magazine 5/1952 -- Breguet Vultur "one of the most promising turned out in France since the war" [comparison made to Westland Wyvern]

-- October 31, 1952 -- first flight of De Havilland Sea Venom Mk.20 pre-series supplied to SNCASE (4 total supplied); now named Aquilon (Green, 546)

-- Flight Magazine 1953 -- 14 entries

-- Flight Magazine 1954 -- 3 entries

-- March 24, 1954 -- Aquilon 201 first flight (25 total); using Fiat-built De Havilland Ghost 48 Mk.1 2200kgp; 4x20mm; further development as Aquilon 202, 203; 204 used as a radar trainer (Green, 546)

-- Flight Magazine 1955 -- 4 entries

-- Flight Magazine 4/1956 -- Breguet Vultur relegated to boundary-layer control experiments as 50 De Havilland Venoms (Aquilon) are delivered; 40 more Aquilons to be delivered

-- Flight Magazine 6/1957 -- Breguet Vultur being used in flight experiments to reduce landing speed, among other things (more)

-- Flight Magazine 1957+ -- 0 entries

-- 1958 -- Aquilon 204 radar trainer phased out (Green, 546)

-- 1964 -- Aquilons phased out (Green, 546)

SNCAC NC.1080 (07/1949) -- Pillon -- ~1 built -- [7,700 kg]

Arsenal VG-90 (09/1949) -- carrier-borne fighter -- Vernisse and Galtier -- 3 built -- [8,090 kg]

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
1	VG-90-01 (FF 09/1949)	Hispano-Suiza Nene 2850 kgp [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Nene]	920 km/h @ SL est. 876 km/h @ 10000m est.	3x30mm HS	2x500 kg est.
1	VG-90-02 (FF 06/1951)	Hispano-Suiza Nene 2850 kgp [see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Nene]		2x20mm 2x7.7mm	36x RAC 50 rockets (internal) 16x T10 or 80x RAC 50 (external)
1	VG-90-03 (abandoned)	SNECMA ATAR 101F 4000 kgp
	VG-93	+ wingtip Arsenal ST600 ramjets (unconfirmed)

* unconfirmed designations VG-91, VG-92, VG-93 (source); all other data above from Green, 31

-- mockup debut 1947, Nene-powered (Flight Magazine 10/1947)

-- "Designed by Vernisse and Galtier as pat of a single-seat shipboard interceptor and strike fighter development program … evolved in competition with the Aérocentre NC 1080 and the Nord 2200. Powered by [Rolls-Royce Nene] … had an all-metal fuselage, and the wing and tail surfaces were metal structures with plywood skinning. 2 prototypes were built, the first being flown on [09/27/1949] and the 2nd following on [06/1951]. Planned armament comprised [3x30mm Hispano-Suiza] and provision was made for underwing ordnance loads, such as [2x500kg]. The 2nd prototype had provision for [2x20mm + 2x7.7mm + 36xRAC50 rockets internally + 16xT10 or 80xRAC50 (W)]. A 3rd prototype, which was to have received [SNCEMA ATAR 101F 8,818 lb st (4000kgp)], was abandoned. Full performance trials were not completed …" (Green, 31)

-- [VG-90-01] empty 5100kg; normal loaded 8090kg; span 12.60m; length 13.44m; height 3.55m; wing area 30.7m². (Green, 31)

-- derived from VG-70 in response to need for carrier-borne jet fighter; competed against SNCAC NC.1080 and Nord 2200, all to use the Nene engine; the single NC.1080 prototype was destroyed in a test flight, pilot killed; the Nord 2200 was considered to be too heavy/unstable; the VG-90 had 3 prototypes, but two of them crashed, killing the test pilots (1950 and 1952), so the program was halted to review technical problems (Hartmann)

-- VG-90-01 front

Nord 2200 (12/1949) -- Louis Coroller, _____ Dupin and Alain Buret -- ~1 built -- [7,890 kg]

Hispano-Suiza Nene 102 5000 lb st (2,268 kgp) -- 936 km/h @ 5000m

3x20mm or 3x30mm

2x500kg or 8x90mm

Data: Green, 444

-- "In [06/1946], the Service Technique Aéronautique [STAé] issued a preliminary requirement for a shipboard fighter armed with [3x20mm or 3x30mm] cannon and capable of carrying [2x500kg] bombs or [8x90mm] rockets. Responding to this requirement, the SNCA du Nord [SNCAN] tendered the Nord 2200, designed by a team led by Messrs Coroller, Dupin and Buret, in competition with the Aérocentre NC.1080 and the Arsenal VG.90. Powered by [Hispano-Suiza Nene 102 5000 lb st (2,268 kgp)] and featuring a 24-deg swept-back laminar-flow wing with large Fowler-type flaps, the Nord 2200 was first flown on [12/16/1949], and was fitted with neither wing folding nor armament. On [06/24/1950]. the sole prototype was damaged and the opportunity was taken to fit a servo control system, introduce redesigned and larger vertical tail surfaces, and make provision for an AI radar scanner over the engine air intake. Flight testing resumed on [05/24/1951], but in 1952 the decision was taken by the Aéronavale to adopt the de Havilland Sea Venom to meet its shipboard fighter requirement. Nevertheless, flight testing of the Nord 2200 continued until [06/1954]." (Green, 444)

-- Max speed 936 km/h @ 5000m; initial climb 23 m/s; empty 4830kg; loaded 7890kg; span 12.00m; length 13.90m; height 4.80m; wing area 31.60m². (Green, 444)

-- "It would be wrong to assume … that the situation in respect of jet aircraft in France is one of unmitigated chaos and stagnation. Some promising military projects are in hand and should fly late this year. Noteworthy among these are the SE-2400 [what becomes Grognard] and Nord 2200 attack fighters, the former being a land-based machine of more than 30,000 lb all-up weight with [2xHispano-Suiza-built Rolls-Royce Nene], and the latter a carrier-borne type with a single Nene. Both designs feature swept-back surfaces. The Nord 2200, designed by MM. Louis Coroller and Alain Buret, has a nose intake and is designed for speeds between 560 and 620mph. Another machine built around the Nene and intended for the French Navy, is the Arsenal VG 90 strike fighter. There is a design, moreover, for a Nene-assisted variant of the Nord 1500 Noreclair deck-landing torpedo-bomber-reconnaissance aircraft and, as a counterpart to the Martin Mercator, the Arsenal has a mock-up for a large machine with [2x24H] piston engines and [2xNenes]. A type which may fly this year is the Marcel-Dassault 450 -- a 560 mph design with a Nene in the fuselage. // In the bomber category are the NC.270 and SO.4000 bombers of between 26 and 27 metric tons, each with [2xNene]. Speeds of over 600mph and ceilings of 39,000ft are forecast." (Flight Magazine 04/15/1948 p.415)

Tier X:

SNCASO SO.6021 Espadon (Swordfish) -- interceptor-fighter -- Lucien Servanty -- [6,870 kg]

Dassault Mystere IVA (09/1952, 05/1954) -- 101 built -- [8,210 kg] -- entered service 1955

Production

Airframe

Engine

Speed

Armament

Bombs

1+50

(FF 09/1952)

Mystere IV prototype + production

Rolls-Royce Tay 250A

[see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Tay]

(FF 05/1954)

Mystere IVA

X Hispano-Suiza Verdon 350 3500kgp (7,716 lb)

(license-built R-R Tay)

[see Supermarine Attacker - R-R Tay]

967 km/h @ 10,975m

1065 km/h @ 6100m

1110 km/h @ SL

1063 km/h @ SL

2x30mm DEFA 541

2x 19x68mm rocket pods

2x453.6kg (1,000 lb) bombs

Data: Green / Green & Swanborough, 196

Notes:

-- MD.453 Mystere IIIN was developed as a two-seat night fighter; lateral air intakes, Tay 250 engine; first flown 07/1952; cancelled by 12/1953; 1080 km/h @ SL, 965 km/h @ 12000m (Green, 148)

Mystere IV

-- "Designed to achieve genuine transonic performance, the Mystere IV, by comparison with the Mystere II, had quarter-chord sweepback increased from 30 to 38 degrees and the wing thickness-chord ratio reduced 9.0% to 7.5%, a prototype powered by [Tay 250A 6,283 lb (2850 kg)] flying on [09/28/1952]." (Green & Swanborough, 196)

Mystere IVA

-- Mystère IVA ... little more than conceptual similarity [to Mystere II] ... more robust, oval-section fuselage, a wing of increased sweepback and reduced thickness/chord ratio, and new tail surfaces; first flight 09/28/1952; first production flight 05/29/1954 (Green, 148); 225 to NATO; 110 to India 1957; 60 to Israel 04/1956 (Green, 149)

-- "Mystère IVA featured a more robust, oval-section fuselage, a wing of increased sweepback and reduced thickness-to-chord ratio, and a more powerful turbojet. The Mystere IVA-01 flew for the first time on [09/28/1952]. The first 50 ... manufactured for the Armee de l'Air were powered by the [Hispano-Suiza Tay 250A 6,280 lbst] and entered service in 1955. All subsequent Mystere IVAs received the more powerful [Verdun 350]." (Boyne, 165)

-- "Although superficially similar to the II series aircraft, the IVA was in fact a completely new aircraft, with hardly a single structural part being common to both. The wing of the IV was thinner, more sharply swept, and much strengthened. The fuselage and tail were completely new and the pilot enjoyed powered controls. The US Air Force tested the prototype, which first flew as the MD.454-01 on [09/28/1952], and placed an off shore contract for 225 of the production aircraft in [04/1953]. The first 50 production aircraft had the Rolls-Royce Tay ... but the remainder ... had a Hispano-Suiza Verdon 350. Export orders were won from Israel and India, [in addition to France] ... saw action during the Suez conflict in 1956; several variants have been built with radar and a dual cockpit." (Sharpe, 74)

-- [Hispano-Suiza Tay 250A 2850kg (6,280 lb)] or [Hispano-Suiza Verdon 350 3500kg (7716 lb)] -- 1120 km/h (696mph) [engine and altitude not specified] -- ceiling 13,750m (45,000 ft) -- range 1320km (820 miles). (Sharpe, 74)

-- "[2x30mm DEFA 551], with 4 underwing hardpoints with provision for up to 907 kg (2000lb) of stores, including tanks, rockets, or bombs." (Sharpe, 74)

-- Empty: 5875kg (11,514 lb); Loaded 9500kg (20,950 lb). (Sharpe, 74)

-- "When flown in combat by the Israelis in the 1956 Middle East conflict it proved inferior in climb and maneuverability to the MiG-15, pilot quality playing a major part in the success of the French fighter ..." (Green & Swanborough, 196)

Mystere IVB

-- further aerodynamic refinement led to Mystere IVB; prototype first flight 12/16/1953 with Rolls-Royce Avon RA 7R engine (4330kg thrust with afterburner); bigger engines, augmented with rockets, etc., program cancelled in favor of Super Mystere B2 development. (Green, 149)

-- "...remained in service with the Armée de l'Air ... until 1964. Dassault built 421 examples of this interceptor before production ended in 1958. 110 delivered to India, 60 to Israel, and the remainder [251] to the Armée de l'Air." (Boyne, 165)

SNCASE SE.2418 Grognard III (Grumbler) -- attack

Omitted

Dassault Super Mystère (03/1955) -- fighter -- 186 built

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs/Rockets
1 (FF 03/1955)	Super Mystere B1	Rolls Royce Avon RA 7R w/ afterburning 4330 kg [see Supermarine Swift - Rolls-Royce Avon]
5+180* (FF 05/1956)	Super Mystere B2	Atar 101G-2/3 w/ afterburning 4460 kg	1038 km/h @ SL	2x30mm	35x68mm rockets (internal) 2x400-500kg bombs (external) or rocket pods (external)
	Super Mystere B3
	~~Super Mystere B4 (1958)~~	~~SNECMA Atar 9B 6000 kgp~~

*5 pre-production; 180 built; 36 to Israel

Data: Green

-- "The first West European aircraft capable of exceeding Mach 1.0 in level flight to attain quantity production status, the Super-Mystere shared only a common design origin with the Mystere fighter series, being an entirely new type." (Green, 150)

-- Super Mystere B1 prototype first flight 03/02/1955; Super Mystere B2 first flight 05/15/1956; first B2 production flight 02/26/1957 (Green, 149-150)

-- "The Super Mystere developed from a Rolls-Royce Avon-engined version of the Mystere IV, known as the IVB. The Mystere IVB was a major leap forward, with tapered, milled and che-milled sheets, integral tanks, flush aerials, and a radar gunsight in the new nose. This aircraft proved to be a stepping stone to the bigger, heavier, and more powerful SMB.2, which introduced yet another new wing with 45-degrees of sweep and aerodynamics copied from the North American F-100 Super Sabre. The flattened nose also had more than a passing relationship to the new American fighter. Although the first SMB.2 flew with [R-R Avon RA.7r], production examples were fitted with the [Atar 101G]. On its 4th flight, SMB.2-01 [with R-R Avon] easily exceeded Mach 1 in level flight, to make this the first supersonic aircraft to go into production, or in service." (Sharpe, 75)

-- 36 sold to Israel, which were later sold to Honduras, withdrawn from service 1989 (Green, 150)

Super Mystere B.1

-- first flight 03/02/1955 with [Rolls-Royce Avon R.A.7R]. (Boyne, 165)

Super Mystere B.2

-- "The first of 5 Atar-powered preproduction [B.2]s followed on [05/12/1956]." (Boyne, 165)

-- "The primary role of the [B.2] was that of day interceptor, but a variety of underwing stores made it suitable for the fighter-bomber role ... equipped 2 squadrons of the 5th Armee de l'Air and 1 squadron of the Israeli Air Force. 180 [B.2]s were completed when production terminated in 1959." (Boyne, 165)

-- [SNECMA Atar 101 G-2/-3 4460kg (9833lb)] -- 1195 km/h @ 12,000m -- ceiling 17000m -- range 870km. (Sharpe, 75)

-- "[2x30mm DEFA 551], internal Matra launcher for 35 SNEB 68mm rockets, 2 underwing hardpoints with provision for up to 907kg (2000lb) of stores, including tanks, rockets, or bombs." (Sharpe, 75)

-- Empty: 6932kg (15,282 lb); max take-off 10,000kg (22,046 lb)

SNCASE SE.5000 Baroudeur (__/1953)

SNCASE SE.212 Durandal (04/1956) -- interceptor-fighter -- 2 built

Edited by J311yfish, 27 May 2018 - 06:33 PM.

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IPlayWithAppleTree #11 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:13 PM

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Zen_Reaper #12 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:36 PM

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K538 #13 Posted 14 May 2014 - 11:49 PM

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This feels somewhat anticlimactic. Particularly because I wasn't even expecting something interesting, realistic or accurate, just some fan-fic.

Edited by CaptainBluenose, 14 May 2014 - 11:49 PM.

The is a signature.

FryaDuck #14 Posted 15 May 2014 - 12:46 AM

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Oderint, dum metuant, tunc ad infernum - Let them hate as long as they fear then go to hell
1st AlphaAce IL-2 (t)(Air)

J311yfish #15 Posted 15 May 2014 - 12:48 AM

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In the absence of a roadmap, the only way to make reasonable predictions about what is likely to make it into the game is to do extensive research yourself. I am willing to do that. I expect it will take 2-3 weeks to get the appropriate sources, and another 4 weeks or more to process and formulate a tree based on engine developments. If you have a source (English or French) that you want me to check out I would be glad to do it. If there is a particular aircraft that you want me to investigate, I would be glad to do that too. I enjoy the research and I intend to do a thorough job. Thank you for your interest.

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CrazyHeinz #16 Posted 15 May 2014 - 01:35 AM

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Tier	Fighters	Fighters	Fighters	Fighters	Heavy/Attack/2-seat	Foreign
I		SPAD S.51 (06/1924) SPAD 91 (08/1927)	D.271/273/53 (1928)	GL-30 (1920-1927) many Bernards many Wibaults more	Potez 25 (1924+) LN.140 (1936)
II	M.S.325 (1933)	NiD-120 (07/1932)	D.371 (1932) D.372 (1932+) D.560 (1932)	GL-482 (02/1932) Bernard 260 (09/1932) Wib 313 (11/1932) ANF-M 170 (11/1932) Wibault 313 (11/1932) H.110 (04/1933) ANF-M 180(02/1935)	Potez 390 (~1930) Ni.D-140 (03/1935)
III		Loire 46 (09/1934) Loire 250 (09/1935)	D.513 (01/1936)
IV				ANF-M 190 (07/1936) F.K. 58 (07/1938) R-30 (08/1939)	Hanriot H.220 (09/1937) 2 Romano R-110 (03/1938) 2 LN.401 (07/1938) SNCAO CAO.600 (04/1940) 2 SNCAC NC.600 (05/1940) 2 D.750 (05/1940) R2 Arsenal-Delanne 10 (1941)	Hawk 75-A1,2,3,4 Martin 167 Maryland Martin 187 Baltimore
V				SNCAO 200 (01/1939) Po.230 (03/1940)	D.770 (06/1939) 2 Bloch MB.175 (07/1939) 2 LN.42 (06/1940++)	NC.900 Dauntless
VI				SNCAC NC.900 (Fw 190)		F6F / P-39 / P-63 Skyraider / Yak-9 NC.900 / Do335 MS.406 Swiss variants ~~Mörkö-Morane~~
VII		Bugatti 110 (1939)			Nord 1500 (08/1947)	P-51D recon / P-47D F4U / Yak-9 / Yak-3 Spitfire IX / Tempest DH.98 FB.IV
VIII	Arsenal VG-90 (09/1949)				SNCAC NC.1080 (07/1949) Nord 2200 (12/1949) Nord 1601 (01/1950)	He-162 Meteor Vampire FB.53 Pulqui I
IX					~~SNCAC NC.270 (~1949)~~ ~~SNCASO M2 / SO.4000~~	Pulqui II
X		Dassault Etendard II (07/1956) Breguet Taon (1957) Breguet Br.1100 (1957) Dassault Etendard VI (03/1957) Dassault Etendard IV (1958)		SNCASE SE.5000 Baroudeur (1953) SNCASE SE.212 Durandal (04/1956)		F-84F (06/1950)

	Line 1	Line 2	Line 3	Line 4
I	NiD-42 (1924) [450-600hp] {882}
II	D.500 (6/1932) {101}	S.510 (1/1933) [692hp] {61}		Potez 25 (1924) {2500}
III	D.510 (8/1934) {120}	S.710 (4/1937) [860hp] {1}		Potez 390 (1/1930) {112+}
IV	MS.406 (8/1935) {1176}	MB.150 (10/1937) {663}		Potez 631/63.II [2x](4/1936) Bre 693 (1938) [2x700hp]
V	D.520 (10/1938) {~990}	MB.152 [1050hp]	VG-33 (4/1939) {<50}	Potez 671 MB.175 (~7/1939) [~1164hp]
VI	D.551 {12} [1300hp]	MB.155 [~1164hp]	VG-39	SE.100 (3/1939) [2x] {1}
VII	~~F4U-7 (7/1952) [~2100hp]~~	MB.157 [1580hp]	VB-10 (7/1945) [2x1150hp] {6}
VIII	Ouragan (2/1949) [Nene 102/104/Atar]	Narval (4/1949) [Jumo 2250hp] {2}	~~VG-70 (6/1948) [ Jumo/Nene] {1}~~
IX	Mystere II (~10/1951) [Tay/Atar 101C/D/F]	~~Nord 2200 (12/1949) [Nene 102] {1}~~	~~VG-90 (9/1949) [Nene] {2}~~
X	Super Mystere (3/1955) [Avon/Atar 101G]	Durandal (4/1956) [Atar 101F] {2}	Espadon (~11/1948) [Nene/Tay]	Vautour IIA (10/1952) [2xAtar 101]

Tier	higher interest	lower interest
I	GL-30 {500+} / NiD-52 {135} / NiD 62 SPAD S.51 {~60} SPAD 91 {~6} / D.271/273/53 {6/7}	Bernard 74 {3} / MoS-121 {1} / Loire 210 / F.1010 / SPAD S.61 Bernard 15 {1} / Bernard 20 {1} / Bernard H.52 / Bernard H.110 Wib.7 / Wib.8 / Wib.9 / Wib.12 / Wib.13 / Wib.170 / Wib.210
II	M.S.225 {75+} / Loire 46 {61} NiD-120 {5} / Bernard 260 {2} / ANF-M 170 {2} / ANF-M 180 {1} / H.110 {1}	D.371 / D.372 / D.560 / M.S.325 / Wib 313 / GL-482
III	MS.405 {18} / Loire 250 {1}	D.513 {2}
IV	Curtiss Hawk 75-A1,2,3,4 {100+} / C.714 {~90} / MS.410 {5} / LN.161 {3} / NC-600 {2} / ANF-M 190 {1} / R-30 {1} / Po.230 {1} / VG-30 {1} /	Koolhoven F.K. 58 {~21}
V	MS.411 / MS.412 / MS.450 {1/0/1} C.760 {1} / C.770 {1} / C.780 MB.700 {1} / R-120 / Potez 230 {1} SNCAO 200 (1/1939)[860-1100hp]{1} Bugatti 110 (more / more / more) (1939+) [2x450hp] {1}	NC.900 (1945) {~100}
VI	SE-520Z (1942+) [1600hp] {1} VG-40 / VG-50 / VG-60 [1000-1500hp] {0/0/0}	MS.406 Swiss variants (1940+) [950-1500hp] Mörkö-Morane Finnish MS.406 (1940-1943) [1100hp] NC.900 (1945) {~100} / F6F / P-39 / P-63 / Yak-9
VII	SE.580 (more) [2000-2500hp] {0}	P-51D recon / P-47D / F4U Corsair / Yak-3 / Yak-9 Spitfire IX / Tempest / DH.98 FB.IV
VIII	SNCASO M2 (4/1949) [1xDerwent V] {1} Arsenal VB-15	He-162 (5/1945+) ~~Triton (11/1946) [Nene 101] {5}~~ ~~Leduc 0.10 (10/1947) [ramjet] {1}~~ Pulqui I (8/1947) [Derwent 5] {1} ~~MS.760 / Magister / Zéphyr~~
IX	SNCASE Mistral (9/1943) {251} Dassault Ouragan (2/1949) [Nene 102/104/Atar] {370+} SNCAC NC.1080 (7/1949) [Nene] {1} ~~SNCASO SO.4000 (3/1951) [2xDerwent V, 2xNene 102] {2}~~ SNCASE Aquilon(4/1951) {121}	Meteor (1948) [2xDerwent?] Pulqui II (6/1950) [Nene] {5} Breguet Vultur (8/1951) [Nene 103] {2}
X	Dassault Mystère IV (9/1952) [Tay/Verdon/Atar] {411} SNCASE Baroudeur (8/1953) [Atar 101C/D] {5}	~~Nord 1601 (1/1950) [2xDerwent 5] {1}~~ Griffon (9/1955) [Atar 101F + ramjet] {2} Breguet Taon (1957) [Orpheus] {2} F-84F

Tier	higher interest	lower interest
I		Breguet 27 / NiD 43 / Weymann 80 / PL.5 / PL.6 Avimeta 88 / Buscaylet-Bechereau 2 Levasseur P.L. 5/6 / Brunet 3/4 Potez 23 / Potez 31
II	ANF-M 113 (1931)[860hp]{~285} ANF-M 180 (2/1935)[690hp]{1} Ni.D-140 (3/1935)[690hp]{2}	D.750 (5/1940) [2x500hp] {1} ~~Pa.22 (10/1941) [180hp] {1}~~ ~~Potez 453~~
III		~~M.S.470 (1944) [860hp] {~506}~~ C.670 (1935) [2x220hp] {10}
IV	Hanriot H.220 (SNCAC NC.600) (9/1937) [2x710hp] {2} Romano R-110 (3/1938) [2x450hp] {1} LN.401 (7/1938) [690hp] {68} Arsenal-Delanne 10 (1941) [860hp] {1}	~~Pa.49 (1/1954) {1}~~ SNCAO CAO.600 (3/1940)[2x680hp]{1}
V	D.770 (6/1939) [2x1050hp] {2} LN.42 (late 1939) [1100hp] {1} Breguet 700(2/1940+) [2x1070hp] {1}	Dauntless
VI		Skyraider
VII	SNCAC NC.1070 (4/1947) [2x1600hp] {1}
VIII	SNCAC NC.1071/1072 (10/1948) [2xNene 101] {2/0}
IX
X	SNCASE SE.2415 Grognard (4/1950) [2xNene 101/Tay] {2}

Production	Airframe	Engine	Speed	Armament	Bombs
67+120	Vampire FB Mk.5	VIII Goblin 3 1520kgp	775 km/h @ 12200m 853 km/h @ SL	4x20mm Hispano	8x27kg RP's + 2x227kg or 2x454kg
4 (FF 04/1951)	SE.530 pre-series	VIII Hispano-Suiza (Rolls-Royce) Nene 102 2270kgp
97 (FF 12/1951)	SE.532 production	Nene 102B
150	SE.535	Nene 104	896 km/h @ 6000m 925 km/h @ SL	4x20mm HS 404	8xT-10 or HVAR + 2x450kg bombs